The tree goes up the weekend after Thanksgiving, and the same thing happens every year. Lights go on, ornaments go on, and then somebody digs out the old plastic star with one dead bulb. It leans a little to the left, as it always has.
These 14 Christmas tree topper ideas give the top of the tree a new job. Bows, branches, bells, and birds all work, and most weigh less than a star. A few can be made tonight from ribbon and extra ornaments you already have.
Short on time? Need a topper tonight, so look at ideas 1, 2, and 8, which use only ribbon and spare ornaments. Images are AI-generated illustrations.
Oversized Velvet Bow With Long Tails
A big burgundy velvet bow sits at the very top of a green tree. Its two tails run down through the branches almost to the floor. Gold ornaments peek out along the ribbon.
Bows weigh almost nothing, so even a thin top branch holds one straight. Long tails pull the color down the whole tree. Use wired ribbon four inches wide, and the loops stay full with no stuffing.
Copy it: Cut five yards of wide wired ribbon and tie a four loop bow in the middle. (about 15 minutes, cost $$)
Ribbon Streamers From the Tip
Eight ribbons in cream, sage, and gold pour from the tip of the tree like a maypole. No bow at all sits on top. Each streamer tucks in and out of the branches on its way down.
Streamers suit a tree that touches the ceiling, since they add zero height. Three colors look richer than one. Gather the ends with a twist of floral wire, bind it to the top branch, and hide the wire with a single small ornament.
Copy it: Cut eight ribbons, each one and a half times the height of your tree. (about 25 minutes, cost $$)
Pampas Grass Plume Spray
A spray of fluffy pampas plumes bursts from the top of a flocked tree. Soft beige feathers fan out in every direction. Below, wood beads and cream ornaments match the neutral tone.
Plumes add two feet of drama for very little weight. Boho rooms get a topper that fits the sofa and the rug. Mist the plumes with hairspray outdoors first, or they shed fluff on the gifts all month.
Copy it: Push seven plume stems down into the top of the tree at different angles. (about 10 minutes, cost $$)
Magnolia Leaf Fan
Glossy magnolia leaves fan out from the tree tip like a green and copper crown. Some show the shiny green side, and some show the brown velvet back. Tucked in the middle is a cluster of gold berries.
Leaves from the yard or the florist cost little and look Southern and grand. Two tones come free on every stem. Push each stem straight down into the top of the tree and wire only the center one, which keeps it easy to redo.
Copy it: Collect ten magnolia stems about a foot long and strip the bottom leaves. (about 15 minutes, cost $)
Mercury Glass Finial Spire
A tall mercury glass spire rises from the top branch. Round bulbs stack down its length and end in a sharp point. Tree lights flash in the silver finish.
Finials were the classic topper in grandma's day, long before stars took over. Slim shapes fit under a low ceiling. Slide a wooden dowel up inside the base and wire the dowel to the trunk, so the glass cannot tip.
Copy it: Fold the top branch down on itself to make a thicker post for the spire. (about 10 minutes, cost $$)
White Feather Doves
Two white feather doves perch at the top of the tree, turned toward each other. A third sits one branch lower. Their wings spread just a little, as if they have landed for a moment.
Birds bring a peaceful note that no star can. Clips on their feet grab a branch in seconds. Bend the top branch over into a loop first, which gives the doves a flat perch.
Copy it: Clip the first dove to the highest sturdy branch, then add the second beside it. (about 5 minutes, cost $)
Black Top Hat With a Plaid Band
A black felt top hat sits tilted at the top of the tree. Red plaid ribbon wraps the band, and a sprig of holly sticks out of one side. Under the brim, the top branches poke out like hair.
Hats make everyone smile, and that is reason enough. Kids will tell you the tree is now a snowman. Stuff the crown with tissue paper and push it down over the top branch, so it grips without wire.
Copy it: Wrap ribbon around the hat band and pin a holly sprig on one side. (about 10 minutes, cost $)
Ornament Cluster Crown
Twelve ornaments in gold, champagne, and white bunch together at the tree tip. Big ones sit in the center with small ones around the edge. Together they form a shiny ball the size of a melon.
Extra ornaments from the box become the topper for free. Clusters hide a bare or crooked top branch. Thread them onto one long piece of floral wire, pull it tight into a bunch, and twist the wire ends around the trunk.
