A Christmas garland can transform a room faster than anything else I decorate with at this time of year. It brings warmth. It adds movement. And it instantly says, “Welcome home.”
That’s probably why garlands are one of my favorite designer tricks. They make a big statement without a lot of work or costing much money. Even a simple greenery garland can take up visual space and make a room feel magical.
Today I’m sharing a mixture of Christmas garland ideas from over the years: homemade garlands, printable garlands from my Etsy shop, yarn and natural garlands, and all the cozy store-bought garlands I’ve styled in my home during the holidays.
Christmas Garland Ideas (Homemade + Store Bought)
You’ll find ideas for mantels, staircases, doorways, hutches, kitchens, sitting rooms, and more. Some are handmade. Some were bought plain and dressed up with little details. All are easy to recreate in your home.
Let’s start with the homemade paper ones.
DIY Christmas Garland Ideas
Paper Christmas Garland Ideas (All Printables)
Paper garlands have such a charming, old-fashioned feel. They’re light. They’re whimsical. And they work beautifully on hutches, bookshelves, mantels, or layered with greenery.
Every one of these is also available as a printable in my Etsy shop here. Now let's get started!
12 Days of Christmas Garland Printable
This little garland feels like a storybook song. Each piece has its own charming illustration, and when it’s strung together, it looks like a parade of sweet Christmas memories.
I love hanging it across the wall in my kitchen and sitting room, but it also looks fantastic on a fireplace mantel.
I layered it below greenery and bells for a soft cottage look. It always makes people smile because it feels so nostalgic.
Take a peek here at this classic music tune converted into a garland, or hop over to Etsy to download.
DIY Nativity Garland Printable
This nativity garland has a quiet, peaceful beauty. The simple silhouette shapes and sparkle make it feel magical and meaningful. It is the perfect craft to do with kids and to talk about the story of Jesus' birth.
I often drape it above our hutch, but you can drape it on your mantel or wall. It would look so cute in a nursery or kids' room, especially if they helped make it.
It is a gentle reminder of the heart of Christmas and brings a sense of calm to any room. Click here to see more photos of this Christmas or check it out on Etsy here.
3D Gingerbread House Garland Printable
These tiny gingerbread houses fold into three-dimensional little cottages. They look like a dollhouse village strung across a shelf.
I love draping them across my bookcase in the living room, but they would be so cute in a nursery, a child's room, or the kitchen. This garland brings that sweet gingerbread cookie feeling to any space.
Want to make one too? Here is the complete step-by-step tutorial, or grab the printable gingerbread houses in my Etsy shop. It’s such a fun project, and you’ll have the cutest little village ready to hang in no time.
Stocking Advent Calendar Garland Printable
These cheerful paper stockings may be simple, but they create so much joy in a home. Each one can hold a small surprise — candy, a sticker, a tiny note.
Children love picking a treat out of a stocking each morning, and the garland adds a playful, whimsical touch to a mantel or doorway. It feels like childhood Christmas all over again.
Want to make this garland for your own home? Follow my step-by-step guide to the Advent Calendar Printable Stockings, or grab the printable in my Etsy shop. It’s such a fun little project that adds instant Christmas cheer.
Gingerbread Cookie Paper Garland
If you love all things gingerbread, these little cuties will steal your heart. They’re charming anywhere, your kitchen, playroom, homeschool space, nursery, or tucked into a cozy corner. Kids can join the fun by tracing the lines with puff paint to bring each gingerbread to life.
The digital download includes simple, step-by-step directions, so you can start crafting right away. If this sweet garland is calling your name, tap the gingerbread paper garland to take a peek.
Yarn Christmas Garland Ideas
Yarn Winter Hat Santa Garland
This Santa or little gnome, depending on how you see him, has been a favorite for years.
He went viral on Pinterest, and I think it’s because his yarn hat feels so cozy.
Strung together with wooden beads on my hutch, each little Santa looks like he has a personality of his own. They bring a soft and playful charm to any Christmas décor.
If this cute little Santa garland has your wheels turning, take a peek at my full tutorial in Yarn Winter Hat Santa Garland. It walks you through every step so you can stitch together your own cozy strand for the holidays.
Pom Pom Garland
Pom pom garlands are pure joy. They’re fluffy and happy and seem to soften any space they hang in.
I often weave them through greenery for a layered look or add them to our Christmas tree. They make a mantel feel welcoming without overpowering the other decorations.
If you’d love to whip up a strand like this, you can follow along in my tutorial, How to Make a Pom Pom Garland. It’s simple, relaxing, and adds the happiest little pop of texture to any room.
Natural Christmas Garland Ideas
Dried Orange Slice Garland with Wood Beads and Greenery
This garland brings the outdoors in. When hung in a window the oranges glow. Using nature to make garlands is a classic holiday decoration idea that will never go out of style.
