Christmas can get expensive, so I’m always looking for ways to save on my decorations. I love the look of decked out garland, but paying $50-$60 for super fancy garland is not really in my budget. My grandma taught me how to decorate a cheap garland to make it look complete. Here’s how I made mine for less than $25.
The great part about making your own garland is that you can make it fit any decor. Walk through the floral department of any craft store and pick out floral picks that match your decor. I also like to add ornaments that match my tree. This year, I discovered spray snow and flocked my garland myself. Here are the supplies I used for my garland this year:
Supplies:
Garland – $4
Poinsettia Picks (similar ones linked, mine are from Hobby Lobby but not online) – $1-$5 each
Berry Picks – $1-$2 each
Ornaments – ~ $0.30 each
Spray Snow (it is more expensive online than in store, so go in person to find it)- $2
LED Lights – $7
Floral Wire and Wire Cutter
- Prep Your Garland
I placed the garland on the mantle a few days before I was ready to decorate it, so it could settle; then I fluffed the garland so it looked fuller. My top tip is to put a clear Command Hoo (or three) k on the mantle and wrap a piece of your garland around it to anchor the garland. The more you add to your garland, the heavier it will be, and the more likely it will slide off. The command hooks will help keep it in place, so it doesn’t budge until New Years.
- Flock Your Garland
So this step I actually did last because I didn’t find the spray snow until the garland was done, but spraying it at the beginning would have been much easier. The fake snow easily wipes off walls and clothes, so don’t worry too much about cleanup. Obviously, this is only a step for individuals who like the look of flocked garland!
- Add Lights
I love the way lit garland looks. So I bought battery powered LED lights and wove them through the garland. I’m warning you though, these drain batteries super quick, so keep extra on hand. You can also spend a little extra to buy pre-lit garland, but make sure you have a close outlet to plug it in!
- Add Your Floral Picks
Next, I started adding my floral picks. I started with my Poinsettia picks and then filled in the empty space with the berries. It takes some trial and error to get it right, but just move things around until it looks right. Most floral picks have wire as the stem, so you can wrap that into the garland to secure it.
- Add Your Finishing Touches
Finally, I added my ornaments. I didn’t wire most of these in, but instead just placed them in the empty areas. I did use floral wire to hang the ones that are on the hanging edges, and you can use wire on all of them, if you are worried the will fall.
And just like that you have a beautiful, yet affordable, Christmas garland that is sure to make any mantle (0r staircase, table, etc.) look gorgeous! I linked my sources above, but please let me know if you have any questions. I’d love to know if you have any ideas for decorating garland; if so, leave them in the comments!
xx Clare
Sissy Carty says
Your grandmother is something else😁. Well done!
admin says
My grandmother sure is great!! Love you!
Kate says
I love this idea! I’m going to use it for my stairway railings. As I scrolled through your photos I kept thinking how much I like your style and then spotted the two white reindeer – I just picked those up earlier this week! It all looks so beautiful together.
admin says
Thanks so much!! I wanted to do garland on my staircase also but haven’t gotten around to it yet, I’m sure your will look great! And those white reindeer are the best; they go with everything!!