I love Christmas garlands. I drape them on doorways, my fireplace, and even my staircase banister. A few years ago, I decided to buy all fresh evergreen lengths of Christmas garland, and I worked hard to drape them everywhere, following all the instructions to make sure they’d last. But two weeks later … my garlands were dead and done.
The heater vents and the heat from our fireplace fires killed that greenery dead. Everyone told me I should have waited until two weeks before Christmas before hanging real greenery, but I want my home to be decorated all Christmas season! I needed something a little more permanent, and the custom “fake” options were not cheap, ranging from $80-$300. So my solution was to take an inexpensive garland and make it look full, expensive, and as real as fake could possibly look.
First things first, find an inspirational photo for this project.
Inexpensive Christmas garland (I got mine at Wal-mart for less than $2. Only sold in stores.)
Wire clippers (not pictured)
Hot glue and gun (not pictured) You might not need this if your garland is only going to rest on top of your mantel and not on drape on the sides.
The inexpensive Christmas garland will be your base. You need at least two because really cheap garland is typically very skinny (you’ll be twisting them together). I happen to have a huge fireplace mantel so I needed 4 garlands for my base, which cost a total of eight dollars!
I purchased two of each of the floral stems.
Total Cost of my 18 Ft. Garland: $25.00 ….and some change
Step
Unwrap your garlands and lay them side by side. Twist your garlands together. Begin and end your garland by twisting, but to keep the middle together, you can switch to using a single wired pine stem from one garland and wrapping it around the base wire of the other garland. Once your two garlands become one, fluff the garland.
If you need to make the Christmas garland longer, before you twist, use the wire on the end to wrap around the connecting garland’s middle wire then fluff your pine needles around it. After this, start twisting your two longer garlands together.
Here was my 18-foot garland after Step 1. Please excuse my unfinished wood floor in dire need of refinishing … someday.
Note: I didn’t want lights in my garland but if you do, at this point you want to add your lights.
Step
Clip apart your stems. I did this randomly, keeping some in a cluster and some as singles. This all depends on how your garland rest; you’ll have to play with it a little to get it just right.
Tip: Hang your garland from the first step on your mantel and secure it into place first, then add the cut floral stems.
Step
First add your draping evergreen. I added it in the places I wanted it to go along just the top of my mantel first. Save some for your sides.
Step
Next, cut bunches off your magnolia leaves from the stem and slip them into the greenery where you have placed your draping evergreen. You can secure them with hot glue. I just simply wrapped the excess stem of the magnolia bunch around the middle wire of the garland then fluffed the pine stems to hide it.
Do this for the entire garland.
Note: You can easily take off the leaves of the magnolia bunch. I thought more than 4-5 leaves in a bunch looked a little crowded so I just simply took a few off. I used those single leaves as well (see step 6).
Step
Add a little sprig of the Eucalyptus floral.
This was what each of my “bunches” looked like. Some were bigger and some were smaller.
Step
To make use of the single leaves I took off from a larger bunch, I glued them together in twos or threes.
After gluing, I would add them into the garland. If they are not staying in place you could add a little dab of hot glue to your base garland.
Step
Now it’s time to add to the hanging part of the garland. For the draping evergreen and the Magnolia leaves, I simply wrapped a single pine stem around the cut stem of the floral. Fluff around the twisted stem to hide it. (Has anyone counted how many times I have used the word “fluff” in this post?)
Step
To keep the Eucalyptus stem in place you will have to add a little dab of hot glue.
I love the way my garland turned out. It is unique and inexpensive.
Yes, it is fake, but adding in the layered stems really helps to make it look real.
When Christmas is over, I will deconstruct it (what is not glued) and store it all together. I might even add to it next year. I think these paper magnolia flowers would be a pretty addition.
Pin It and Share It: DIY Christmas Garland
Have you had better experiences than I have with making real garland greenery last in a heated home? Please comment your tips below!
Cork home decor – is it something you’ve considered for your home? If you’re looking for a material that’s natural, recyclable, renewable and has 100% eco-friendly credentials, then step forward cork. Not limited to the necks of wine bottles, cork is naturally insulating and helps add warmth and texture to your home. There are lots of ways you can use cork home decor to create style and interest in your home, whilst also being environmentally responsible.
What is cork?
