Christmas tree garland is always a classic and beautiful addition to holiday decor. It compliments many styles from beaded garland, to wooden or vintage bells, to orange slice garland. The best part is the movement and whimsy it adds to a Christmas tree.
I shared all of my tips and tricks for beautiful Christmas mantel garland but I wanted to also share my tips for the tree as well. It is a bit tricky sometimes to get it just right, but using these tips makes it much easier. The results will be worth it!
Before decorating your tree, this Christmas tree ribbon tutorial is a must!
Where to Buy Garland
For my orange slices garland, I put together a tutorial all about how to get the best dried orange slices. I just used a needle and heavy duty thread to string them together.
This antique silver pewter beaded garland was one I bought locally, but I rounded up some similar ones. I also added some others that I love. You can check out my garland and ornament picks as well.
How to add Christmas Tree Garland
Adding garland to a Christmas tree can sometimes be challenging and a bit fussy. The best looking garland is the kind that looks effortless. I will share some of my tips with you for the best result. This applies to many, if not all, different types of garland.
- Start your first garland strand a little above or a little below eye level, swooping from branch to branch. I usually skip a few branches so my swoops are dramatic and elegant.
- This first strand will set the tone for the rest of the tree. Make sure to give it the size of swoop you would like and repeat it as far around the tree as the strand will go.
- At each point where the garland goes over the branch, situate the beads (or orange slices, etc.) to the right and left of the branch. Give it a little pinch even.
- Using the first strand as a jumping off point on the tree, visualize (or you could measure, but I prefer eye-balling it) how far apart you would like the rest of your rows of garlands. See below for important related tips.
- Add a second row just above, or just below, the first strand. I like to alternate swoops so that one goes up where the other goes down, but you can also run them congruent with each other. I usually prefer the more whimsical and haphazard swoops, but it really depends on the style of tree.
- Continue this up and down the rest of the tree until you have finished filling in all of the sections. Evenly space these as much as possible for the most visual appeal.
Christmas Tree Garland Tips
- The top of the tree will not take as many strands to wrap since it is much thinner. The bottom of the tree may require more than one strand to wrap around its entirety. If your Christmas tree is up against a wall or corner, you may not need to add garland to the back side of the tree. In this case, you will want to just go as far as is visible from any visible angle.
- There are two different ways to hang the strands. First, you can alternate swoops so that one goes up where the other goes down. Second, you can run them congruently so that they all go up and down in the same points all the way up the tree. Both are really pretty; it just depends on the look you are going for.
- At each point where the Christmas tree garland goes over the top of the branch, situate/pinch the beads (or orange slices, etc.) to the right and left of the branch and not just laid on top. This will help each swoop to lay the right way and really have that dramatic, but effortless look.
- Keep in mind that you will be filling your tree with ornaments and other pretty things so the garland can be a base layer or the star of the show. It is completely up to you.
- Step away from the garland! Overworking it can ruin it, so I like to sleep on it. I look at it again the next day just to work out any of the little things that aren't sitting right.
- Strategically place ornaments and ribbons in any holes or spots that you don't love.
These tutorials might also be helpful as you decorate your Christmas tree: how to set up and fluff an artificial Christmas tree and how to flock a Christmas tree.
I hope you enjoy decorating your tree! It is one of my very favorite things!
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