15 Imaginative Garlands to Add Charm and Whimsy to Your Holiday Home

Why settle for just beads when you can dress your tree with stringed-decorations made from felt, corks, bells and more. Check out these imaginative Christmas garlands that you can make yourself.

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Felt Polka Dots

diycandy.com

Bring a rainbow of color to your holiday decor with this simple felt ball garland. Simply thread embroidery floss through the balls spacing them however far a part as you wish. It’s a quick and inexpensive way to brighten up those branches or to drape around your windows.

Snowflake Garland

abeautifulmess.com

It’s not the holidays without a few snowflakes—even if you have to fake it. A Beautiful Mess shares their tutorial for making a sparkly snowflake garland using polymer clay, Mod Podge, and glitter. They made molded their own snowflakes, but there are plenty of other ways to get the shape like using a stencil or getting miniature wood ones from the craft store. 

Ornament Garland

abeautifulmess.com

This is a glitzy, glam garland from A Beautiful Mess. Thread ribbon through ornaments to get the look. Choose baubles that will go with the rest of your holiday decor—glitter ornaments not required!

Pom-Poms

auntpeaches.com

Alternate craft store pom-poms with paper straws for a funky splash of fun on your tree. It’s like a party on the pine needles! This is a great way to dress up a tree on a budget, particularly if you’re just setting up house or are low on ornaments.

Christmas Lights Garland

studiodiy.com

This is one way to hang lights on the Christmas tree. Studio DIY traced lightbulb shapes on card stock paper and stuck them to heavy-duty string with black masking tape. She tied balloons to the end of the garland for a one-of-a-kind tree topper, but that isn’t a must if you have your own star or angel in mind. 

Merry Garland

homeyohmy.com

Here’s a way to adapt the traditional green garland for a more modern look. Homey Oh My shares her tutorial for wrapping some pines around vine wire. The “Merry” message might get camouflaged if you place this around the tree, but it’s perfect to hang on a bare wall or across a window.

Finger Knit Garland

lovelyindeed.com

Whether you’re a novice or a pro knitter, this garland project is worth a look! Using the finger knit technique, Lovely Indeed created a bunch of knitted strands of garland to drape across the mantel. It creates a warm and cozy feel perfect for the holidays. Get a head start on learning a new skill for 2019 and give this DIY a try. 

Christmas Card Garland

pmqfortwo.com

PMQ for Two used print outs of vintage Christmas cards for this garland, but you can also make use of all the holiday cards you receive or  even use all of your own former cards throughout the year to make this garland. The best part is that it’s super easy to put together: grab a pretty ribbon of your choice and staple the cards to it. Voilà!

Rustic Garland

angelamariemade.com

You can never go wrong with evergreen and plaid during the holidays. Angela Marie Made created this warm and traditional garland using only supplies she found in her house. Luckily, even if you don’t already have these items they’re easy finds online or at your favorite craft store. 

Advent Calendar Garland

abeautifulmess.com

Here’s a two-for-one holiday decor: an advent calendar garland! A Beautiful Mess beautifully decorated star boxes and filled them with goodies and activities for a delightful Christmas countdown. 

Felt Letter Garland

lemonthistle.com

Save yourself a trip to the party store—and your money—by making your own holiday banner. Lemon Thistle shares her own tutorial for this DIY letter garland. It’s a super easy and affordable project, plus you get to decide what it says and how it looks! 

Sugar Plum Garland

asubtlerevelry.com

Feeling inspired by the Nutcracker? A Subtle Revelry shares her DIY for a sugar plum garland, but without the sticky mess. Swapping gummies for decorated styrofoam, this garland will last beyond just one holiday season. 

Crochet Ornaments Garland

persialou.com

Here’s another DIY garland to put your skills to the test. Persia Lou’s crochet retro ornament garland adds a bright and festive touch to any tree. Gather your supplies and sit by the fire one night making this. 

Dried Orange Garland

themerrythought.com

For a natural garland, thread together dried orange slices. This is a very traditional holiday trimming, from the days when store-bought decorations were too costly or difficult to acquire. If you want the real deal, dry the slices yourself by placing them in the oven for approximately one hour on each side. The Merry Thought shares a tutorial for how to do it just right. 

Bell Garland

themerrythought.com

If loud, clamoring jingle bells aren’t your taste, why not try this vintage bell garland instead. The simple, rustic look is perfect if you’re going for a calm and bright decor style. 

 

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Jennifer Noonan

Contributing Writer

A confessed DIY junkie, Jennifer Noonan writes about home improvement, gardening, and all things do-it-yourself. The recipient of degrees in International Relations and Library & Information Science from Syracuse University, Noonan has worked in media and related fields for over 15 years, including her time at MTV Networks, where she served as Manager of Digital Programming at Nickelodeon. Today, Noonan lives in Delaware with her husband and daughters, where she is ardently teaching the next generation how to use power tools.


Katie Nolan

Senior Editor of Audience Development

Katie Nolan is a former senior editor of audience development for BobVila.com.


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