Cork is actually the bark of a tree! In fact, it’s the bark of the Quercus suber or cork oak (yes, it’s a type of oak!). It’s made of a honeycomb structure filled with microscopic air bubbles, which means it has insulating and sound-reducing qualities. Remove the bark from any other tree, and it would die. Cork trees are unique in that you can remove most of the bark, and the tree doesn’t mind at all – in fact, the bark grows back on a nine-year cycle making the whole process sustainable. Cork can only be cut by hand using a specially-shaped axe, and it’s a very skilled job as the worker needs to remove only the bark without touching the trunk of the tree. Cork oaks have a lifespan of around two to three hundred years and can be harvested every nine years starting from the age of 25. Once harvested, the planks are cured outside, steamed to remove bugs and then cured again before use.
What are the benefits of cork home decor?
Carpetright People And Planet Natural Classic White Cork Flooring
We’ve mentioned the insulating properties, but it’s also a breathable and natural material which is free from chemicals and synthetic resins. It’s ideal for anyone with asthma or allergies as it’s non-shedding, easy to clean and naturally resistant to mould and mildew. So it’s really beneficial to use for cork home decor ideas.
What can cork be used for in the home?
This material is endlessly versatile. Forget cork noticeboards and the dreary flooring tiles of the 1970s, cork has a wide range of uses in the modern home. Use it on the walls and floor to reduce noise and add warmth, or in a range of furnishings and accessories.
Hit the North cork ‘wallpaper’, The Monkey Puzzle Tree
Hit the North cork ‘wallpaper’, The Monkey Puzzle Tree
Printed on sustainable cork, ‘Hit The North’ is the work of graphic artist Drew Millward. Best known for designing posters for rock bands such as Foo Fighters and Arctic Monkeys, Drew created this Modernist-inspired cork wallpaper celebrating the creativity and industry of the north of England. It costs £192 per metre and is available from The Monkey Puzzle Tree.
People and Planet Design Bisque cork flooring, Carpetright
People and Planet Design Bisque cork flooring, Carpetright
Add sound and thermal insulation to your home with this cork flooring with the appearance of wooden planks for a look that complements any space. Biodegradable and recyclable, it’s a great environmentally friendly option and is backed by a 10 year manufacturer’s wear warranty. Was £69.99 now £48.99 per metre squared, available from Carpetright.
Trove deep square box, David Irwin
Trove deep square box, David Irwin
The Trove is a series of minimal cork boxes for organising and storing everyday objects. Made from natural and sustainable cork for a warm and tactile finish, this modular stacking system is constructed from minimal components that seamlessly slot and stack together. Construct a personal storage composition to keep your desktop organised and clutter free. This deep square box is part of a range and costs £14 from Case.
Cork home decor stool, Cuckooland
Cork stool, Cuckooland
With nothing for contrast, this photo looks just like a pair of champagne corks – but the corks actually measure 50cm tall and weigh 12kg! Modelling to look like the real thing, this Champagne cork stool is a really fun piece of cork home decor. It’s equivalent to 1,300 real bottle corks in weight and is 110 times bigger. Made from natural Portuguese cork this sturdy stool will bring a smile to your face. £164, available from Cuckooland.
Despite what’s depicted in Hallmark movies, the holidays can actually be a really stressful time of year. Not only that, but if you’re not careful, added anxiety and pressure can cause you to miss the season all together. With Thanksgiving in the rear view and Christmas coming around the corner fast, how in the world are we supposed to stay in the present and enjoy what this season has to offer? While we may never regain the magic of the holidays that we felt as children (the whole no-Santa thing kind of ruins it, amiright?), there are ways to claim and nurture some new warm and fuzzy feelings. Here’s how you can make the most of the season by soaking up the present.
The first step to staying present is to allow yourself the time to do so. In an effort to create a “perfect Christmas,” we often overload ourselves with responsibilities, tasks, and deadlines. The truth is, there is no perfect Christmas to be had, and the pressure to avoid missing out on anything can overwhelm us into missing everything.
Give yourself more time to soak up the season by taking a good, hard look at your to-do list. Re-prioritize what’s really important to you. Is there anyone you can eliminate from your shopping list? You might not think so at first, but take a closer look and consider who would actually not mind if you didn’t buy them something this year. Do you need to be the one to bring in homemade snacks to a work or school function? Store-bought doesn’t mean you’re a bad person – it means you’re prioritizing your own self-care.
A big aspect of the holidays is the sense of community, whether that’s found with your relatives, co-workers, or friends. Take the opportunity to allow others to be gracious to you in this season of giving. Lean on friends and family. Trust in their understanding.
The key to staying present is to pay attention. To meditate on the present, you can’t focus on the tasks you have yet to do, or the negative outcomes that could occur, or the uncomfortable memories of past events. To make good memories about this holiday season, channel the spirit that jolly muppet Christmas Present. Writing is a fantastic way to meditate on the positive events happening around you. Plus, you’ll have a record of the memories to look back on fondly.
