Every year when we unpack the Christmas boxes, it feels like opening a family scrapbook. Our tree has never been styled — it’s been lived. We hang dollhouse people, Teletubbies, Groovy Girls, tiny tea-party teapots, photo-booth strips tied with ribbon, my grandparents’ glasses hung with bows, ’80s Ray-Bans, old razor cell phones, antique porcelain dolls, first teddy bears, first Christmas shoes, and every homemade ornament the girls ever made. We even hang their ASB cards on a little ring, and every year we add a new photo ornament of the girls. We’ve always hung old toys and sentimental bits from my grandparents — and every season I think, “Okay… this is the year I really do need to steal something from my mom’s house to add to the tree.” It’s quirky and sentimental and perfectly imperfect — and it’s taught me that the best trees are the ones layered with family stories.

So when I came across Veranda’s holiday round-up of designer trees, I found myself drawn to the ones that felt like that — trees with soul, memory, charm, and a little bit of whimsy. Here are 11 favorites that feel right at home in a Modern Cottage Living world.

Nostalgic Ornaments

Lobby - Resort at High Hampton Resort — photo by Brie Williams 

This tree — decked in vintage glass ornaments and old-fashioned baubles — instantly transports you to childhood holiday mornings. I love how the shimmer of classic glass and the soft glow of lights evoke that familiar, comforting nostalgia. It reminds me of our own tree: with doll-house people, first teddy bears, our kids’ favorite toys — and even the first pair of glasses worn with bows by grandparents. It’s the kind of tree that feels like stepping into the past, but wrapped in the love of now.

Personal Touch

High Hampton Resort — photo by Brie Williams

Here the holiday tree becomes a living scrapbook: imagine framed-photo ornaments hanging from its branches, each one a captured moment from past seasons. That idea speaks to me because we’ve done something similar — every year we hang a photo ornament of the girls, along with handmade ornaments, ribbons, even graduation peace signs and plastic toys from their childhood. It’s not just décor — it’s memory-keeping, a way to carry our stories forward.

Vintage Tinsel

Collectors: Bill Miller & Paul Landy — Photo by David Prince 

There’s a playful sparkle to the tinsel-wrapped tree — shimmering strands, antique glass icicles, and those wonderfully retro ornaments that feel like they’ve lived a dozen Christmases before. We’ve always loved using the super-fine tinsel ourselves; it gives the tree this soft, glimmering halo instead of a heavy metallic look. We even have a photo of my grandparents’ tree from the 1940s, and it looks almost exactly like this one — delicate strands cascading over the branches, catching the light just enough to feel magical. Mixing a look like this with your ’80s Ray-Bans, old razor cell phones, or family porcelain dolls is such a fun way to blend eras. It’s bold, nostalgic, a bit cheeky — and full of personality.

Foraged & Festive

High Hampton Resort — photo by Brie Williams

This tree uses nature’s own decorations: magnolia branches, pinecones, berries — foraged greens that make the tree feel like it arrived straight from the forest. It’s the kind of warm, organic base that I love to imagine mixed with soft blankets, rustic cottage furniture, and sentimental ornaments — a perfect backdrop for childhood toys, family-heirlooms, and cozy holiday memories.

A Citrus Delight

Designer: Caroline Gidiere — Photo by Laurey Glenn

Caroline Gidiere’s citrus tree feels bright and joyful — a tree that somehow smells like Christmas morning and sunshine at the same time. Dried oranges, grapefruit slices, cinnamon bundles, and soft gold ribbons bring a cheerful glow without ever feeling busy. And the best part? It’s incredibly easy to dry and string your own oranges at home — a simple little project that fills the whole house with the coziest scent. I love how this look pairs with sentimental pieces: a warm pop of citrus next to a tiny toy or an old photo ornament makes the whole tree feel alive and full of personality.

Miniature Memories

Collectors: Bill Miller & Paul Landy — Photo by David Prince

There’s something so sweet about a miniature tree that holds its own little world. Miller and Landy fill theirs with color, whimsy, and tiny treasures — and it instantly feels like childhood. This idea makes me think of all the little toys and trinkets we’ve hung over the years. A mini tree is the perfect home for those tiny items: dollhouse furniture, pocket-sized toys, or even the little things your kids were obsessed with one year.

Heirloom Treasures

Designer: Peter Vitale — Photo by Kraus Johansen

Peter Vitale’s tree is filled with metallic charms, antique ex-votos, and personal keepsakes from his travels — a tree that feels like opening a jewelry box filled with memories. It reminds me of the antique porcelain dolls and family pieces we hang each year. I love the idea that a Christmas tree can become a place where heirlooms live for a season — safe, loved, and lit softly from behind.

Family Traditions

Designer Alessandra Branca— Photo by Werner Straube

At designer Alessandra Branca’s Chicago townhouse, the family tree feels like a story passed down through generations. Twinkly lights and vintage ribbons dress the towering tree without ever overwhelming it — the kind of effortless, relaxed holiday decorating that lets the memories do the talking. Branca fills her tree with meaningful ornaments collected over a lifetime: pieces from her early years, gifts from loved ones no longer here, and treasures her family still pulls out together each season

Worldly Christmas

Designer: Bunny Williams & John Rosselli— Photo by Max Kim-Bee

Bunny Williams always decorates with a traveler’s heart — ornaments from different countries, patterns from around the world, textures and colors collected over time. It has that “I’ve lived a life and this tree knows it” feeling. I love how this style pairs beautifully with family treasures: you can hang a childhood toy next to a hand-painted ornament from a far-off place, and somehow it all makes sense.

Artful Blooms

Designer: Michael Putnam — Photo by Sang An

Lewis Miller, the genius of floral installations, brings soft blooms into the branches — a tree that feels equal parts winter and spring. Hydrangeas, roses, wispy florals… tucked between ornaments, it’s unexpectedly romantic. I love how this idea softens a memory-rich tree: the juxtaposition of delicate florals with childhood keepsakes feels perfectly cottage and wonderfully tender.

 

Christmas trees have a funny way of reflecting who we are — a blend of old and new, polished and playful, thoughtful and a little chaotic. However you decorate this year, let it be personal and lived-in. And if you're looking for even more inspiration, Veranda’s full holiday tree collection is well worth a scroll. It’s filled with ideas that might spark the next tradition in your own home.