A Different Kind of Christmas Tree
I’m excited to show you how peacock ornaments decorate the dining room chandelier! This is my third post about
I actually decorate 4-5 trees in my home every year, one live and the others artificial. The live tree in the family room has the most dear and treasured ornaments. Many were made by my boys out of photographs, tin foil, margarine lids, macaroni, and the like. But, they are like silver and gold to me!
A slim artificial tree in the living room holds fragile glass ornaments. Each of the boy’s rooms has a themed tree suited for their interests — just 3-4 feet tall. Some years, I also decorate a pencil tree in the finished game room with a ski lodge theme to match the decor.
Most of the trees, lights and decorations are stored in the attic. An attic not easily accessible and not designed to be weight-bearing. Several years ago, hubby said, “no more Christmas trees!”
But my collection of fragile peacock and other ornaments continued to grow…
Peacock Ornaments Hang Overhead
That’s when I had a eureka moment and realized I could hang them from chandeliers! Plus, my chandeliers are in rooms where no Christmas tree would fit anyway! Of course, the ornaments still have to be stored in the attic…
Peacock, a Rebel Bird
Why peacock ornaments? Well, that’s a story that deserves a post of its own, but here’s the synopsis.
It all started when researching my husband’s family history. That’s when I ‘discovered’ Peacock, an officer in three militias, quartermaster at Valley Forge, at Cornwallis’ surrender, and one of General Washington’s spies. Peacock was his honest to goodness, real first name! And – I especially love this part – the British called him the Rebel Bird! Get it? They offered a reward of 500 pounds sterling for his capture; a great deal of money back then. Meet Peacock in, Celebrating Patriots on Independence Day.
How could I not be fascinated by him? My sons say I have ‘ancestry envy’, because I did all the work, but share none of his DNA! Some of my family and friends are nodding their heads and rolling their eyes – I’m obsessed with Peacock!
Over time, I have decorated the living and dining rooms with peacock accents like pillows, paintings, and floral arrangements. Wallpaper in the dining room features peacocks. It looks marvelous with the peacock ornaments decorating the chandelier.
Easy 3-Step Process
As I detailed in Decorate a Chandelier for Fall and How to Decorate a Dining Room Chandelier, it’s a simple process:
- Prep light fixture, gather materials on tabletop
- Wrap any garlands around light chandelier
- Add embellishments: silk flowers, ornaments & bows
The first time takes a bit more time, because you have to add the proper hangers to all the ornaments. The type of hangers is dependent on the structure of the chandelier. I use a combination of hooks and ribbon loops. Some are actual ornament hangers. For others I use wired ribbon to tie and twist over the ‘arm’ of the light fixture.
I also changed the order of steps, because of the design and materials used.
After removing the shades, I dropped one cranberry candle ring over each. That replaced the adding garland step. Bows and ribbon went up next, before any fragile ornaments would be in harms way. I created two bows out of 1 1/2-inch wired ribbon, with three foot-long tails. The bows are attached to the chandelier chain near the ceiling. Four ribbon tails cascade down the middle.
Next came an egg-shaped, peacock ornament draped over each of the 10 chandelier candles. I suppose I should have done that before the cranberry rings, but they were a new addition this year! Before the larger ornaments were added, I put the shades back in place. Here’s a close-up of what they look like:
The egg ornaments came in packages of four from Michaels last year. I attached gold ribbon hangers as I did with the fall chandeliers. Two packages of similar, round peacock ornaments that sit flat are used for place card holders on the table.
Hanging Peacock Ornaments
I attach the rest of the peacock ornaments working from the inside to the outside, and top to bottom.
Many of the peacock ornaments that hang on the chandelier came from Macys. I love the velvet-covered balls and tear-drops. Not only are they lightweight and unbreakable, they won’t scratch the brass light fixture. The velvet ornaments hang from gold loops.
Four medium-sized, teal balls with peacock feathers came from Marshalls; four in a package. They are fragile, so I store them in the protective packaging they originally came in.
The large beaded balls are also from Macys. I think they are Styrofoam inside. Every couple of years, I need to take a glue gun and reattach a large bead or two.
More ornaments from Macys, these large painted peacock balls are attached to the chandelier with wired-ribbon. Careful with these, as they are glass and very breakable!
I’ve had to finally stop buying anymore as the chandelier and tree are at peak capacity!
The Focal Point
Here’s a lovely view of several tiers of ornaments. Another Macys peacock ball is shown at the front. I have a pair of them. The giant balls would be way to big on my living room tree. But, the ornate ornaments work perfectly hung from the chandelier.
In the above photo, you can also see the peacock ornament that hangs from the brass chandelier’s bottom ring. Think of it like a reverse Christmas tree — instead of an angel or star on top, it hangs from the very bottom!
2022 Update: Unique Holiday Peacock Theme Tablescape includes additions and updates to the decorated chandelier, plus feather tree centerpiece, and a tail feather shape napkin fold.
Peacock ornaments decorate another chandelier in the kitchen for the Birds of a Feather, My Favorite Things Party.
Do you have a themed ornament collection or tree? Happy decorating!
Link Parties
I regularly participate in: Metamorphous Monday, Share Your Style, Tablescape Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Crafty Creators, Saturday Sparks, Happiness is Homemade, and Love Your Creativity.
Your peacock decor is stunning. I can never get my chandelier decorations to look full enough, but I can see now that I was not using enough decorations.
Merriest Holiday, Kippi
Thank you Kippi! Since no single chandelier or light fixture is the same, you just have to play around with it. More can be nice, as long as it doesn’t add too much weight or comes near the bulbs.
Absolutely gorgeous! And what a clever idea to decorate the chandelier.
Hi Elizabeth, so glad you think so! I decorate both the dining room and kitchen chandeliers all the time now — my vertical centerpieces LOL!