The past few years at the cottage, I’ve put up a hand-me-down Christmas tree from my sister and called it a day. Did I love the small size and colored lights? No, but it was free, and it was there. I wrapped a swath of fabric around the base — the same fabric that’s in the green bedroom — and that was good enough, and coordinated enough, to appease any guests looking for some festive cheer during their stay.
But, this year, it was time to invest just a bit in making the cottage a more styled holiday getaway. and I got that look with a blue and white Christmas tree theme that is simple, classic, and affordable.
Apparently I Bought the Viral Lowe’s Tree
There’s a beauty in not being on TikTok. I don’t get overwhelmed by the trend cycle or feel like I need to buy something just because it’s the big thing in this moment. So when I bought this Christmas tree for an upcoming collaboration, I had no idea I was buying the viral Lowe’s tree.
What I did know is that it was surprisingly high quality given the price. As I was setting it up at the cottage, my parents stopped by to watch the baby, and even my mom was curious about the tree. She’s been debating letting her longtime faux tree go — it doesn’t quite have the oomph that she’d like. This tree caught her eye as a possibility. It’s 7.5′ feet tall, 56″ wide, and has a presence. It clips together in three parts, and the pre-lit strands are controlled by one central button…without the need to figure out where you need to connect them. The LED lights have warmth (the goal!), and, if you are a colored light person, there’s that option, too.
There’s a 100% chance I’m buying this in the 9′ option for our house in DC, which is to say, while I didn’t know this was a viral tree, I get it.
You can find the tree here for $348 — a great price given the size and quality.
Funny enough, I always had the tree right in the middle of the long wall of windows, but, last year, a guest — I’m not sure who — moved it to the corner by the dining table. At first, I thought that was a bold move, moving Christmas decor at a home that is not your own, but I actually think I prefer it here? Out of the sightline of the big river view, but still adding a cozy glow to the main room.
Affordable Blue and White Christmas Tree Decor
This tree is not where I’m going to splurge. Friends of mine recently bought a house down in the North Carolina mountains that they plan on Airbnb’ing half-time. The home had already been an Airbnb, and they texted us commenting on the closet with extensive back-ups (even a coffee machine!). “I guess they expect people will break everything?”
Why, yes, yes they will. If it’s there, it will break. Case in point: someone recently tried to light one of our plastic battery-operated candles, which we discovered when I noticed the entire top was black and burnt.
We’re totally fine with this. It’s the cost of doing business, and it’s never maliciously done. But this also means I’m not going to splurge on certain items that are ripe for breakage. Christmas ornaments are 100% one of those items.
So, while I don’t love to shop on Amazon, that’s where this particular search led me. Cloth blue and white chinoiserie balls, shockingly affordable blue icicles, a darling blue and white tree skirt, and some leftover wired ribbon from when I decorated a home for the Urbanna Holiday House Tour were all I needed to give this tree a charming blue and white look — for under $55.
