A tree with every ornament you own on it can be charming. It can also look like you couldn’t decide. Picking a theme mostly just narrows the choices, and it doesn’t mean starting over. For each theme below there are three things that carry the look, and the ornaments you already have can fill in around them.

Classic

Red and green. The one everyone pictures, and it works in any house. Get: about 24 shatterproof red balls (on Amazon) in mixed finishes, a roll of wired red ribbon (on Amazon) to loop through the branches, warm white lights (on Amazon).

Champagne gold and white. Elegant, and good with neutral furniture. Works on a green tree or a flocked one. Get: champagne balls in three finishes, a soft cream satin ribbon (not wired; let it drape), a gold star or angel. Keep everything in the gold, champagne, cream family.

Vintage tinsel and mercury glass. Like a grandparent’s tree in the best way. Get: a mix of mercury glass ornaments, silver tinsel garland in swags, a glass star or old-style angel on top. Thrift stores are full of this; there’s more in the vintage Christmas post.

Modern

Blue and silver. Cool and crisp, nice with grey and white rooms. Get: blue and silver balls, a wide silver mesh ribbon, white lights. White berry sprays tucked into the branches look frosty for very little money.

Black and gold. It sounds gloomy and isn’t, on a green tree with warm light. Get: matte black balls (the anchor), gold ornaments in shiny and glitter finishes, a gold collar instead of a skirt. Keep it around 60 percent black, 40 percent gold.

Scandinavian. White, wood and not much else, on a slim tree where you can see the branches. Get: white or natural paper stars (they fold flat to store), a wooden bead garland, a simple wood or paper star on top. Add dried orange slices if you want one warm note.

Natural

Farmhouse neutral. Cream, beige and soft grey with burlap, cotton and wood. Get: a burlap or linen skirt (or a galvanized collar (on Amazon)), cotton stems tucked through the branches, ornaments in wood and cream.

Woodland. Pinecones, wood slices, burlap and warm amber lights. Half of it can come from outside. Get: a bag of pinecones (attach with floral wire), wide burlap ribbon, wood slice or felt animal ornaments. Bundles of cinnamon sticks add a nice smell.

Coastal. Sea glass colors, white and sand, with shells and driftwood. Get: aqua, seafoam and sand ornaments, shell and starfish ornaments, a rope garland. A driftwood star on top. Keep red off this tree entirely.

Bold

Jewel tones. Emerald, sapphire, amethyst and ruby with gold. Get: a big multipack of jewel-tone balls, a gold ribbon, gold finial ornaments. The gold is what keeps the four colors from fighting.

Candy. Peppermint red and white, candy canes, gingerbread. Great with kids. Get: oversized candy cane and lollipop ornaments, red and white striped ribbon, multicolor lights if you want it really playful.

All white on a flocked tree. Very wintry and very photogenic. Get: the flocked tree itself (this doesn’t work on green), white and silver ornaments in every texture, and plenty of white fairy lights.

Putting it away

Keep each theme’s three key pieces together in one labeled box. Next year you can pick a theme in a minute and have the tree mostly done in an hour.