Decorate a Library Christmas Tree
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Celebrate a Merry Library Christmas with a Unique Christmas Tree
With 30 years of library experience, I love the holiday season in the library. Decorating the library tree doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. Turn the tree into a focal point and a public relations asset.
I've gathered here a variety of ideas to make the library's Christmas tree special. Also included are some ways to reduce the work and the cost of this annual ritual.
(photo of Christmas tree by Virginia Allain)
Winnie The Pooh and Piglet Holiday by disney
I've gathered here a variety of ideas to make the library's Christmas tree special. Also included are some ways to reduce the work and the cost of this annual ritual.
(photo of Christmas tree by Virginia Allain)
Winnie The Pooh and Piglet Holiday by disney
Contents at a Glance
- Get Outside Help Decorating the Library'...
- Example of a Library Having Community Gr...
- Make Decorating the Library Christmas Tr...
- Decorated Christmas Trees as a Library F...
- More Ideas for a Library Christmas Tree
- Decorate with Storybook Characters
- Look for Christmas Ornaments with a Read...
- Look for Storybook Characters
- Lots of Grinch Ornaments for the Library...
Get Outside Help Decorating the Library's Tree
Enlist the help of community groups to decorate the library's Christmas tree
Each year, ask a different community group (scouts, 4-H, garden club, Rotary, bird watchers, school groups) to decorate the library's Christmas tree. You need to contact them in October so they have time to vote on the project, get a committee working on it and get the decorations in place in early December. Make sure the theme of the tree gets your approval before the work gets too far along.
Make sure to publicize their efforts on the library's webpage and newsletter and in the local papers. Take a photo of the group decorating the tree, write a press release telling about their choice of decorations and invite the public to drop by to see the special Christmas tree.
Stringing Lights by ChristmasCafe
View more stickers on zazzle.com
Example of a Library Having Community Groups Decorate Trees
for Christmas
One advantage is it brings lots of traffic to the library during what can be a slow time of year. Each group promotes their tree decorating efforts so friends and family come to see it.
One disadvantage is it ties up the library's meeting room so you can't have programs or meetings during the tree display time.
One disadvantage is it ties up the library's meeting room so you can't have programs or meetings during the tree display time.
curated content from YouTube
Make Decorating the Library Christmas Tree a Craft Project for Patrons
Set up an activity table with construction paper, blunt scissors, crayons, roll-on glitter, etc. Put a sign inviting people to make an ornament for the tree and to hang it.
Better make it one per person, or an over-enthusiastic individual will use up all your supplies right away. Have the staff invite and encourage people to make an ornament.
Better make it one per person, or an over-enthusiastic individual will use up all your supplies right away. Have the staff invite and encourage people to make an ornament.
Decorated Christmas Trees as a Library Fundraiser
The Orland Free Library invited teens 13-18 to decorate a 3-foot Christmas tree. The decorated trees were on display at the library from Dec. 12-19. Raffle tickets were sold to people in the community at $1 each for a chance to win the tree they liked best. Decorating parties were held on 2 dates (after school). Some decorations were provided. Participants could also bring supplies of their choice. All proceeds will be used to purchase furniture for the Young Adult area in the Library. The drawing for the trees will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 19. Need not be present to win.
- Sponsor a Christmas tree - Pekin, IL - Pekin Daily Times
- Article about the library's fund raiser with small Christmas trees and Christmas wreaths that people decorate. These are auctioned off to raise money.
More Ideas for a Library Christmas Tree
- Delta College librarian constructs Christmas tree out of books
- From a distance, it looks like a Christmas tree is adorning the main window inside the entrance to the Delta College Library. Upon further inspection, though, one will find that it's not a blue spruce or a Douglas fir, but rather a meticulous amalgam of books. The green books are stacked to form a holiday tree.
- Hillsboro City Schools - Library Christmas Tree Decorated
- Faculty and students decorated the library tree by filling in their favorite book titles on ornaments. See an example of the ornament at this link.
