On a large tree, the decorations make the difference between a professional-looking display and a sparse one. A 20 ft tree dressed in 3-inch ornaments will disappear from across the lobby, no matter how good the tree is. Choosing the right commercial Christmas tree decorations comes down to durability, finish and, above all, scale.
In this guide, we cover how to choose shatterproof ornaments, how to size and count them for your tree, how to use picks and sprays, and how to layer everything into a finished design. If you're still deciding on which kind of tree to get, start with our Commercial Christmas Trees guide.
Our commercial decorations are backed by American Christmas, the team behind Christmas in America, which has created professional holiday programs for over 50 years.
Quick Answer: What Does a Commercial Tree Need?
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Ornaments: shatterproof, not glass, for any high-traffic or outdoor tree.
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Size: ornaments grow with the tree (see the sizing table below).
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Depth: layer at least three ornament sizes, with the largest near the trunk and the smallest at the tips.
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Finish: picks and sprays fill gaps and add texture between the ornaments.
Why Commercial Trees Need Commercial-Grade Decorations
Christmas tree decorations face a different set of demands in a hotel lobby, mall or office space than they do in a home living room. Here's what changes.
Traffic and Handling
Commercial trees stand in busy spaces for weeks, within reach of guests, shoppers and children. They're also handled by crews during installation, takedown and storage, so every ornament gets packed, moved and hung again season after season.
Scale
Decorations that suit a 7 ft home tree get lost on a 20 ft or 40 ft tree. Ornament size, quantity and placement all need to grow with the tree for it to look full from across the room.
Outdoor Exposure
On an outdoor tree, the sun fades color, and wind and rain test every connection. Decorations need finishes and fittings that hold up to the weather for the full season.
Season After Season
Decorations are part of the same multi-year investment as the tree. Divide the cost by the number of seasons you expect to use them, and durable, commercial-grade pieces often cost less per year than decorations that need replacing every season.
Shatterproof Ornaments: The Foundation of a Commercial Tree
Our shatterproof Christmas ornaments bring the polished look, color and finish of traditional ornaments to trees that see installation crews, busy crowds and years of storage. The durability and design are suitable for businesses and homeowners alike.
Shatterproof vs. Glass
Glass breaks in high-traffic areas, which creates safety risks and replacement costs. Shatterproof ornaments hold up to bumps, crowds and handling, and they're lighter, which matters on tall trees and when hanging thousands of pieces. Glass still has its place, of course — our hand-blown glass ornaments are made for collectible and home trees, where they can be admired up close.
What to Look for in a Commercial Shatterproof Ornament
These are the features that matter most on the trees installed for American Christmas’s commercial clients, and they are important details to keep in mind for any professional display.
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Durable shatterproof plastic should keep the shine and shape of a traditional ornament while standing up to repeated handling.
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On outdoor trees, a UV finish keeps colors vibrant through weeks of sun.
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A sturdy green wire loop holds each ornament securely and blends into the branches.
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A wide size range allows for one color story to carry across the whole tree, with small pieces at the tips and large ones at the base.
Finishes and Shapes
Our shatterproof ornaments come in shiny, matte, glitter, pearlized, mercury and candy apple finishes. Alongside classic round spheres, shapes include onions, diamonds, pinecones and snowflakes.
Mixing several finishes in the same color adds depth while keeping the color scheme intact. Shiny, matte and glitter gold together, for example, catch the light in different ways and make the tree look richer and more layered. A few shapes mixed in break up a tree of all-round ornaments, making it more visually interesting.
Sizing Ornaments to the Tree
Ornament size is where commercial decorating differs most from home decorating. Our commercial ornaments come in sizes between 1 and 12 inches, with the widest choice in 3, 4, 6 and 8 inches. For bigger trees, our large Christmas ornaments and large shatterproof Christmas ornaments give you the scale a tall tree needs.
