Three American Christmas Tree Themes

Home of the Range Christmas tree.

This tree is a tribute to the cowboy and the country western lifestyle. Use strands of red Christmas lights. Your garland can be red and blue bandannas folded into triangles. These bandannas are something to look for at the dollar store during the summer months.

Visit you local fabric store and get red and white gingham ribbon. Make several gingham ribbons for at least every other branch of the tree. You can also use Indian corn available around thanksgiving on the other branches. Other ornament ideas are toy sheriff badges tied with rawhide string and green and red cowboy hats. The kids can make them out of construction paper or felt. Look for farm animal ornaments in the form of cows, horses, pigs and chickens. You can bake ginger bread cookies in the shape of cowboy boots for a finishing touch.

Small Town Americana Tree

Miniature American Flags made their appearance on many of the turn of the century Christmas trees. Use white lights and make a garland of red, white, and blue ribbons. Use the miniature American Flags on tooth picks on every other branch of the tree. Alternate with cloth miniature flags if you can find them. Use small red, white, and blue fans as ornaments.

You children can make several different sizes for a homemade look. Plastic and wooden red apples will also add to this three. Cloth hearts, teddy bears, and any ornament reflecting the good ole days of small town American life will look great on this tree. Top the tree with red or blue metallic star.

Hoosier Down Home Christmas Tree-

The color theme for the Hoosier tree is yellow and racing black and white. Use white lights for the back ground of the tree. Use small paper racing flags that you can find at party paper supply store.

Find yellow gingham ribbon, black ribbon, and white ribbon to make the garland. Use yellow ribbon if you cannot find yellow gingham.

Alternate the ribbon knotting it at the ends and placing a racing flag in the knot. Drape the ribbon as garland with the racing flags. Find plastic corn to use ornaments on every other branch. If you go a large discount store you may be able to get those plastic corn ear holders to use as ornaments. Again, this is an easier item to get in the summer months. Hang children's metal and plastic race cars on the tree and farm animals of any type. Have your kids use red construction paper to make a few "bricks" and write brick yard in glitter and the year they made the ornament.

http://www.christmasmouse.com/farmandgarden.html

http://www.unflags.com/minintootfla.html

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/corn-shaped-corn-on-the-cob-holders

http://www.kipptoys.com/ProductBrowse/ProductDetail.aspx?TID=231&SID=369&PID=17156