I’ve shared Christmas tree decorating tips and ideas in the past, but I shared a tutorial on how to put ribbon on a Christmas tree on my Instagram stories this weekend that my followers said blew their minds with its usefulness (and ease).
The video is in my Instagram highlights, but I’ll also detail the simple and easy trick I use to make my ribbon garland look amazing with zero frustration!
The whole reason I started doing my ribbon with this method is that in the past doing a ribbon garland was not only time consuming…I also felt like I needed an unreasonable amount of ribbon!
If you’re buying a ton of expensive, high-end ribbon, this means your costs will go up exponentially fast.
Or if you found some vintage ribbon you love and have a scant amount of, this method will help your ribbon last longer and go further.
I also felt the entire process would be easier if I was an octopus and had multiple arms that could wrangle ribbon around a tree.
TIP: Work from top to bottom and forget trying to go around your Christmas tree.
I learned it doesn’t have to be difficult, and I truly want you to leave after reading this post and know you can totally do this by yourself on any size tree and not spend a fortune on copious rolls of ribbon!
But before we dive into the tutorial, I wanted to also offer two other Christmas tree decorating tips that help save my sanity and time.
Christmas Tree Topper Tips
Put on your tree topper onto the top section of your tree BEFORE you put the last section onto your tree.
This really serves a dual purpose. One, if you have a particularly large tree (mine is 9 feet tall), this makes a lot of sense to do to prevent the awkward ladder maneuvers that ensue when you do it after the tree is fully assembled.
The second reason to put your tree topper on first is you get to ensure it is as straight and secure as possible. Whenever I’ve put my tree topper on after ornaments, it’s always crooked or it tumbles down and takes several ornaments down with it.
I wrap several tree branches around the bottom, and I secure with an additional 2-3 greenery garland ties (I love the 12 for $1 pack from Dollar Tree). That sucker isn’t going anywhere!
Christmas Tree Skirt Tip
Put on the tree skirt as soon as you have the base of the tree set-up. Again, this serves multiple purposes. One, you spare yourself (or your husband, if you’re me) from having to do the weird shimmy on the floor to get it on after the fact.
The second is that you can see if you have the base positioned properly with enough space for your gifts, or if it needs to shift a bit.
Christmas Tree Ribbon Examples
Since publishing this tutorial in 2018, I’ve actually decorated several more trees using my easy peasy “How to Put Christmas Tree on a Ribbon” tutorial that is below.
I wanted to show you all some examples since I tend to not really do the same thing twice in terms of my holiday decor. I love to switch the colors, accents, etc.
Bottom line- no matter what your style is, you can make my ribbon tutorial work for you and your home.
Six-Foot Parisian Inspired Christmas Tree
This tree is both slim and not very tall, so if you have a shorter tree, you’ll want to take a look at my pink and gold Parisian inspired Christmas tree from 2020.
Nine-Foot French Floral Inspired Tree
In my living room this year, I opted for a slim nine-foot Christmas tree with an overall theme of French florals and romance.
Blue & White Chinoiserie Christmas Tree
This is probably my most popular Christmas tree post ever- people LOVE my blue and white chinoiserie Christmas tree which features DIY chinoiserie dollar tree Christmas ornaments, too.
And now, let’s dive into putting ribbon on a Christmas tree and WITHOUT LOSING OUR SANITY. 🙂
How to Put Ribbon on a Christmas Tree
Creating a beautiful ribbon garland that rivals decorator/designer trees is easy with this quick and easy tutorial.
Materials
- Four different wire-edged ribbons that are at least 3 inches wide and 6 feet long
- I used a mesh gold glitter, satin white and gold stripe, black velvet, and silver sparkly ribbons.
Tools
- Pair of scissors
- Stapler
Instructions
1. Cut your ribbon down to about 18* inch sections- this doesn't have to be exact, so you can eyeball it or measure one and use it as a template. I tend to use shorter sections towards the top of the tree so the slope isn't as jarring.
2. If you're wanting to combine two ribbons together to create a designer, high-end ribbon look, staple the ends together (at both ends) like the photo below. (If not, skip to step 3)
This step is where you can create stunning ribbon combos. Pair a striped ribbon with a bold metallic or a tapestry type ribbon with a super wide glittery ribbon. So many possibilities!
3. Once you have your 18 inch section, decide which direction this particular ribbon is going to go. I had some going from diagonally left to right and some the opposite direction. This doesn't have to be perfect, but is meant to be a general guide to get you going- do not fret if you end up having to put one going the "wrong" direction.
Once the ornaments are all on, no one is going to really notice the direction your ribbon is going in, but it helps to have a plan as you start.
4. Grab one end and attach it to a branch towards the back. Go diagonally left or right leaving enough wiggle room to fluff the ribbon out and secure the other end to a branch.
5. If you created a double ribbon in step two, here's where you can choose to leave as is for a layered look OR gently pull apart the ribbon to create a wider ribbon that covers more tree area.
Repeat as needed until you're happy with the amount of ribbon on your tree. I wanted a super full look, so I used about 36+ sections of ribbon (don't judge me!) 🙂
Notes
*I think this method works well for trees taller than 6-7 feet. If your tree is shorter, I'd recommend starting with 1 foot ribbon sections to see which length will work best.
Finishing Up Your Christmas Tree
After you have all the ribbon in place, the real fun starts! I love using florals on my Christmas trees, which is of no surprise to anyone, and I used about 30 or so in the tree below.
I use different types of flowers to add some contrast and complement the ribbon colors/textures.
And the reason I love using so much ribbon and flowers is that my tree looks really, really lush and full and I haven’t even added in ornaments yet. Plus, it’s a great way to use up ribbon remnants!
That is the secret to my easy, no fuss, save your sanity approach to putting ribbon on a Christmas tree. Your family and friends will be so envious of your perfectly placed ribbon your tree.
If you found it helpful, let me know in the comments and feel free to share your favorite Christmas or holiday decorating tip.
If you’re still in a holiday mood, why not try out my DIY blue and white chinoiserie ornament tutorial that is all the rage with chinoiserie lovers everywhere.
