A charming, customisable, Christmas staple, garlands are one of my favourite pieces of festive décor. Read on to learn how you can perfect the art of crafting DIY garlands, whether you start from scratch or bring your own style to an existing piece

Festive garlands

In my opinion, garlands are the unsung heroes of the festive season. The tradition originates from the winter solstice, a reaction to the darkest day of the year with the foliage serving as a visual reminder that nature will reawaken when spring arrives.

I love the flexibility that garlands offer as well as the opportunities they present to reflect your personal style or Christmas theme through customisation.

When it comes to placement in your home, don’t be afraid to get creative. Garlands can adorn mantlepieces, staircase bannisters, doorways, window frames, or even your dining table as an alternative runner.

Personalise your garland 

If you’d rather not start from scratch, you can transform a plain foliage garland with your own decorative flourishes. We have several different varieties of garland available in our Christmas collection ranging from a classic faux cedar and cool faux blue spruce to a faux pine with natural cones. You could even intertwine two different varieties for added texture and visual intrigue.

Once you’ve chosen your garland, it’s time for the fun bit. Personally, I find that less is more. One of my go-to techniques is to tie a decorative velvet stocking and string of burnished gold cowbells with a complementary velvet ribbon onto one or two spots along the length of the garland.

The possibilities are endless; you could choose to weave in a set of white fairy lights, hang small baubles from a few of the stems, or adorn your garland with pinecones, dried orange slices, or cinnamon sticks (which also offer a delightful seasonal scent!)

How to craft a DIY garland

Crafting a DIY garland from scratch could be easier than you might think. In fact, if you’d like a simple and minimalist variation, hanging faux eucalyptus stems is also an option. I love the variety of tones available, from blush pink and muted green to deep burgundy.

For a classic DIY Christmas garland, you’ll need to gather some string or jute rope or paper covered wire to act as your frame, twine or bind wire to secure, a mix of foliage, and a pair of secateurs.

• Start by cutting your paper covered wire or rope to your desired length, ideally a little longer than your mantle or banister so that it maintains that lovely natural curve.
• Next, gather your foliage and trim each stem to a suitable size.
• Gather small bundles of the foliage and place along the paper covered wire and always work in the same direction. (ie, the stems always face the same way) Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, added texture simply makes your garland appear more natural, and you can of course always go back and add/manipulate later.
• Overlap each bundle of foliage ensuring you hide the previous bundles stems
• Carry on with this technique until you reach the end of your paper covered wire.