Family-friendly Christmas tree decorating activities for Aussie homes

Australians celebrate Christmas in warm weather, so a tree-decorating session can feel very different from snowy northern traditions. Families might place a real tree in a cool room or choose an artificial one for the verandah, patio, or back yard, where it can stay through the summer holidays. The warm climate also makes it practical to invite relatives over for an arvo of decorating rather than arranging everything after dark. For many households, decorating becomes the first relaxed family gathering after the school year winds down. With shade, water, and a clear surface ready, the tree becomes an easy setting for stories, crafts, and a shared Christmas tradition.

The best sessions leave room for both little kids and grown-ups with artistic ideas. Let each child choose one bauble, a length of ribbon, or a special colour, then share the jobs of hanging lights, placing decorations, and tidying supplies. A simple theme keeps the tree looking settled while every contribution still feels personal. If two siblings want the same spot, a quick turn-taking chart or a game of choosing the next branch turns disagreement into part of the fun. For mixed-age groups, keep complicated craft pieces in a separate basket and save the tree itself for the final hour.

Plan the decorating around real Australian life

Pick a date that suits the household, ideally when school has finished but the tree is still a surprise. A weekend morning gives everyone time to make decorations, and an early evening session can work if the room is already cool. Keep the drinks cold and the job manageable: short decorating blocks suit young children better than one long session. Put each job on a slip—such as lights, garland, or baubles—so there is no argument about who goes first. For a real cut tree, refresh the water in its stand, keep it away from direct afternoon sun, and remove any dry branches. Test every light strand before draping it, because a faulty connection is much easier to find on the floor than halfway up the tree.

Set out supplies in categories: baubles, ribbon, lights, hooks, craft materials, and a small rubbish bag for packaging. A quick tidy of bauble boxes and wrapping paper can be guided by easy organisation ideas on Easy Organized Home. Give each child a labelled container so broken or sentimental pieces stay together, and keep a step stool nearby for adults rather than encouraging children to climb. The Australian decorating market offers plenty of choice through chains such as Bunnings, Kmart, Big W, and The Warehouse, plus online marketplaces. Boxing Day sales are a popular buying window, though popular novelty baubles and character ornaments often disappear early. Buying one or two special pieces instead of a full matching set can also spread the cost across several paydays.

Turn bauble-making into the main event

Make the hand-made bauble the centrepiece of the afternoon. Children can paint plain wooden or cardboard spheres, cut layered paper stars, or turn folded coloured paper into dimensional ornaments. Older children can sketch a family symbol that will still make sense years later, while younger ones need only a patch of paper, some tape, and a liberal supply of glitter. Use child-safe glue, non-toxic paint, and large pieces for under-fives; the Australian summer heat can make some glues dry quickly, so work indoors and leave painted pieces in a shaded, dry place. For a keepsake activity, write the year and a short family note on the back of each paper shape before it goes on the tree.

Ready-made baubles can fill the spaces around the homemade ones, so browse stylish tree accents when the family wants a polished finish without making every item. Choose a few large statement pieces and keep the rest light, or let a child dictate where each one goes. Australian themes suit the tree especially well: paper eucalyptus leaves, banksia, golden wattle, koalas, kangaroos, parrots, and a Southern Cross made from silver stars. Drawing the motifs keeps the tree light and avoids stripping living branches from garden trees. Add a dated ornament each year and the tree gradually becomes a record of the family’s Christmas stories.

Create a colour story the whole family can enjoy

Begin with a palette of two or three colours, then let the children vote on the final combination. Classic red, green and gold suits many homes, while icy blue and silver create a crisp winter look indoors. For a beach-themed tree, try white, sand and navy with starfish or shell shapes. A soft palette of blush pink, mint and cream can look polished without hiding the ornaments beneath heavy ribbon. Multicolour decorations remain popular for families who want every bauble to stand out. Painting colour swatches on spare cardboard gives younger children an easy voting task while the adults handle the final choices. Let the youngest children place the brightest pieces at eye level and give older children the trickier jobs near the top.

Hang the lights before the baubles, following the direction printed on the cable, and choose a deliberate lighting style. Warm white creates a calm background, while multicolour bulbs encourage a playful theme; mixing both can make a tree look busy. Count the strands as you go and secure loose cable to the trunk with soft ties rather than tight tape. Large bead garlands, bells, ribbon and paper stars can fill odd gaps without another shopping trip. A useful family rule is to add one large ornament, one small ornament and one textured piece to every section, creating balance while giving everyone something specific to do. Reserve one sentimental bauble for the centre or front of the tree so it remains visible after the crowded lower branches fill up.

Add unmistakable Australian Christmas touches

Australian festive culture gives families plenty of material for tree decorations. A child inspired by Bondi to Coogee Christmas in the Park in Sydney might make a tiny surfboard bauble, while the giant floats and brass-band energy of Adelaide’s Christmas Pageant can become colourful paper ornaments. Melbourne’s famous Myer Christmas Ball has its own distinctive style, with sweeping ribbons, lights and oversized baubles that translate well to a handmade branch. These local events matter because they form part of how many families recognise the season, even when the weather is too warm for snow. Taking a colour from one event for the tree theme can also turn a familiar celebration into a personal decoration.

Christmas Day itself often combines a backyard cricket match, a barbecue and a swim, so the decorations can reflect that cheerful mix instead of relying on a generic snow scene. Make a funny bauble of a Santa hat worn over swimmers, turn a paper barbecue menu into a tiny gift box, or give each guest a beach towel to hang on a branch. Local language adds to the atmosphere: call the final decorating push a chance to “chuck the baubles on”, invite cousins over for an arvo, and leave room for a brekkie beside the tree. Calling the tree a “fair dinkum” family effort also gives the children a playful phrase to repeat each year.

Finish with games, treats and a safety check

Turn the final hour into a series of small games so nobody waits passively for their turn. Hide a yellow bauble somewhere in the room and let the children hunt for it, play a memory game using matching ornament shapes, or award points for finding the tinsel, the star and the smallest bauble. A “decorate one branch” challenge gives siblings equal space, while a family vote on the best homemade ornament creates a memorable finish. Offer fruit, lollies or allergy-safe treats on a low table, and let the adults handle drinks such as tea or coffee so little hands stay around the craft area. A handwritten scoreboard keeps the games friendly and prevents one child from claiming every victory.

Before calling the tree finished, check the lights, tree stand and decorations as a group. Keep electrical connections dry, keep heavy ornaments low, and make sure the tree cannot tip when a child pulls a branch. Real candles do not belong on a decorated tree, and small baubles need to stay out of reach of younger children and curious pets. If the tree is outside, use outdoor-rated lights and extension leads, anchor them securely against wind, and bring them indoors if rain is likely. For a specific stock or fitting question, contact their team before the shopping rush. After one last walk around the tree with the lights switched on, the final family photograph can capture the baubles, paper stars, laughing faces and well-earned summer treats surrounding it.