• Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • My House
  • Contact

Kelly Elko

Love where you live - inspired decorating ideas

  • Eclectic Homes
  • Projects
    • My Projects
    • FREE Printables
    • Garden
    • Recipes
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Organization
  • Decorate
    • My House
    • Decorating
    • Outdoors
    • Christmas
    • Fall
    • Summer
    • Spring
    • Tablescapes
  • Life
    • Travel
    • Musings
  • Shop

Favorite Sparse Christmas Trees

October 22, 2022  Christmas | Uncategorized

Every year, the number one questions I’m asked is, “Where did you get your sparse Christmas trees?” In my dining room, I’ve got a pair of sparse Christmas trees with hundreds of vintage ornaments hanging from the branches and every year I scream from the top of my lungs that I LOVE SPARSE CHRISTMAS TREES because there is plenty of room between the branches to show off treasured ornaments! The secret is out because it seems like everyone is loving sparse Christmas trees (including me for the past six years) and I am excited to share sparse Christmas tree inspiration plus the best, most realistic, top rated, and most affordable ones for you (I update my source list ever year so you can be sure to find your favorite)! I’ve always wanted a fresh Silver Tip Christmas tree because they have the most stunning, spaced out branches that are perfect for displaying ornaments. The fact that they grow high in the mountains of Oregon and California means they are difficult to come by for this east coast girl. So for the past few years, I’ve been decorating with sparse Christmas trees because I love their imperfect shapes which makes them look much more natural in my humble opinion.

If you’re searching for your own sparse Christmas tree, fear not! I’m also sharing some of my favorite sparse Christmas trees at the end of this post including full size and table top trees, flocked and plain trees, green and tinsel trees, pre-lit and unlit trees. Order early to make sure you get your sparse Christmas tree with plenty of time to enjoy it!

15 Sparse Christmas Trees Beautifully Decorated kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastrees #sparsetrees #silvertip #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasdecorations #christmasornaments #farmhousechristmas #kellyelko

Here is a stunning Silver Tip tree in all it’s natural glory!

Silver Tip Christmas Tree

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful Silver Tip tree minimally decorated in lights and stars kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

Tone on Tone shows us that less is way more when he planted this live little tree in an antique urn and decorated it with mercury glass ornaments.

Mercury Glass Christmas Tree in Urn

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful real tree minimally decorated in with mercury glass ornaments kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #kellyelko

Clip on candles and string lights create a warm glow in Dear Lillie’s bedroom.

Candle Christmas Tree

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful tree minimally decorated in lights and candles kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

Far Above Rubies gets her trees from the woods surrounding her home and this Hemlock is the prettiest Charlie Brown tree I’ve ever seen decked out in vintage tinsel and Shiny Brites.

Vintage Tinsel Tree

Love this real sparse Hemlock Christmas tree with vintage tinsel and ornaments kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasornaments #farmhousechristmas

There is nothing like the real thing and a few special vintage ornaments are all this tree from Vintage Society Co needs. The chunky wool blanket as a tree skirt looks like snow.

Real sparse Christmas tree

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful tree minimally decorated in lights and vintage ornaments kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

Brooklyn Limestone keeps it simple with a wood bead garland on her flocked tree.

Flocked Tree with Bead Garland

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful tree minimally decorated with wood bead garland kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

If one tree is good, two is way better and I especially love the way My 100 Year Old Home turned vintage wood crates into tree skirts brimming with ornaments.

Vintage Crate Christmas Trees

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love these beautiful trees with vintage crates as tree skirts kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #kellyelko

This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Shop My Favorite Sparse Christmas Trees

click on each pic to see more 

I love the vintage green ornaments, including a beautiful tree topper, on Faded Charm Living’s tree.

Vintage Christmas Tree

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful tree with green and silver vintage ornaments kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

These trees are especially welcome in homes that don’t have space for massive trees. I love that this type of tree is equally gorgeous in a farmhouse as it is a modern home and everything in between.

This tree gets festive with touches of red, black and white and how fun is the antique piano bench turned Christmas tree stand from Adams and Elm Home.

Antique Piano Stand Christmas Tree

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful tree with an antique piano stool tree skirt kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

My friend Doreen of Hymns and Verses bought the same tree as the two I have in my dining room! I love the way you can see the bark between each branch and how her color scheme carries down to her beautifully wrapped gifts.

