Tree Decorator

Caitlyn Carter, 20, Alexandria

"Step back from the tree and squint your eyes," Carter says. Doing so will help you see if your tree's twinkle is tops -- or if more lights are needed. (By J Carrier For The Washington Post)

FAMILY TREE: I am a third generation worker at the Christmas Attic in Alexandria ( http://www.christmasattic.com ). We started 33 years ago in the back corner of the second floor of the building we're still in. My grandmother always loved Christmas and started with $5,000 to buy ornaments. It quickly became popular, so she expanded to fill both floors. My mother was working in the store in high school and still works here today. I grew up in this store -- it has always been home for me. It's like having the Christmas spirit 365 days a year.

ALL THAT GLITTERS: The trend in tree decorating is color coordinating -- picking a color scheme, matching the ribbon to the ornaments and such, and planning around that. People used to do trees with themes such as ornaments that are all snowmen, all Santa Clauses, or even all red, white and blue. But that's become somewhat passe. The trends this year in ornaments seem to be anything glittery and spirituality-based ornaments. We're selling a lot of sparkle balls, blown glass cigars and pewter angels with messages. Tinsel has been out for years, but that doesn't mean you can't make it look good on your tree. Tinsel goes well with antique ornament collections and looks better when put on a strand at a time around the tree. Less is more with tinsel.

TURNING CHRISTMAS ON ITS HEAD: Another trend is the upside-down tree, which is exactly that -- an artificial inverted Christmas tree. You can buy them online, and I think even Target has one that retails for around $400. Upside-down trees let ornaments hang below the tree itself, and these trees look better with larger and more expensive ornaments.

TWINKLE, TWINKLE: Lights go on the tree before anything else. Four sets or more make the tree really sparkle. A trick that we use to make sure the lights are evenly distributed: Step back from the tree and squint your eyes. This helps you see what areas of the tree are less evenly lit. Colored lights are on the upswing, and every year they become more fashionable. But white lights are still the most popular. And when you buy white lights, you know that you'll be able to reuse them at least for the next few years.

TREE TRIMMING 101: After the lights, you are ready for the ribbon or garland, which will tie it all together. When using either, more is always better. Then come the ornaments -- always use odd numbers when decorating; it looks better that way. For example, if you have matching ornaments, place three or five of them in a condensed area. Finally, the topper: Angels and stars are the most traditional and in vogue, but stars tend to be less expensive than angels.

STARTER SET: Being young often means being on a budget. You can buy a few sets of ornaments and then find a ribbon to match -- that should be enough to fill a tree and can cost around $50. Choosing themes or color tones will help narrow down your decorations. And for those just starting their collections, I suggest buying a few good quality special items that will last for years, such as a nativity set or a nutcracker that will be cherished. You can also make ornaments out of favorite family photos or holiday greeting cards, and nothing beats gathering friends for hot cider and stringing popcorn and cranberries.

HOLIDAY NOSTALGIA: We always put up a 14-foot tree in our living room. My favorite ornaments are the homemade ones. To me, they look the most beautiful on the tree. Decorating for Christmas doesn't always have to be about the fancy ornaments but can be about the ones that bring back memories. We use to put cloves in oranges and tie them with ribbons. The smell and the fact that we did it together is a holiday tradition that I always enjoy. As told to Karen Hart

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