A Magical Inspired Christmas Tree

I'm typically a one-tree type of person. We've always had our one big family tree in the living room covered with handmade and collected ornaments. I add a few things to 'pretty' it up a bit but it's always been the family tree. 

This year, I had it in my head to create a stand alone, pretty tree separate from our family one so I could get creative with it! And my mind immediately jumped to Harry Potter & Hogwarts. If you know me in real life at all, you know my love of the magical world of Harry Potter is big. I thought it would be so fun to channel that love into a creative and magical tree. 

I've been planning it out in my head all year so it's been so fun collecting the right pieces & seeing it come to life! I'll add details below and won't make you wait. But here is my 2020 Harry Potter inspired magical tree!!

First things first, the tree itself. 

I knew from the start that it needed to be flocked. Hogwarts in the snow, yes please. 

It took me a minute to decide where to put it. We don't have a huge open floor plan and I didn't want it overtaking the main tree. So the foyer won. In order for it to fit and not take over, it needed to be a skinny little tree. I ended up purchasing the Ashland Slim Flocked Tree (7 ft) from Michaels when it went on sale and it is the PERFECT magical, snowy tree. It fluffs out gorgeously and was the perfect size to fill, but not overwhelm, the space. 

Next, I went round & round about what to put around the base. 

I realllllyy wanted it to be unique & magical. My first thought was a Hogwarts trunk! It took me a bit to figure out how I wanted it to look. At first, I was thinking it needed to be chunky & square, reaching all the way up the bottom of the tree. Almost like it was growing from it. But then I realized that I wanted to add some of my DIY pieces that I love so much and have it more of a 'spilling out' effect. Kind of like the tree was emerging from the trunk, along with a bunch of other Hogwart-y items you might find in a trunk. 

Hubby brought my vision to life by building me a low, rectangular box with a lid. He based the design around an old ammo box I already had and loved. I alllmooosstt painted it burgundy (Gryffindor colors) But decided it worked best with the gorgeous stain on it so the items could stand out a bit more. Plus it doesn't lock me in on a color. We made sure to build it based off the measurement of the tree stand so it would sit in there perfectly. 

While trying to figure out the perfect way to enhance the trunk just a little more, I played with the idea of adding lettering or faded wording to it with 'property of Hogwarts', etc on it. While building the box, I rummaged in my stash of old hardware pieces and managed to find an old brass backing plate from a dresser pull and this amazing iron piece that strongly resembled a curvy "H". (For Harry? Hogwarts? Who knows? But it works in every single way). 

I painted them both gold, glued them together and then we screwed them onto the trunk after it was built & stained. Couldn't have been more perfect if we tried. 

Once we had it placed where I wanted in they foyer, we settled the tree base in and then added the tree. After fluffing it out in all it's glory, I added all the items around the base that I wanted to be 'spilling out' of the trunk. 

I included a Hogwarts robe (made & gifted to us years ago), a Gryffindor scarf from Universal Studios, handmade spell books, DIY potion bottles/Floo Powder. There were a few worn tags from HP parties in the past and my crown DIY jewel, a beautifully replicated Marauders Map I made years ago, tea dyed paper and all. I just settled them in and arranged them until they made me happy. 

We used an old leather belt of hubby's to create handles on either side of our trunk. After cutting the belt to size, we both stapled them in place and added an oversized brass nailhead detail to give it a little more character.

For the body of the tree, I added all kinds of collected, magical inspired things. 

I had to make ornaments with each of the houses. I used silver (slytherin) or gold (the rest of them) for a more timeless look rather than using their brighter colors. 

I had oversized gold ornament balls that I had added vinyl to years ago. They made an appearance with various spells or sayings on them. 

Hubby surprised me with this gorgeous strand of Snitch lights from Pottery Barn this year. They hung across my HP mantle for fall & they were the perfect thing to drape around the tree too. 

While shopping this year, I kept an eye out for anything that caught my eye as 'magical'. 

I snagged these beautiful glittery feathers from Hobby Lobby along with a little wooden owl, stag ornament & a couple strands of pinecone/gold garland to add texture and dimension to the tree. I tucked them in throughout. 

I found the gorgeous gold 'antler'-eque picks in the floral section at Michaels along with some whispy, feather picks that I cut apart and stuck throughout the tree. 

I had a few DIY snitches from styrofoam balls & feathers leftover from my sons party years ago. They looked cute soaring through several branches of the tree. 

A smattering of glittery, vintage inspired gold balls, mercury-glass burgundy balls and regular red/gold balls are littered throughout the tree too. 

A Hogwarts crest was a must. As well as adding in the DIY wands we made years ago too. I love seeing them stick out through the branches! 

And you can't have a magical tree without a magical topper. 

My sorting hat was a handmade (can you believe that?!?) gift from a friend and it actually talks. It has a little Build a Bear recording in it that has the Sorting Hat's voice when you push it. It perches perfectly on top of my little tree. 

And tucked near the back of the tree, nestled in the snowy branches, is the letter that started it all. It wouldn't be a Harry Potter tree without it, now would it? 

I hope you have enjoyed seeing me tree as much as I enjoyed creating it. I am a little in love with it and am soaking up the magic it gives off every evening. Sometimes, in a chaotic world, a little magic can do you some good. I'm thankful, oh so thankful, for the Christmas season and the miracle of my Savior's birth. That is not lost on me this year at all. I wish all the magic & all the miracles on you this Christmas season too. Happy almost December :)