- Mittens & Scarves Decorate Library Tree - Voice News
- Libraries across St. Clair County encourage library visitors to bring in new or hand-made mittens and scarves to drape on the library Christmas tree. After the holiday the library donates the items to a charity such as a homeless shelter.
Decorate with Storybook Characters
Look for Christmas Ornaments with a Reading Theme
Here's one from Amazon
A natural theme for a library holiday tree is to decorate it with book characters. It's possible to find Alice in Wonderland tree ornaments and other storybook characters. Finding them is rather time consuming and can be expensive. Enlist the Friends of the Library group or some volunteers to work on this. Start some months in advance.
Look for Storybook Characters
Here are ornaments from Dr. Seuss
Lots of Grinch Ornaments for the Library Christmas Tree
A Small Warning
Since some of the book character ornaments or local-themed ornaments are very appealing to library patrons, some might disappear. Some ornaments are fragile and easily broken by young admirers. It's best to put a tree with these ornaments in an inaccessible, but still viewable area.
Decorate a Tree with Wizard of Oz Characters
A Whole Webpage Filled with Wizard of Oz Christmas Ornaments
Alice in Wonderland Ornament for a Christmas Tree in a Library
How about an Upside Down Alice in Wonderland Tree for the Library?
More Alice in Wonderland Ornaments for a Library Christmas Tree
More Storybook Ornaments for a Library Christmas Tree
Ornaments from Alice in Wonderland
Another Set of Storybook Characters
Ornaments from Winnie the Pooh
Harry Potter Ornaments Would Make a Great Library Tree Theme
Decorate with a Local Theme
Go with a Local Theme
Ornaments for a Florida Christmas Tree
Local Theme - Christmas Ornaments for a Texas Library
Texas Heart Ornament for Christmas Tree by shirts4girls
Think of things that symbolize Texas, then fill a Texas tree with cut-out figures of armadillos, cowboy boots, sombreros, chile peppers, howling coyotes and other Texas symbols like bluebonnets. Use lariat rope draped gracefully around the tree like a garland.
Christmas Tree Themes for Different States and Regions
Kansas, New England, Hawaii, western
More Ideas for a Christmas Tree with a Local Theme or State Theme
- How to Decorate a Western-Theme Christmas Tree | eHow.com
- If "Don't Fence Me In" is your favorite song and Patsy Montana your ideal of a cowboy's sweetheart, why not bring the West inside with a cowboy tree?
- How to Create a Hawaiian Theme Christmas Tree | eHow.com
- Add a tropical flare to a traditional Christmas tree with Hawaiian themed decorations. Make your own Hawaiian themed ornaments from old fashioned salt dough and inexpensive party supplies. Even if...
Hawaiian Shirt ornament by tshirtfun
Make It a Library Wish Tree
The Library Christmas Tree as a Wish List
Cut out pictures of book covers from publisher's catalogs (or print them out from Amazon). These should be titles that the library would like to add to the collection. Glue them onto paper or cardboard Christmas ball shapes. On the back of each put the price of the book. Hang these on the Christmas tree.
Put a sign explaining that the library needs angels in the community to buy the books on the Wish Tree. Tell them to bring the book ornament that they choose to the check out desk and make a donation for the amount needed to buy the book.
Glue a new backing to the paper ornament and write "Thank You to Lori Adams for buying this book for the library." Return it to the tree so others can be inspired by their donation and to give that donor some recognition.
Publicize the library's wish tree in the newspaper and in the library's blog and other places.
Put a sign explaining that the library needs angels in the community to buy the books on the Wish Tree. Tell them to bring the book ornament that they choose to the check out desk and make a donation for the amount needed to buy the book.
Glue a new backing to the paper ornament and write "Thank You to Lori Adams for buying this book for the library." Return it to the tree so others can be inspired by their donation and to give that donor some recognition.