Whimsical Sparse Christmas Tree

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful tree minimally decorated in red, white and black kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

Just look at the way the ornaments pop between the branches of this tree! It seems like there was a memo passed around where everyone, including Emily Henderson, decided to decorate their trees in black, white and red!

Vintage Modern Christmas Tree

15 Sparse Christmas Trees - love this beautiful tree decorated in red, white and black kellyelko.com #christmas #christmastree #sparsechristmastree #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmasedecorating #christmasdecoratingideas #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #neutralchristmas #silvertip #kellyelko

Now let’s take a look at my sparse Christmas trees including the pair in my dining room. I covered them with vintage Shiny Brite ornaments last year and love how all sides of the ornaments can be seen.

Shiny Brite Christmas Trees

Shiny Brite Christmas Dining Room - love the fun retro look of this table and trees kellyelko.com #shinybrites #vintagechristmas #christmasdecor #christmastree #christmasornaments #christmaslights #christmastable #christmasdinigroom #retrochristmas

I’ve had this little feather tree for years (in fact, I have two) and love displaying small ornaments on it. Vintage Pepsi bottles create a “tree skirt” which makes it the perfect kitchen counter tree.

Soda Bottle Tree Skirt Feather Tree

Red teal Christmas kitchen kellyelko.com #christmas #christmaskitchen #christmastree #christmasdecor #vintagechristmas #christmasdecorations

Although not quite as sparse, this Christmas tree is very realistic looking because of its irregular shape. I decked out the tree with over 1600 string lights, clip on candle lights and hundreds of my treasured vintage Shiny Brite ornaments.

You can read more about my realistic looking Christmas tree in this post.

Stunning sparse Christmas tree covered in vintage Shiny Brite ornaments kellyelko.com

Here’s my little Charlie Brown tree complete with tiny little pine cones. I added a flock of bright red cardinals.

Beautiful little tree decorated with a flock of red cardinal ornaments kellyelko.com #christmastree #christmasdecor #christmasdecorating #farmhousechristmas #christmasornaments #cardinals #kellyelko

I love the realistic look of sparse trees and I’m sharing my favorite and most highly rated sparse trees below.

My Favorite Sparse Christmas Trees

click on each pic to see more 

Sign up to get Kelly Elko's latest posts delivered right to your inbox
Your information will never be shared or sold to a 3rd party.

Share this Post!

5471 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
« Previous: Anticipation and My Favorite Advent Calendars!
Next: Quick and Easy Halloween Decor »

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Barbara Fleissner

    November 12, 2019 at 10:17 am

    Thanks for the inspiration, Kelly! Merry Christmas to you and your family.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 12, 2019 at 11:07 am

      Wishing you and your family the merriest of Christmases! I’ll have to walk by Lincoln Hubbard and have a seat on your bench!

      Reply
  2. Kathy

    November 12, 2019 at 10:26 am

    These are hands down my favorite kind of trees. My mamma always called them a “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree. I think my parents got these because they were about all they could afford. Some years we’d even go an borrow one from the woods out back. We decorated them with a box of old ornaments and lights from the attic and then usually we would make some homemade ornaments. Thanks for reminding me of the gold old days. Simple and just about perfect!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 12, 2019 at 11:07 am

      What a great memory Kathy! We had a fake tree growing up … definitely not the same thing!!

      Reply
  3. Cindy

    November 12, 2019 at 12:21 pm

    I love the trees that are a bit more sparse. My family has an Annual Christmas Tree Hunt, where we drive up to the National Forest in Idaho (permits in had of course 😉 ) and cut down our trees. It is always an adventure.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 12, 2019 at 7:53 pm

      That sounds magical! I wish I could join you!

      Reply
  4. Alan Meyer

    November 12, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    I’m inspired !
    My collection of ornament gets lost every year on a “full” tree. Now I know what to do
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 12, 2019 at 7:53 pm

      Send me a pic of your decorated tree Alan, I’d love to see it!

      Reply
  5. lynne richmond

    November 12, 2019 at 3:11 pm

    i LOVED all of the trees… thanks so much for the inspiration!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 12, 2019 at 7:54 pm

      So glad you liked them! I can’t get enough of them either Lynne!