The rule is simple: small ornaments disappear from a distance, so size and density of the ornaments grow with the size and density of the tree. There is no set ornament count. The right quantity depends on the tree profile, the design concept and how full you want the tree to look. As a general guide:
| Tree Height | Ornament Size | Typical Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 9 ft | 4–8" | Based on desired fullness |
| 20 ft | 6–12" and up | Several hundred to 4,000+ |
| 40 ft | 8–20" and up | A few thousand to 8,000+ |
The higher counts reflect the rich, layered look of professional holiday installations.
Layering for Depth
Professional designers build a tree in layers, so that it looks full up close and from a distance:
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Place the largest ornaments deep in the tree, close to the trunk, to fill the center and reflect the lights.
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Add medium ornaments in the middle layer.
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Finish with the smallest ornaments and special shapes toward the tips.
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Group ornaments in clusters, with threes working well, instead of spacing them evenly.
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Step back and check every viewing angle, including balconies and escalators for atrium trees.
Hanging Ornaments Securely
Wrap the wire loop around the branch so the ornament can't slide off. On outdoor and very tall trees, secure every ornament against wind, since a gust can lift pieces off the outer branches.
From Our Installations: Fox Square, New York
In Midtown Manhattan, Fox Square is home to a 50 ft tree by American Christmas, the team behind Christmas in America, first installed in 2019. Its lighting event draws about 20,000 visitors each year. The "All American" design pairs over 200,000 warm red, white and blue LED lights with ornaments and floral pieces in the same color palette. At 50 feet, ornaments have to be large and layered, and one palette across lights, ornaments and picks makes the tree read as a single design.
Christmas Tree Picks and Sprays: Filling Gaps and Adding Texture
Our Christmas Tree Picks & Sprays collection finishes the space between the ornaments. A pick is a single decorative stem, while a spray has several branches on one stem. Both fill gaps and add depth, color and texture.
Choosing Picks for the Look
Options include classic winter symbols like poinsettias, colorful candy, glittered grass, metallic leaves, magnolia stems, pinecones and berry sprays. Magnolia stems and pinecones suit a natural, refined tree. Candy picks bring a playful touch to a family-friendly or retail tree, and metallic leaves and glittered grass add glamour to a hotel lobby.
How to Use Them
Insert the stem where the tree needs more depth, color or texture, then twist a nearby branch around it to secure it.
Design Tips
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Place sprays at an angle to create movement and dimension through the tree.
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Repeat the ornament colors in the picks so the design looks cohesive.
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Use more and larger picks on bigger trees.
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Add sprays around the topper to blend it into the tree.
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Let picks extend slightly beyond the branch tips to make the tree look fuller.
Beyond the Tree
The same picks can be added to wreaths, garlands and centerpieces, so the theme carries through the whole space. Pair them with our commercial greenery to bring the tree's look to entrances, front desks and staircases.
Choosing a Color Scheme
A professional tree usually works with two or three main colors plus one accent. Silver, classic gold and red are proven palettes for commercial spaces, and our pre-decorated Christmas trees offer Rich Silver and Shiny Classic Gold designs ready to display.
Let the setting guide the choice. Retail spaces work nicely in brand colors, hotels suit warm metallics, and public spaces look festive in classic red and gold.
Common Mistakes With Commercial Christmas Tree Decorations
After decades of professional installations, our team sees the same issues come up again and again. Each one is easy to avoid with a little planning.
1. Ornaments Too Small for the Tree
On a large tree, small ornaments vanish from a distance and the tree looks bare. Align ornament size to the tree height, using the table above as a starting point.
2. Glass Ornaments in High-Traffic Areas
Glass breaks when guests brush past or crews handle it, which leads to cleanup and replacements mid-season. Shatterproof ornaments keep the same look and hold up to busy spaces.
3. A Single Ornament Size
When every ornament is the same size, the tree looks flat. Layering at least three sizes creates depth.
4. Decorating Only the Front
A tree in a lobby or atrium is seen from every side and often from upper floors. Decorate all the way around, including the top branches visible from above.