Copy it: Pick twelve shatterproof ornaments in three sizes and string them on wire. (about 15 minutes, cost $)
Folded Paper Angel
A white paper angel stands at the top of the tree. Her skirt is a cone of heavy paper, and her wings are two fans of pleated pages. Warm lights glow through the folds from behind.
Paper costs pennies and weighs less than any store topper. Homemade angels become the piece a family keeps for decades. Cut the cone from watercolor paper, since thin printer paper droops over time.
Copy it: Roll a half circle of heavy paper into a cone and tape the seam in back. (about 30 minutes, cost $)
Eucalyptus Hoop
A gold metal hoop about ten inches wide stands upright at the top of the tree. Silver dollar eucalyptus covers the lower half. Thin white ribbon trails from the bottom.
Hoops read as a modern halo and suit a simple tree. Eucalyptus dries in place and keeps its color. Wire the hoop to a green garden stake, then zip tie the stake to the trunk for a topper that stands straight.
Copy it: Wire four eucalyptus stems to the bottom half of a metal craft hoop. (about 20 minutes, cost $)
Brass Sleigh Bells on a Leather Cord
Five brass sleigh bells in graduated sizes hang in a bunch from the top branch. Dark leather cord ties them together. Every time someone brushes past, the tree rings.
Bells add sound, which most trees lack. Brass and leather look right on a rustic or cabin tree. On a real tree, tie heavy bells to the trunk and not the tip, and keep the stand full of water so the top stays firm.
Copy it: Knot five bells onto one leather cord at slightly different lengths. (about 10 minutes, cost $$)
White Birch Twig Burst
Thin white birch twigs shoot up and out from the top of the tree like a firework. Tiny warm lights wrap a few of them. Snowy flocking on the branches below matches the pale bark.
Twigs add height and width where a tree narrows to nothing. Painted sticks from the yard work as well as store ones. Bundle the ends with tape, slide the bundle into the top like a bouquet, and fan the tips apart.
Copy it: Gather fifteen thin twigs about two feet long and spray them white. (about 20 minutes, plus drying, cost $)
Gold Wire Crown
A small gold crown circles the tree tip. Points rise all around it, each ending in a tiny pearl bead. Lights from below shine up through the open wire.
Crowns give the tree a royal finish without the bulk of a star. Open wire lets the green show through. Shape one from a strip of gold craft mesh if you cannot find one, and pinch the top edge into points.
Copy it: Slip the crown over the top branch and fluff the needles up through the center. (about 5 minutes, cost $$)
Gold Crescent Moon
A slim gold crescent moon leans at the very top of a dark green tree. Small star ornaments in the same gold hang on the branches just under it. Navy ribbon winds down from the tip.
Moons feel fresh because almost nobody uses one. Night sky colors, navy and gold, look rich against deep green. Hot glue a clothespin to the back of a flat moon ornament, and it clips on in two seconds.
Copy it: Clip the moon so the open curve points up and toward the room. (about 10 minutes, cost $)
When to Set This Up
Most trees go up the weekend after Thanksgiving, November 27 to 29, 2026, so choose your topper before then. Put it on right after the lights and before the ornaments, while you can still reach the top without knocking anything off.
Skip These Mistakes
- A topper too heavy for the tip. Anything over a pound needs a dowel or stake wired to the trunk.
- Forgetting the ceiling. Measure the gap above the tree before you buy a tall spire or plumes.
- Adding it last. Reaching over a decorated tree breaks ornaments, so place the topper early.
Quick Answers
What can you put on top of a Christmas tree instead of a star? Try a large ribbon bow, a cluster of ornaments, a spray of twigs or plumes, a paper angel, or a pair of feather birds. Light toppers are easiest to keep straight.
How do you keep a tree topper from leaning? Wire a wooden dowel or green garden stake to the trunk so it extends above the tip. Attach the topper to the stake and not to the thin top branch.
How big should a tree topper be? A common guide is about one inch of topper height for each foot of tree. Leave at least four inches between the topper and the ceiling.
The top of the tree is the first place every eye lands. A bow, a bunch of bells, or a paper angel can make the whole tree feel new, even with the same old ornaments. Try one this weekend. Then see flocked Christmas tree ideas and Christmas tree ideas for 2026 for the rest of the branches.
Read Next
- 14 Flocked Christmas Tree Ideas for a Snowy, Quiet Look
- 15 Christmas Tree Ideas for 2026 Worth Copying This Year
- 12 Velvet Bow Christmas Tree Ideas That Do All the Work
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