      Reply
  6. Janet

    November 12, 2019 at 4:16 pm

    Love your trees but please check the usage of it’s. From a former proofreader. Janet.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 12, 2019 at 7:55 pm

      LOL Janet it’s (or is it its) a struggle to have perfect grammar 100% of the time!

      Reply
  7. Marlene Stephenson

    November 12, 2019 at 4:19 pm

    They are all beautiful, i don’t care how a tree may look, when decorated for Christmas i think they are all beautiful and love all the differences in the way people decorate them. Thank you that was fun to see.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 12, 2019 at 7:55 pm

      Agree! A string of lights is all any Christmas tree really needs to add that magical glow!

      Reply
  8. laura

    November 12, 2019 at 10:17 pm

    oh my I love all of these trees! Who knew? Sharing on the weekend edit on Saturday! Love this trees! laura in colorado

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 13, 2019 at 7:55 am

      Sounds great Laura!

      Reply
  9. Suzanne in AZ

    November 12, 2019 at 10:20 pm

    I like a sparse tree, too. I giggled when I scrolled to the very last of your Favorite Sparse Christmas Trees;) Great post! Merry Christmas, Kelly!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 13, 2019 at 7:55 am

      Charlie Brown knew his trees!

      Reply
  10. Donna

    December 8, 2019 at 7:43 am

    Luv all the Xmas decor
    I’ve been collecting cardinals off & on when I can find them/ they stay up all year long
    Where did you get the ones to put on the Charlie Brown tree??? Would luv to find these / thks Donna

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      December 8, 2019 at 8:00 am

      Thanks Donna! I got the cardinal ornaments years ago but here is something similar: http://bit.ly/2R1Jv8K

      Reply
  11. Donna

    December 20, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    How do you string the lights? I’ve tried up amd down the branches and around the tree. Neither looks right.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      December 20, 2019 at 9:40 pm

      Girl it’s a process! I think I need to make a video!

      Reply
  12. Jennifer Douglas

    October 15, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    I just came across this. We are from CA and just moved to SC. My favorite tree is a Noble fir but ca not find anywhere here! Probably because they too are in CA and OR. What kind of tree do you get on the East coast that’s sparse? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      October 16, 2020 at 9:19 am

      We don’t really have sparse trees on the east coast Jennifer but I did manage to find one at my local Christmas tree stand. I assume they shipped them in from somewhere else. Go faux, that’s what I do!

      Reply
      • Maria

        December 4, 2021 at 9:15 pm

        Our tree stand had a few of these “sparse “ trees, in Charleston, SC. They referred to them as European or Old Fashioned Christmas Trees. I fad to get one. I’ve never seen trees this pretty. Here it is all about the bushy Frazier Fir.

        Reply
        • Kelly Elko

          December 5, 2021 at 2:00 pm

          I found a real sparse one at my Christmas tree stand too! They are rare in my area but beautiful! Glad you found one Maria!

          Reply
  13. LINDA Lane

    November 27, 2020 at 8:36 am

    Kelly…Great post, this takes me down memory lane. Living in Northern California, until 3 yrs ago, now in GA. We would get a tree permit from the U.S.Forest Service and go out to find the perfect tree. Anything
    above 5,000Ft. elevation was the best. Very sturdy branches to hold lots of ornaments. Thank you !

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 27, 2020 at 10:22 am

      I found a real sparse tree at my local Christmas tree stand last year and put it on my porch! It was stunning! How fun that you got to cut down your own tree!

      Reply
  14. Marlene Stephenson

    November 27, 2020 at 12:16 pm

    I already bought me one for this year and can’t wait to decorate, thanks for these ideas. I am doing nothing today but cleaning up after and resting, hopefully tomorrow i will feel like getting my trees out at least and maybe getting them up, ha!ha!ha! You have a good weekend,xxx.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 27, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      Marlene! I have finished my decorating and my Christmas tour is Monday! Today, I have been purging all the old Christmas stuff I no longer want and selling it on Facebook. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving

      Reply
  15. Lisa K

    November 27, 2020 at 10:05 pm

    This is just a perfect example of less is more! I enjoyed looking at all the different trees!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 28, 2020 at 9:29 am

      I love light and airy look of these trees!