You don’t have to necessarily be good at writing for journaling to work. And you don’t have to ramble on if that’s not your style. Short and sweet or long-winded, the end goal is to write. Check out our post on Gratitude Journaling for more about focusing on the positives, and try these holiday-themed writing prompts to help you meditate on what’s going on:
Holiday Writing Prompts:
Describe your favorite area of your house during the holidays. Go into detail about why it’s special to you.
How is Christmas different as an adult, versus when you were younger? What makes it better as an adult?
What is your favorite holiday decoration? How does it make you feel, and what positive memories are attached to it?
How different is your life now than it was last year?
What gift are you most excited to give this year?
Write down every detail of a holiday event you participated in or attended.
You might already know that your sense of smell is most closely linked to memory. As such, activating holiday magic might be as easy as lighting a pine-scented candle. Engage all your senses in festive traditions to fully immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit.
Smell: While a freshly roasted turkey or a dozen sugar cookies will do the trick right away, there are other less intensive methods for triggering your sense of smell. Fresh sprigs of evergreen, mulled cider, a peppermint mocha from Starbucks, or even a simmer pot on the stove can really make it smell (and feel) like the holidays.
Sight: I’m a huge fan of driving around and looking at Christmas lights every year. It’s become a tradition, and it’s something that I look forward to. Remember to be flexible (in case of poor weather), and don’t forget to pack hot cocoa and a seasonal playlist.
Touch:As a kid, you may have been annoyed that your aunt wanted to kiss your cheek every time she saw you. As an adult, hopefully you appreciate the importance of human connection. Christmas is a time to show others that you love them. Shake hands with your neighbor. Wave to the mailman. Hug you mom.
Taste: Finding foods and beverages that taste like the holidays isn’t hard. It’s finding when to stop that’s the real struggle! While engaging your sense of taste is a great way to achieve warm fuzzy holiday feels, over-indulging on unhealthy foods is a major cause of stress and guilt. Gain the energy you need to make it through the holidays by turning to fruits and veggies, and snack small on the rich stuff. Be mindful when you’re indulging. Pay attention to each bite, and chew slower than you normally would. Think about the taste as you eat or drink. In short, make sure you’re actually enjoying holiday treats and not just scarfing them down!
Hearing: Tradition is of huge importance when it comes to enjoying the holidays. Make sure you save time for a few of your favorite holiday classics. Looking for a good playlist? Check out these 36 tunes to carry you to December 25th.
The 54321 Grounding Technique
Often used to combat feelings of anxiety, the 54321 Technique can also help if you’re feeling overwhelmed or disconnected. This technique of noticing how your senses are engaging with what is happening around you can help you stay grounded in the moment. The next time you’re engaged in a holiday-related activity (shopping, cooking, wrapping presents, etc.), play this game out loud or in your head.
Five: List five things you can see (i.e., a pine tree, snow, busy people)
Four: List four things you can feel (i.e., heat from the stove, your warm socks)
Three: List three things you can hear (i.e., Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You, a baby crying)
Two: List two things you can smell (i.e., perfume from the woman in line in front of you, warm cookies)
One: List one good thing about yourself (i.e., I’m amazing at staying patient while waiting in line, I make a mean chocolate chip cookie)
Activities to Help you Stay Present During the Holidays
Here are a few festive activities you can do to put yourself in a holiday mood. You’re much more likely to form a strong memory if you can include other people in these activities, so invite friends or family to join you. Otherwise, consider writing about the experience to solidify the emotions.
Go for a walk:You’ve spent a lot of time outside your house in order to go shopping, attend work functions and parties, and shuffle kids from event to event. However, have you simply spent time outside in December just for the heck of it? Whether it’s snowing in your part of the world or not, hopefully there are a few festive decorations up in your neighborhood. Go for a walk to clear your mind and center yourself. Pay attention to the energy around you – can you feel the buzzing of busy people? Notice the lights, garlands, and trees in the windows – focus on appreciating the diversity in the season.
Call your grandmother: Or, any out-of-town relative or friend you won’t get to see this year. Connection and community are a huge part of being present. Plus, grandma would love to hear from you.
Make cookies: If all else fails and you need to get merry right now, start baking. Put on some Bing Crosby, break out the cookie cutters, and make a simple batch of sugar cookies.
