The Simple Holiday Decorating Helper Hiding in Your Christmas Storage Bin
When you’re decorating for Christmas, there’s always that one little item that quietly earns its place as one of the stars of the season. For me, it’s a humble pack of garland ties. They’re nothing fancy to look at, but once you start using them, you realize they’re like the Swiss Army knife of holiday decorating.
Every year I discover some new, clever way to use these faux pine little twists that can save the day by holding greenery exactly where I want it, filling in bare spots in garland, a wreath or tree, securing and even creating decorations or even accenting a wrapped gift without damaging anything.
Eventually I stopped thinking of them as “just for hanging garland” and more like tiny holiday helpers you can bend, twist, and coax into just about any shape your décor dreams up.
If you’ve only ever used them to hang a garland on a staircase or mantel, just wait. These little overachievers have a few more festive tricks up their sleeves.
When it comes to getting your Christmas decorations up fast and easy I always have a handful of these ties at the ready to use.
What is a Garland Tie?
Christmas garland ties were created to discreetly attach an evergreen Christmas garland to a staircase banister, porch railings, lamp posts, fences or any place you want to hang and secure draping swags of garland. They are a decorative alternative to zip-ties, plastic clips and wire.
They are clever 10 – 12 inch long ties that will be hidden as they blend in with the greenery garland you are hanging. Think of them as ingenious decorative twist ties.
14 Creative Ways to Decorate With Christmas Garland Ties
If you already use faux pine garland ties to hang a garland and have a few extra or want to get some, here are 14 creative ways you can use them to help you decorate your home for Christmas this year.
I like using them when decorating my house for the holidays as I prefer to embellish what is already in each room, instead of removing an item to place “Christmas-only type” decorations in the space for the season.
The ties allow me to simply embellish items for the holidays instantly… and for the cost of only a few dollars.
No. 1 – Use to Accent Wall Art & Photos
To add a little bit of Christmas to framed wall art or a gallery wall, use one end of a garland tie to tie a few sprigs of pine with shiny red ball ornaments and jingle bells together. Then use the other end of the garland tie as a hook to place over the center frame on the gallery wall.
No. 2 – Hang Ornaments Along a Staircase
Here is my favorite way to creatively use garland ties on a staircase. I use them to hang ornaments along the staircase and on the spindles. This is much easier than having to drape long 9-ft long sections of garland to decorate my staircase for Christmas.
No. 3 – Use Garland Ties to Hang Christmas Cards
Use a paper hole punch in the upper left corner of Christmas cards. Next – cut 3-inch lengths from one garland tie and use as a hanger that will blend right in with the garland to hang Christmas cards along the length of the greenery.
No. 4 – Hang Up Your Christmas Stockings
If you are using them to tie a garland on a banister or mantel, don’t stop there. Garland ties work perfectly to securely tie Christmas stockings to the garland.
No. 5 – Make a Doorknob Jingle
Thread 3 large jingle bells onto a garland tie and bring then to the center. Then wrap the garland tie around a door knob to secure. This will create the sound of the season when you open and close the door.
No. 6 – Create an Ornamental Accent
Thread one end of a garland tie through the handle of one or more jingle bells and a Christmas ornament. Twist end as you would use a twist tie to secure the bell and ornament. Wrap the garland tie around the doorknob and twist ends together or simply cut the excess.
No. 8 – Holiday Candle Accent
- Wrap a garland tie around a glass candleholder and twist the ends to secure.
- Snip the excess off with wire cutters.
- Use florist wire to attach the silver ornaments.
No. 9 – Table Setting Embellishment
I snipped off berries from an old wreath and hot glued them to the center of the twisted tie. You could also use a jingle bell instead of the faux berries.
- Tie and twist the ends of one around a place setting of silverware.
Another creative way to use garland ties when setting a holiday table is to shape garland ties into mini wreath napkin rings. Simply twist into petite wreath shaped napkin rings.
Gift Wrapping Ideas Using Garland Ties
Using garland ties to accent wrap Christmas gifts is one way to make your gifts have a unique and festive look.
No. 10 – Accent a Wrapped Gift
Instead of using ribbon to tie a bow around a wrapped gift, shape a garland tie into a small wreath shape and tie the ends to each other.
Write the recipient’s name on a piece of paper or use your computer fonts and a printer to make name tags. Cut the paper into a circle slightly smaller than the size of the wreath, attach with glue to center of box. Then attach mini wreath to ribbon by looping ends of ribbon and securing using glue dots or dab of hot glue.
No. 12 – Gift Box Wrap
- Twist two garland ties together to make it long enough to wrap around a gift box.
- Twist the excess to secure.
- Cut ends with wire cutters or fan out to look like leaves.
- Wire on a trio of jingle bells and a name tag for a simple but festive holiday wrap.
No. 13 – Garland Tie & Mason Jar Gift Bag
Use two garland ties around a glittered Mason jar to create a cute way to give your girlfriends a gift this year.
No. 14 – Secure Outdoor Christmas Lights
If the weather outside is frightful and the wind keeps blowing the Christmas lights off hung garland and shrubs – use garland ties to secure them.
More Garland Tie Ideas
- Tie one on to train an indoor tree’s branches.
- Bend one into monogram shapes that can be hung on gifts or stockings.
- They’re great for nestling an ornament on a bookshelf, attaching one to a wreath, or perching a favorite bauble on a lamp finial, where it catches the light and feels like a tiny surprise.
- Another fun trick is using them to anchor fresh or faux greenery on oddly shaped surfaces—like the edge of a mirror, the top curve of a hutch, or the crossbars of dining chairs—places where traditional hooks and tape never seem to cooperate. They blend right in, and the best part is that you can easily adjust them as your decorating evolves through the season.
Where Can You Buy Garland Ties?
There are a few styles of garland ties that range from plastic ties to flexible rope style. For the ideas in this post, I am using the ties that look like a section of pine as shown in the image above.
You can find garland ties like these in the ornament aisle at most craft stores. The smaller/thinner ties are sold where the miniature Christmas Village items are sold. Their packaging only says “Canadian Pine”.
You can also buy them at Target, Walmart, and on Amazon:
As you start decking the halls this year, keep a few of these little garland ties handy. You can buy them on Amazon or anywhere Christmas decorations are sold. They may not look like much when they’re sitting in the package, but once you put them to work, they become those quiet little helpers that make everything feel more polished, more secure, and a whole lot more festive.
I reach for them constantly—sometimes without even realizing it—because they solve so many small holiday decorating dilemmas.
If you find a new way to use one or more as you’re decorating your own home for the Christmas season this year, I’d love to hear about it. The best ideas always seem to come from those “why not try this?” moments.
Until then, here’s to creating a home that feels cozy, twinkly, and wonderfully yours… one tiny twist at a time.
Want to see more Christmas decorating ideas? Check out this Paper Holly Garland and Christmas Decorating for Lamps
