Christmas decorations don’t need to be expensive or extravagant. Learn how to make simple DIY ornament garland that’ll look lovely year after year!
Does the thought of decking your halls in layers of evergreens, ribbon, and faux snow the moment Thanksgiving leftovers are consumed leave you excited yet filled with stress?
Christmas decorating should be fun. Just inhale the pine-scented Yankee Candle that you brought out of storage and listen to some Bing Crosby while you unknot eight strands of lights.
But nothing sucks the fun out of decking the halls like comparing yourself to others.
I had a fleeting feeling of utter failure the other day after I watched a blogger’s Christmas home tour video.
This lady transformed her McMansion into a veritable winter wonderland, complete with more than 1,000 ornaments and 15,000+ lights, and goodness knows how many Christmas trees. It’s magical.
But that video left me with so many questions:
- How many years did it take to collect all that stuff?
- How much time did it take to decorate her home?
- Did she have help?
- How much money did she spend on this?
I don’t know for sure, but I think the answer to all of these questions is more time, money, and resources than the average Jane has at her disposal.
While the other blogger’s Christmas decor is stunning, it’s not realistic for those of us with limited time and a limited budget.
That’s why I prefer to make and purchase simple decorations that will stand the test of time, like my favorite Christmas grapevine wreath and this ultra-easy garland.
The simple DIY ornament garland that I created a few years ago makes me smile every Christmas, and it’s quick and inexpensive to make.
4 Things You Need to Make Ornament Garland
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All you need are a few supplies to make your own garland with ornaments:
How to Make Ornament Garland the Easy Way
All you need to make this easy DIY ornament garland is ten minutes of your time and these few steps!
- Don’t bother with a tape measure to determine how much twine you’ll need. Simply take your roll of twine over to your garland’s intended destination, unroll it until it fits the space, then snip with scissors. Be sure to factor in how much draping will look best.
- Lay your trimmed twine out on the floor or a table and prepare to add the ornaments. Then, use a ruler to determine how much space to leave between each ornament.
- Poke the metal ornament hooks through the jute twine, and pinch them closed. Although my garland is pretty minimalist, you can make yours as full as you wish if you have more ornaments to spare.
- Attach your garland to your mantel or railing. Mini clear Command hooks work quite well.
DIY Ornament Garland – Christmas decor that stands the test of time.
Many people enjoy buying or making brand-new Christmas decorations every year, but who has the time, money, or space to store it all when the season’s over?
This simple DIY ornament garland added a sparkling and festive touch to the mantel in our previous home and helped create a traditional and slightly rustic Christmas look that is still one of my favorites. Other easy DIY projects from this mantel design still work well today:
- Framed fabric
- Fabric wrapped candle holders
- Stenciled votive holders
The mantel in our current home’s formal living room features the same ornament garland and candle holders like the one in our previous home but includes new caroler figurines and wreath.

Our rescue dog, Sadie, has no interest in our tree or Christmas decorations – except for the pillows. This pooch loves her pillows!
Beauty comes in simple packages.
Go ahead – be inspired by decadently decorated rooms, but remember that simple is beautiful, too. There’s no “right” way to make Christmas magical, so do what you can in the time that you have – and let that be enough.
Free Printable Gift Tracker!
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Megan Lacey says
Laura, this is such a quick and easy tutorial! I absolutely love it! I love the simple decor much more than the big, elaborate ones I see on the internet. There is such a thing as over-styling! I definitely get insecure sometimes about what I see in other homes versus what I see in my own, but then I remember that I’ve only lived in this house (and, in the grand scheme of things, on my own in general) for a short time. Thanks for sharing, Laura!
craftylilypad says
OMG! Laura!! Simple is always better for so many reasons. I absolutely LOVE this idea. I will have to try this next year as I have all my decor done for this year already. I REALLY love the reindeer above the mantle. Did you make that? I have to agree- I can’t compare myself to others. I gave that up because what matters is what my loved ones LOVE about OUR decor and traditions. Would you please give Sadie a big hug for me?
Laura says
Thanks so much! No, I didn’t make the reindeer, it was a TJ Maxx purchase and I added the red pompom for a Rudolph effect. 🙂 Sadie will happily accept a hug – she’s the most affection dog ever!
Fiona Loves Organising says
I love what you have done. So simple and elegant!