5. Ordering Too Few Ornaments
Running short means filling gaps at the last minute with mismatched pieces. Plan quantities by size and color before ordering, with a few extras on top.
6. Indoor Finishes Used Outdoors
Finishes without UV protection fade in the sun over the season. Choose UV-finished ornaments for any tree that stands outside.
How to Decorate a Commercial Christmas Tree, Step by Step
The method follows the same layers as our guide on how to decorate a Christmas tree professionally, with a few changes at commercial scale. The biggest difference is that on a large tree, the topper goes on early, while the top is easiest to reach, and the skirt goes on last, once the crew has finished working around the base.
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Check the lights on a pre-lit tree before decorating.
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Secure the tree topper while the top is easy to reach (see the topper sizing table in our Commercial Christmas Trees guide).
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Add ribbon, if the design uses it.
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Insert picks and sprays, letting them extend slightly beyond the branch tips.
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Hang the ornaments in layers: the largest deep in the tree, then medium ones, then small ornaments and special shapes at the tips.
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Finish the base with a tree skirt.
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Walk around the tree and check it from every viewing angle. Add extra ornaments or picks and sprays to spots that need filling.
Planning Quantities and Ordering
On a large tree, ornaments are counted in the hundreds or thousands, so order early, in bulk, and by size and color. Add a few extras of each size for replacements and last-minute gaps, so every piece on the tree matches.
Businesses can order through our B2B Trade Program, which includes:
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Automatic 10% Trade Discount
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Stackable Online Promotions
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Tax-Exempt Purchasing
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Free Product Consultations
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Commercial-Quality Products
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Priority Customer Service
Not sure how many ornaments your tree needs? Our team can help you plan sizes and quantities in a consultation.
Taking Down and Storing Decorations
Careful storage is part of why commercial decorations last season after season. When the display comes down in January, keep these tips in mind:
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Wipe each ornament to remove dust before packing.
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Sort by size and color into labeled containers, so next year's install starts organized.
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Store picks and sprays flat so the stems don't bend.
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Keep everything in a dry, cool place for the rest of the year.
Decorations That Make the Tree
A commercial tree looks professionally designed when its decorations match its scale. Shatterproof ornaments sized to the tree, layered for depth and finished with picks and sprays turn a tall tree into a display guests will notice from across the room.
Our decorations are designed for commercial environments and now available to the retail market. Professional durability. Premium design. Made to celebrate season after season.
Shop our shatterproof Christmas ornaments and Christmas Tree Picks & Sprays for a display that will look stunning and stand the test of time. Need some direction? Book a consultation with our team or join the B2B Trade Program to start planning this year's display.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are commercial Christmas tree decorations?
Commercial Christmas tree decorations are ornaments, picks and sprays made for trees in hotels, malls, offices and public spaces. They're more durable than standard home decorations, come in larger sizes for tall trees, and often include features like UV finishes for outdoor use.
Are shatterproof ornaments as nice as glass ornaments?
Yes. Quality shatterproof ornaments keep the polished look, color and finish of traditional glass, in shiny, matte, glitter, pearlized, mercury and candy apple finishes. From a few feet away, most guests can't tell the difference.
Can shatterproof ornaments be used outdoors?
Yes, when they have a UV finish. Our shatterproof ornaments use a UV finish that keeps colors vibrant outdoors, and the wire loop can be wrapped around the branch to hold each ornament in place against wind.
What size ornaments do I need for a large Christmas tree?
Ornament size should grow with the tree. As a general guide, a 20 ft tree calls for 6–12 inch ornaments and up, and a 40 ft tree for 8–20 inch ornaments and up, layered with smaller sizes toward the tips.
How many ornaments do I need?
There is no set count, since it depends on the tree profile, the design and how full you want it to look. A 20 ft tree can take several hundred to 4,000+ ornaments, and a 40 ft tree needs a few thousand to 8,000+ for a highly layered professional design.