      Reply
  16. Teresa Houck

    November 28, 2020 at 5:20 pm

    Love your pics of Sparse trees. We just got an 8 foot real alpine. What is best way to put lights in a sparse tree?

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 28, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      I like to run the lights up the back of the tree along the trunk to the top and start wrapping around each branch. Under and over so they stay put.

      Reply
  17. Lisa K.

    November 7, 2021 at 8:25 am

    I loved seeing all these ideas! I love your 2 trees in the dining room. Must be stunning to see at night! I also love your cardinal tree!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      November 7, 2021 at 9:34 am

      Glad you enjoyed my trees Lisa!

      Reply
  18. Becky L.

    December 11, 2021 at 10:32 pm

    Love the look of sparse trees. I call them Alpine trees. Is your cardinal tree one in the list of your favorite faux sparse trees? I can’t seem to find it amongst those you pictured.

    Reply
  19. Char Harding

    September 30, 2022 at 10:51 pm

    Kelly just found your sparse trees. Love them! Can you source for me the center and right trees on the first row of samples? Your help is greatly appreciated.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      October 1, 2022 at 8:41 am

      Hi Char! Did you try clicking on the pics? That should lead you to the source to purchase.

      Reply
  20. Cristina

    October 22, 2022 at 6:03 pm

    OMG! Beautiful, I love them all!!!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      October 23, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      I love this type of tree so much Cristina!

      Reply
  21. Marlene

    October 23, 2022 at 2:16 pm

    I love Christmas trees no matter how sparse or full they are, no matter how many decorations. They all look beautiful when you turn on those lights and they glow so beautifully. I did buy a sparse one last year. Thanks Kelly they are lovely ideas.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      October 23, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      Agree Marlene – the lights make every tree sparkle!

      Reply
  22. Lisa K.

    October 23, 2022 at 9:50 pm

    I love your Charlie Brown tree with cardinals!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      October 25, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      I love cardinals!

      Reply
  23. Kathy

    October 24, 2022 at 11:59 am

    We always called them Charlie Brown Christmas trees! A longtime favorite of mine. I guess it started in my childhood as this was the tree my mom always picked. I think they do allow for more room to show the ornaments. I always decorate our with antique glass ornaments that we have collected over the years. So looking forward to Christmas this year!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      October 25, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      Your ornaments sound beautiful Kathy! Christmas can’t come soon enough!

      Reply
  24. Tamara

    February 4, 2023 at 8:55 am

    Good morning. My mother really likes one of the spares trees that you had posted. Where can she purchase a Christmas tree at?

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      February 4, 2023 at 1:36 pm

      All of the trees are linked in my post – just click on the links (text and photos) to shop

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Kelly's Stamp of Approval 7 - Kelly Elko says:
    December 8, 2019 at 5:55 am

    […] Don’t miss my Favorite Sparse Christmas Trees here. […]

    Reply
  2. Shiny Brite Christmas - Creative Display Ideas - Kelly Elko says:
    November 15, 2020 at 2:08 pm

    […] See My Favorite Sparse Christmas Trees Here […]

    Reply
  3. Home Sweet Home Christmas Home Tour - Kelly Elko says:
    November 30, 2020 at 4:56 am

    […] My Favorite Sparse Christmas Trees Here […]

    Reply
  4. Kelly's 15 Favorite Things - Holiday Edition - Kelly Elko says:
    November 20, 2021 at 4:44 pm

    […] See all of my favorite Sparse Christmas Trees Here […]

    Reply

KELLY

About / Contact / Press
facebook twitter instagram google pinterest snapchat

Join me as I decorate my 100 year old home, scour thrift stores, create pretty things, putter in my peony and hydrangea filled garden, and mix up a mean cocktail all with a touch of sarcasm and a side of bacon - Cheers!



More About Kelly

Love where you live by mixing high and low, new and old to create a home that shows off your personality. My mantra ... simple projects equals more time for cocktails!
Subscribe for Email Updates:

Get in Touch

facebook twitter instagram google pinterest snapchat

I'd love to hear from you:
[email protected]

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · KellyElko All rights reserved. Site by WordPress Barista

Copyright © 2023 · KellyElko - 2016 on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Sign up to get Kelly Elko's latest posts delivered right to your inbox
Your information will never be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
5471 shares