DIY Tree Topper with Picks

Learn a simple way to use picks to create a beautiful DIY tree topper, giving your Christmas tree an elevated, professional look for the holiday season!

Of everything that goes into decorating a Christmas tree, the hardest part for me is usually the topper. Whether I’m choosing a store-bought version or DIY-ing my own, I always seem to have trouble finding the topper that is the perfect complement to the rest of my tree.

When looking at others’ trees, I have found myself drawn to the toppers that seem to spray out of the top of the tree. They look so chic and elegant and definitely make a statement!

So this year I set out to create a spray-style tree topper with picks for myself, and (spoiler alert!) it actually ended up being a lot easier than I expected!

To make this type of DIY tree topper, you use a variety of picks that you arrange near the top of the tree. I’ll break down the process step by step.

How to Make a DIY Christmas Tree Topper with Picks

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

Step 1- Gather your picks.

This step is the most important! If you have the right types of picks, you will be able to play around with them until they create the topper you’ve envisioned.

For my tree topper, I used three types of picks. I wouldn’t go much less than that, but if you want a bigger or more elaborate spray effect than mine, you can certainly use more than three kinds.

Type 1: Something Substantial

I started with my most substantial type of pick. It had white and sliver berries and took up a decent amount of space at the top of the tree. For my topper, I used six of these types of picks.

I found these berry picks at Hobby Lobby. I like them because you only need a few to make a statement, so you don’t need to spend a ton on them! I’ll link a few similar options below.

Type 2: Smaller and Complementary

The second type of pick I used is a smaller white pick with sparkly leaves. This was a nice complement to the berry picks. It added some extra interest and dimension without competing with the berries or making the top of the tree look cluttered and messy. I used five leafy picks.

Again, these picks were from Hobby Lobby, and I will link some similar versions below.

Type 3: Interesting but Visually Light

Finally, I used these thin, swirly stick-type picks as my third option. They are thinner and longer than my other two picks. The curly part adds interest without adding lots of weight to the DIY tree topper. Narrow feathers or other types of twigs would work well for this third piece too.

The thin picks that I used were from Hobby Lobby as well. Similar options are linked below.

Step 2- Arrange the most substantial picks first.

I started with my berry picks because they will be the “star” of the show.

After trying to arrange them in several different ways, I found that it worked best if I stuck one pick straight up and down coming out from the center of the top of the tree. I then put one pick a few inches lower in the back, one pick on each side, and two picks in the front.

I spread out the tines on the pick to help them look as full as possible.

Once I was happy with the arrangement of my berry picks, I moved on to the second type.

Step 3- Add the smaller complementary picks.

Adding the leafy picks was the simplest. I just worked them into the berry arrangement, spreading them out at fairly even intervals.

Again, I tried to “fluff” the tines and spread them out a bit so they would add some fullness to the tree topper. But they were so small that there wasn’t much extra to do to them.

Step 4- Add the longer, thinner picks.

Since these picks were so thin, I needed more of them to make them stand out. I inserted the curly picks slightly lower on the tree than the berry picks. Then I also angled them out a little bit so that the curlicues  weren’t wrapping around the berries.

I made sure to add the curly picks the whole way around the top of the tree. I found that I like the look best if I had a few extra curlicues sticking out from the sides, but that is totally a personal preference thing! Feel free to arrange them the way you like them best!

Step 5- Enjoy your beautiful DIY tree topper!

That’s really all there is to it!

Everyone will have different styles and preferences when it comes to the look of their tree topper. Don’t be afraid to spend time playing around with your picks and rearranging them until you find a setup you love.

I went through two or three versions of my topper before I found the arrangement that I loved, so if you try it and hate it at first, don’t give up! Like most things, it takes practice and figuring out what you don’t like before you discover the perfect setup for you.

Other Christmas Tree Topper Ideas

I hope this simple tutorial will help you use picks to create a DIY tree topper that you love! But there are many other beautiful types of tree toppers out there as well.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out these other DIY Christmas tree topper ideas:

• Classic Bow Topper
• 3D Starburst Topper
• Flat Starburst Topper
• Wood Pallet Topper
• Woodland-Themed Topper
• Paper Star Topper
• Twig Star Topper
• Crocheted Toppers
• Wooden Angel Topper
• Gnome Topper

Have fun decorating your Christmas tree this year!

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Thank you so much for following along! Have a wonderful holiday season!

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.