Homemade Christmas Garland is as easy as decorating a Christmas wreath tutorial that I brought you a couple of weeks ago. Once you know how to make a homemade Christmas garland and a fresh Christmas wreath you will be unstoppable.
You know those Hallmark movies where every corner is dripping with Christmas? That will be your house this holiday season. There is something so romantic about lush greens draped on a mantle, banister or adorning a door that I just cannot resist.
Not only is making a homemade Christmas garland easy, but it is soooo, affordable – under $10. This process is a lot like creating a fresh Christmas wreath, so a lot of the steps are the same, but there are some differences. Here are all the details on making homemade Christmas garland by the mile.
Homemade Christmas Garland Step-by-Step
*Video tutorial link at the end of the post*
Step 1: Choose a Base for Your Homemade Christmas Garland
Because this process is so similar to creating a fresh Christmas wreath, you’ll feel at ease with these steps if you have already tackled making a wreath.
- For doors: Aim for a garland that won’t interfere with opening and closing the door.
- For mantles: Choose a scale that works with the scale of the mantle itself.
The key to keeping this project affordable is the base. My favorite go-to garland is the cheapest artificial garland I can find. You might already have one from a previous holiday season you can recycle.
If not, check dollar stores, box stores, or thrift stores. It doesn’t need to be full or even look pretty. Just grab the cheapest one you can find.
💡 Pro Tips: You actually want a scrawny garland for this, because the added greenery makes it so thick and lush. Grab at least two 9′ garland if you plan on doing an average 30″ wide door.
Step 2: Find Fresh Evergreens Boughs
This step is especially fun for kids—head out on a nature walk to gather greenery.
- Evergreens keep their foliage year-round and include pine, cedar, magnolia, and even live oak.
- Mixing different types of greenery gives your garland great texture.
- No access to evergreens? Visit a Christmas tree lot and ask for the boughs trimmed from the bottoms of trees—they’re usually free!
💡 Pro Tip: Use at least two types of greenery for a professional-looking garland with depth and variety.
Step 3: Choose Accents (Optional)
With your base and greens ready, it’s time to pick ribbon and accents.
- Natural Accents: natural finds like pinecones, holly berries, juniper berries
- Silk Accents: Shatterproof bulbs, artificial berry picks, silk poinsettias
- Lights: Small battery powered fairy lights are a great option too.
If your budget is tight, pinecones and berries gathered outside make excellent accents.
💡 Pro Tip: Keep it simple. A few accents go a long way—no need to overthink.
Step 4: Assemble Your Fresh Homemade Christmas Garland
Here comes the fun part—assembling and decorating your garland!
- Spread 1/2 of the branches of your artificial garland toward the left and 1/2 towards the right.
- Trim your evergreen boughs into 8–10″ pieces. Sort by type if you’re using more than one.
- Grab a cluster of 3–4 pieces and lay them in one direction on top of your artificial garland. (If you are using artificial berries, cluster them with these fresh pieces now.)
- Secure the cluster with the artificial greenery by twisting two pieces together from opposite sides – like a bread tie.
- Repeat until the garland is covered end to end.
💡 Pro Tip: Keep all greenery clusters going in the same direction except for the very last cluster, turn it the opposite direction so that the wired end is not exposed. This gives a polished and lush finish.
Step 5: Decorating Your Homemade Christmas Garland
Now it’s time to bring your garland to life with natural accents.
- Add in decorative elements in the same direction that your greenery is going.
- Add focal items like pinecones or groups of berries first, securing them with the wired branches.
- Tuck in your accents, securing them with the artificial greenery (you can hot glue these in if your wreath is going on a highly used door)
- Shatterproof bulbs are a great addition to any homemade Christmas garland
💡 Pro Tip: If you have any shatterproof bulbs you can easily secure them in with a single piece of wire for added security. Just thread them onto the wire and push towards the center. Use the long ends to secure around the garland and twist-tie in the back.
Enjoy Your Fresh Christmas Garland
That’s it! Wasn’t that fun?! And so simple. You’ll be a garland-making machine in no time.
The best part? This garland is so affordable. And because the base is artificial, you can disassemble it after the holidays and reuse it next year. You can easily use the same $8 garland for 3-4 seasons or more.
You can even add some lights and really make it sparkle.
🎄 Decorating a Christmas garland from start to finish is satisfying, budget-friendly, and beautiful.
I’d love to see your creations! If you decorate a Christmas garland or wreath this year, share what greenery or accents you used in the comments. Let’s swap ideas and inspire each other!
Bonus Tips
Recommended Greens to Use:
- Pine
- Cedar
- Magnolia
- Boxwood
- Smilax
- Ligustrum
- Gardenia
- English ivy
- Holly
How to Care for Your Garland:
Your fresh homemade Christmas garland will last most of the season if cared for properly. In colder climates it will age more slowly, however if cared for properly, even in warm regions your fresh wreath will stay lovely.
Keep a spray bottle nearby and mist your wreath regularly (3-5 times a week) throughout the season for it to stay as fresh as possible. Put the nozzles on mist and give your wreath a good drink. It doesn’t need to be drenched, but let the water bead up.
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