Celebrate This Christmas with a Pittsburgh Steelers Tree

Deck the halls with black and gold if you're rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers this holiday season! Whether you're currently living in Pittsburgh, or missing the city from afar like me, decorating your Christmas tree with this theme is a wonderful way to support the Steelers team while providing some familiar bits of home comfort - especially for the relocated Steelers fan.

There are lots of ways to work this theme without spending a ton of money. You can use so many items to decorate your tree and home with a little bit of creativity. Look for gold garland, or beaded strands. Use gold and silver glass ornaments or logo printed fabrics. If you're into embroidery or cross-stitching, you might even take some time to create your own ornaments and other home decorations. I found a pattern at artstitch.com to get you started on your search for artwork.

For my Steelers tree, I start by stuffing some bits of black and gold colored tulle fabric into the depths of the branches. Tulle is great for tree decorations. It's cheap and really helps to fill out the sparse-limbed, holiday sale, artificial tree, also known as the, "Charlie Brown Tree." Push in the tulle stuffing intermittently all around the tree to provide an added depth to your design. As a safety precaution, it is recommended that you use fabric manufactured in the U.S. and only use this effect if you're using LED or electric bulb lights. It's basic, common sense - open flames and fabric don't mix well. Fabric manufactured in the U.S. is held at higher standards than most imported fabrics regarding various safety standpoints, including flammability.

Next, you will want to string your lights on the tree. I like to use white lights because these are very easy to find at any store. If you're really creative, you might be able to find some alternatives in black and gold for lighting. Some suggestions for this method include searching the Halloween decorations at many stores. I've seen black-light strings of lights and yellow or orange sets as well - some that even looked like candy corn pieces.

Finally, you can finish with black and gold bead strands or gold foil garland and your assortment of ornaments. Target carries some great ornaments and searching the web will provide a wide range of choices here. I usually purchase some Steelers logo printed fleece or alternate fabric to make a skirt for my tree's bottom. This doesn't require sewing - unless you want to take it further. I simply buy enough to generously cover the bottom and tuck the end behind the trunk. Once you place a few presents underneath, you'll never notice the imperfections of your simple tree skirt.

Sources:

T.M. Spaulding, Personal Experience while living in Pittsburgh, PA.