Holiday Garland Decoration

Audra Lowe: Going green doesn’t have to just mean being eco friendly, it goes with decorating for the holidays as well and Better Homes and Garland Expert Madison shows us how to get in the spirit with Garland.

Madison: Love the look that garland gives but worried about how to hang it; I’ve got some tips that make it super simple.

There are a couple of places garland gets used a lot dinosaurs and mantels and simple swag like this is classic, greedy and easy to do. I have it anchored on either end with the hurricane. But just to make sure it’s really secure I added an easy release hook to the top of the mantel. I wrapped a little wire around the garland and hooked it on there just to make sure nothing comes crashing down.

So how much garland do you get for this look measure the length of the mantel, the distance of the draft on either side and add a little extra for your swag. If you want a deep swag or multiple swags add a little more, a shallow swag, a little lust.

If you want multiple swags you don‘t have to worry about pounding any nails or hooks into your mantel. Just use one of these easy release hooks, then cover it with an extra piece of greenery or a pretty bow. If you’re not interested in attaching anything to your mantel simply drape the garland across the top and let it drop down either side of the fire place, very simple, very classic.

Another hot spot for garland the banister, to attach the garland to the banister you’re going to need a way to do so without scratching or more in the surface. Zip ties are a great option for this. Just make sure that they are long enough to go around both the garland and the banister. Since my garland is a little bit thicker I’m using 14 inch of ties.

Here’s how to know how much garland you need, a good place to start is 1 ½ times the length of the banister plus room for drop. If you want a lot of swags or you’re making them deep and dramatic, go ahead and add some extra footage.

Another popular way to display garland is wrapping and I recommend 2 ½ times the length of the banister. Here’s one last great garland tip. If you love this now a fresh green but prefer to use artificial garland, go ahead then get that wonderful holiday aroma by adding in a few sprigs of fresh greenery.

So measure before you buy and you’ll be ready to wrap and swag your way to a beautiful holiday look.

Audra Lowe: Great stuff from Madison as usual and we have so many holiday crafts and recipes on our website, just check out Better.TV/holidays.