For this project, simply dry orange slices. Once the oranges are ready, thread them with wooden beads and tuck in sprigs of greenery.
It creates a warm, vintage look that feels timeless.
This is one I come back to again and again because it’s simple and beautiful. One day, I hope to make a pinecone version too.
If this cozy orange slice garland has you dreaming up ideas, you can see exactly how I make my slices in How to Dry Orange Slices the Easy Way. It’s a simple process, and the scent alone feels like Christmas warming up your whole home.
Natural Homemade Popcorn Garland
Homemade popcorn garlands bring the sweetest old-fashioned touch to a Christmas tree. They feel straight out of a yesteryear, and the whole process becomes a memory all on its own.
The year we decorated with a Little Women aesthetic, my daughter Hannah and I made one together. We popped a big bowl of kernels and let them cool so they wouldn’t crumble. Then we used a yarn needle with heavy-duty thread and started stringing one piece at a time. It was slow and simple, the kind of rhythm that lets you settle in and enjoy the moment.
We kept going until we had a long, snowy strand — enough to wrap around the tree about three times. Once it was on the branches, it softened the whole tree and gave it that warm, handmade look that fit the theme perfectly.
Popcorn garlands take time, but they’re worth every minute. They add charm. They spark conversation. And they bring that classic, homespun Christmas feel that never goes out of style.
Cookie Cutter Gingerbread Garland
Another fun homemade Christmas garland is to use cookie cutters to make gingerbread cookies, then string them into a garland. You can create actual gingerbread cookies, salt-dough cookies, or my favorite: air-dry clay cookies.
Mine are made with air-dry clay and were a simple project to make while watching Christmas shows. Stay tuned, and I will be sharing more about how to make this gingerbread cookie air-dry clay garland.
Store-Bought Christmas Garland Ideas From Past Home Tours
Most of my store-bought garlands begin as basic greenery. That’s the beauty of them. A simple garland becomes something special once you add ribbon, pines, bells, berries, dried oranges, or fairy lights.
Here are some of my favorite garlands from past years, along with the stories behind them.
Cedar Garland Along the Mantel Wall — Pastel Christmas
Last year’s pastel theme felt like decorating inside a garden watercolor. The cedar garland draped across the top of the mantel wall added a soft, sweeping line of greenery.
It kept the room feeling light and airy drawing the eye up. This is a clever designer trick to make a room feel taller. Fairy lights tucked beneath the branches made the whole wall glow after sunset. It felt magical.
If you’d like to see how that whole look came together, you can step inside my Pastel Christmas Home Tour. It’s filled with soft colors, simple greenery, and all the little details that made last year feel like a dreamy holiday watercolor.
Fresh Garland from Trader Joe’s — Little Women Christmas
This garland makes me think of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Simple. Honest. Full of charm. The fresh greenery smelled wonderful, and I added brass bells, red berries, and burgundy ribbon to capture that Little Women spirit.
It sat beautifully across the mantel and made the whole room feel warm and lived-in.
To step deeper into that cozy, old-fashioned Christmas feeling, visit my Little Women Christmas Home Tour. It’s filled with the same warm, collected details that inspired this garland.
Mistletoe Garland With Dusty Blue Ribbon — Blue Christmas
This garland was soft and delicate, just like that year’s theme. The mistletoe leaves and tiny white berries looked lovely against the dusty blue velvet ribbon.
Brass jingle bells added a soft sparkle. And the fairy lights tucked inside created a gentle glow at night that felt almost storybook-like.
To see how this delicate look played out in the whole space, you can peek inside my Blue Christmas Decoration Ideas tour. It captures all the soft blues, gentle lights, and tiny details that made that season feel so dreamy.
Tablescape Garland
Another year, I placed the same garland inside a vintage red toolbox. With a few fairy lights and bells, it became the sweetest centerpiece. Proof that a simple garland can be used in endless ways.
For another way this garland came to life, you can take a look at my Vintage Farmhouse Christmas Table. That little red toolbox centerpiece shows just how far a simple strand of greenery can go.
Lush Vintage Garland With Pinecones — Classic Christmas
This year felt classic and rich. I layered a thick greenery garland with pinecones, berries, and dried oranges. It reminded me of old Christmas storybooks — warm colors, textures, and that comforting vintage charm.
It made the whole fireplace feel like a page from the past.
To see how this classic, layered look came together on the mantel, visit my Farmhouse Christmas Mantel post. The greenery, pinecones, berries, and dried oranges all worked together to create that timeless storybook feeling.
Front Door Garland With Berries and Oranges
There’s something special about decorating a front door. It’s a hint at what is inside. Wrapping this garland around the doorway, adorned with berries and dried oranges, created a welcoming cottage look. It felt sweet and cheerful, even from the street.