Publicize the library's wish tree in the newspaper and in the library's blog and other places.
I Love My Library Ornate Ornament Librarian Gift by booklovergifts
Browse Library Ornaments
Hold a Program to Make Ornaments and Decorate the Tree
Color your own gingerbread man ornament by JameneKids
This can be a children's program or one for adults. At the program, the participants make the ornaments demonstrated by the staff member or volunteer who is leading the program. Have everyone make several of the craft ornaments and place them on the Christmas tree.
Do Christmas Trees Belong in Libraries?
A dissenting opinion
Because Christmas is a religious holiday, some people feel it should not be celebrated in government supported places such as a library or city hall. This is something for you to consider before making your plans. Some libraries decorate only with non-religious, generic holiday decorations for this reason.
- Undecking the halls: why Christmas decorations do not belong in public library spaces.: An article from: Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services: Tonya Lewis: Books
- Amazon.com: Undecking the halls: why Christmas decorations do not belong in public library spaces.: An article from: Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services: Tonya Lewis
Comments? Ho ho ho!
I'd love to hear your suggestions for library Christmas tree decoration
Very Merry Christmas by AllAboutChristmas
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cffutah
Feb 18, 2012 @ 8:00 am | delete
- It's never to late or too early to begin decorating your tree! Appreciate coming across this.
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seosmm
Nov 25, 2011 @ 4:13 pm | delete
- Good info. Very nice lens!
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PaulOnBooks
Nov 24, 2011 @ 1:59 pm | delete
- I can't blog inn praise of public libraries and pass this lens by - Angel Blessed for a great set of ideas and resources,
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jseven
Nov 20, 2011 @ 2:01 pm | delete
- A very nice idea, you are full of them!
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Sylvestermouse
Nov 1, 2011 @ 12:03 am | delete
- Oh, I love these ideas for ornaments and a library tree!
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BevsPaper
Aug 10, 2011 @ 6:07 pm | delete
- What wonderful ideas for decorating a Christmas tree in the library! Blessed!
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WorldVisionary
Jun 28, 2011 @ 7:41 am | delete
- Excellent ideas here! Thumbs up!
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jenokson
May 30, 2011 @ 8:13 pm | delete
- Thank you so much for the terrific ideas! I can't wait until Christmas!
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stargazer00
Dec 14, 2010 @ 11:08 am | delete
- Great ideas for a library Christmas tree. Thanks for featuring my Wizard of Oz ornaments page!
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wordstock Nov 25, 2010 @ 10:09 am | delete
- Lensrolling this to mine. These are great ideas not just for a library but for any themed tree. I remember spending every Christmas decorating the library tree. My mother was a librarian so most of my memories are library related.
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V_Random
Nov 24, 2010 @ 6:41 pm | delete
- great lens, thanks!!!
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poutine
Nov 11, 2010 @ 8:11 am | delete
- Lensrolling to the following lenses:
http://www.squidoo.com/christmas-wish-list-from-my-husband
http://www.squidoo.com/my-wish-list-for-christmas
http://www.squidoo.com/11greatgiftsforlittlegirls
http://www.squidoo.com/10christmasgiftsforlittleboys
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poutine
Nov 11, 2010 @ 8:08 am | delete
- I love my libraries...I have the choice to go to many different ones in the area
and all for free.
The Christmas decorations here are so appropriate and so cute.
Well done lens.
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JenOfChicago
Sep 23, 2010 @ 4:21 pm | delete
- Great ideas, I love the reading ornaments!
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lemonsqueezy
Sep 8, 2010 @ 12:01 pm | delete
- I love books. These are wonderful ideas. Everyone should share the love of reading all year long. Great lens.
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P.S. Write your own Big Red Bow article!
About your favorite Christmas decorations or party advice
Start now and save up for some stocking stuffers!
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by vallain
I'm Virginia Allain, a retired librarian. Now I devote myself to writing, photography and designing books to self-publish. Having fun!
I write for eHow...
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