Christmas Tree Toppers: Stars, Bows and Angels, and How to Secure Them

Choose a Christmas tree topper by the space above your tree. Leave at least 6 inches between the topper and the ceiling, and keep it light enough for the top branch. Then fix it in place: zip ties for a pole-mount star, floral tape for a spiral base, wire for a bow.

Christmas tree topper styles

Christmas tree toppers come in a handful of styles, and Balsam Hill’s guide lists the main ones. Stars range “from simple five-point designs to elaborate three-dimensional Moravian styles.” The angel “is an all-time favorite for traditional holiday decorating,” a tradition Balsam Hill traces to a golden foil angel, the Rauschgoldengel, used on trees in 18th-century Germany. Bouquet toppers use “faux flowers, leaves, and berries,” and “some toppers also come as starbursts, snowflakes, finials, and more.”

Balsam Hill matches finials to narrow trees: “a finial tree topper matches the slender profile of a narrow or slim tree.” A bow is the lightest choice and, in Balsam Hill’s words, a lightweight topper that suits rustic displays.

Star Christmas tree toppers

Shop star toppers→

Opens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns.

• Lighted star toppersBrowse →
• Angel toppersBrowse →

Christmas tree topper size by tree height

Christmas tree topper size depends on the ceiling as much as the tree. Balsam Hill’s rule is to “leave at least 6 inches of space between the ceiling and the tree topper,” and its chart for a standard 9-foot ceiling shows how quickly the room runs out:

A 7.5-foot tree under a 9-foot ceiling leaves 18 inches; take off Balsam Hill’s 6-inch gap and about 12 inches remain, yet its chart suggests only a 4-inch topper. Measure the space and add tree height, topper height and 6 inches before you buy (our reading). King of Christmas’s chart makes the same point from the other side: under a 9-foot ceiling it drops the tree from 7.5 to 8 feet to 7 to 7.5 feet once a topper goes on.

How to secure a Christmas tree topper

A Christmas tree topper stays straight when it is tied to the tree, not balanced on it. Balsam Hill’s methods by type:

• Pole-mount toppers: “Thread a zip tie through each eyelet and wrap around the trunk to keep your topper in place.”
• Spiral or coil bases: “Secure the top branch into the coil using floral tape of the same color to your tree’s needles to help conceal it.”
• Bows and ribbon: “Use wire pieces and pipe cleaners to secure bow and ribbon toppers onto your holiday tree.”

Weight matters most. Balsam Hill says to “choose a tree topper light enough to perch safely from a tall height,” and warns that “if unsupported, heavier toppers may fall over,” so heavier ones need zip ties or a stabilization kit.

A spiral base twists down over the top branch, so straighten the top branch before you put the topper on; a bent top branch makes even a well-taped topper lean.

Bow toppers for Christmas trees

Shop bow toppers→

Opens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns.

• Velvet bow toppersBrowse →

Toppers for high ceilings and small trees

Topper choice loosens up under a high ceiling. King of Christmas’s chart allows a 9 to 10 foot tree under a 12-foot ceiling with or without a topper, so a tall star or angel fits there. Under a 10-foot ceiling the chart drops the tree from 8 to 9 feet to 7.5 to 8 feet once a topper goes on, which leaves room for a medium one.

Small trees need small toppers. Balsam Hill’s chart pairs a 4 to 5.5 foot tree with a topper about 5 inches tall by 6 inches wide, and its tabletop advice is to keep decorations “proportionate to the size of your tree.” A bow or a small star suits a tabletop tree; the tabletop tree guide covers the rest.

Toppers, skirts and tree sizes

The topper and the skirt frame a tree from top to bottom. Read the tree skirt guide for skirt sizes by tree height, from 18-inch skirts for tabletop trees to 84-inch skirts for the tallest trees.