Are you starting to see a theme here? I tend to use the same elements over and over, but I change the garland or the elements.
You can see the full porch in my Cottage Farmhouse Christmas Porch. It’s filled with rich layers, warm colors, and nostalgic textures that make that year feel straight out of a Christmas storybook.
Victorian Staircase Garland — Disney Grand Floridian Inspired
This garland is by Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort. Ornaments, velvet ribbons, and greenery draped gracefully along the staircase in true Victorian style. It felt elegant yet warm, like stepping back in time while staying cozy at home.
To explore the full Victorian decorated resort, visit my Victorian Christmas Inspiration. The staircase decor, rich ribbons, and layered ornaments bring that same elegant, timeless feeling to life.
Note: Grand Floridian recently changed its design, so I will update this post soon. Subscribe here so you get notified by email when I share the new design.
Classic Front Door Garland With Sheer Ribbon
This one goes way back, but still feels lovely. Simple greenery. A wide, sheer ribbon. Pinecones placed just so. It didn’t need much, just a gentle touch. Sometimes the simplest garlands are the most charming.
You can see how this simple style came together in my Decorating Front Door Christmas post, where the greenery and ribbon created the easiest, most welcoming touch for the season.
Flocked Pine Garland With Frosty Cranberries — Winter Wonderland
This was our winter wonderland year. A soft flocked garland paired with a frosty cranberry garland created the prettiest mix of textures. It felt snowy and festive without being overwhelming. A perfect blend of winter magic and Christmas warmth.
For the full look that inspired this frosted mix, check out my Christmas Mantel Ideas post. It shows how the flocked garland and cranberry accents worked together to create that soft winter-wonderland feel, along with many more mantel ideas.
Pro Tips from a Designer
- Start with simple greenery. It’s the most affordable base.
- Add layers of pine, cedar, or eucalyptus to make it look full.
- Dress it up with bells, pinecones, berries, ribbon, ornaments, or dried oranges.
- Fairy lights are pure magic.
- Garlands are a great way to decorate on a budget because they take up visual space.
- Lightweight paper garlands are perfect for hutches, bookcases, shelves, and small spaces.
- Thicker greenery works best on mantels, staircases, and doorways.
- Mix faux and real greenery for a fresh, lived-in look.
- Repeat greenery in a few places to make your home feel cohesive.
Where to Use Christmas Garland in Your Home
Christmas Mantel Garland Ideas
A mantel is the heart of many Christmas rooms. Garlands bring warmth and texture instantly.
Christmas Staircase Garland Ideas
A staircase draped in greenery feels grand and inviting. Perfect for any style but I love Victorian, cottage, or vintage styles.
Christmas Tree Garland Ideas
I am not sure, but I think garlands on Christmas trees might date back to the earliest days of decorating trees for Christmas. An old-fashioned and handmade way to dress up your tree is with garlands.
The same Christmas we decorated in a Little Women style, my daughter Hannah and I strung popcorn and cranberries and made garlands for our Christmas tree just like the March sisters would have in the 1800s.
So consider adding a garland or two or three to your tree.
Front Door & Doorway Garland Ideas
Your entryway is where Christmas begins. A simple doorway garland makes guests feel welcome before they even step inside.
Kitchen Garland Ideas
A small garland above art, along a hutch, or on your range hood brings Christmas into the coziest room of the house.
This decoration isn't actually a garland, but I wanted to share the concept so you could give it a try. Garlands across range hoods are a classic Christmas decoration.
Hutches are super fun to decorate with garlands. Our hutch in the kitchen sitting room gets adorned almost every Christmas.
Another fun idea for kitchen garlands is one that hangs from hooks. This concept works great in any room, but since my kitchen sitting room has a row of hooks, I love to hang a garland on one of them as a Christmas decoration.
It gives a nice natural texture and, with the lights, a warm glow to all the other decorations.
Decorate your hutch with one garland or layer it with multiple garlands.
Dining Room Garland Ideas
Consider decorating your dining room with garlands. Drape greenery garlands of cedar, cypress, or even magnolia over your china cabinet or buffet. And remember your table centerpiece. Garlands make a big statement without much work.
Living Room & Book Nook Garland Ideas
These smaller spaces love a touch of greenery or a playful paper garland. Consider adding a garland to your bookcase or to the front of a cabinet.
Final Thoughts on Christmas Garland Ideas
Christmas garlands have a way of bringing a room to life. They add color, texture, and that nostalgic holiday charm we all love.
Whether you craft your own, decorate with printables, or dress up a simple store-bought garland, there are endless ways to make your home feel warm and inviting.
I hope these ideas help you create your own cozy Christmas story this year.
And if you’d like to try one of the printable garlands, I have several charming designs waiting in my Etsy shop.
Pin this post for later and come back whenever you need a little holiday inspiration.
Happy Decorating!