Have you ever wondered why traditions are so prevalent and feel so important around the holidays? As it turns out, traditions reinforce important belief structures. They comfort us with a sense of belonging, and help us express gratitude! Traditions cement existing bonds, and create new ones. If those aren’t reason enough for you to hop on board the Tradition Train, consider it this way: traditions usually involve food, and are usually just plain fun.
Christmas traditions vary in their details but the reasons behind them are remarkably similar. Read on for fifteen real-life stories on the importance of tradition, from my community to yours.
On maximizing the holiday season:
My son is obsessed with Santa and all things Christmas all year long. His birthday is in early November, and his main birthday request is that we decorate. So, weeks before Thanksgiving, you will find us and the birthday boy stringing lights on the porch, putting up multiple Christmas trees, and running cords across the lawn for giant inflatable snowmen. Some might shake their heads but if you saw his smile, you would understand.
When my dad had to work Christmas morning, he would always come home with gifts that he said Santa had dropped out of his sleigh or forgotten on the roof. Usually they were one of our big wish items.
-Rachelle
When I was young my dad would create a trail of peanuts for me to follow to my stocking. He said that Santa must have had a hole in his pocket and the peanuts that were kept there for the reindeer fell out.
-Marji
My dad always made a big Christmas breakfast for us. Last year, our first Christmas without him, my husband and son got up and make everything my dad had always done. It was delicious.
-Kim
On giving back together:
Every year we go to a Hospice House with friends and bake cookies. Our kids make cards and deliver them along with the fresh-from-the-oven cookies. It always smells amazing. The families there are going through sad circumstances but this gesture always brings them genuine smiles.
Every Friday night of the season we watch a Christmas movie and eat a special snack that has some tie-in with the movie. For instance: bright green punch with the The Grinch, cocoa and candy canes with Elf, trail mix with The Polar Express, and cookies with The Santa Clause. A brief internet search will set you up with all kinds of ideas.
-Kambria
We watch Christmas movies like Elf and Home Alone but also, in an attempt to fight back against the semi-feral natures of our tween boys, I force them to watch some older classics like White Christmas and attend a play or musical each year. This year we did A Christmas Carol.
-Megan
On tree decorating:
We listen to Frank Sinatra’s Christmas album every year while we decorate the tree. Mistletoe and the Holly is one of my favorite songs from that album.
-Becca
Every year my family would make a certain chocolate cookie that we snacked on while decorating the tree. I can’t fathom eating that particular cookie at any other time.
My dad was a pastor and every year we would have a candlelight Christmas Eve service. Afterwards we would keep our candles burning as long as we could and snack on candies while we drove through the night to my grandparent’s house.
-Lucas
We always give new pajamas on Christmas eve and everyone looks especially cute in their new jammies in the next morning’s photos.
-Kelly
We always drink ice cold Coke out of the glass bottles on Christmas Eve!
-Amy
On Christmas Eve when our kids were small we did “The Gift That Doesn’t Cost Anything” to emphasize that something need not cost money to be valuable. Each of us would read something meaningful (Remember Chicken Soup for the Soul?) or play their latest recital piece on the flute or piano. When the kids grew into adulthood they also grew into sarcasm and renamed it “The Gift That Isn’t Worth Anything.” Thus, it faded from our holiday routines. I’m thinking of bringing it back for the grandchildren’s enjoyment!
-Dori
My kids love putting out vegetables or other treats in the yard for Santa’s reindeer. I so clearly remember my oldest yelling, “Come and get it, Reindeer!” with his dear little face scanning the sky. That sweet memory made up for how ridiculous I felt later when I was outside in the middle of the night nibbling on carrot pieces to leave as evidence.
We had just moved back to the U.S. after several years in South Africa and my preschool-aged son was so thrilled and overwhelmed by the tree and the giant pile of presents that he got sick to his stomach. The next year, to make sure we wouldn’t have to clean the carpet again, I gave him a banana and we read the Christmas story upstairs. Getting something in his stomach and easing into the celebration worked. Somehow it became a tradition. This year, before we go down to the tree, my three kids will sit at the top of the stairs and eat a banana while we read the Christmas story together.
-Tricia
Let this be an encouragement to embrace your existing traditions and consider establishing new ones! We all want to celebrate our story and recognize that we belong to each other. Traditions are key to doing just that! Happy holidays, everybody.
Making your own Christmas ornaments every year is a great opportunity to create tradition. Check out this list of over 150 DIY ideas for some inspiration!
Ever since I built a mantel a couple of years ago, I’m always on the hunt for fun new ways to decorate it. So as I browsed the paper aisle at my local craft store, it hit me – a folded paper tree forest! I’m a big fan of non-traditional colors, so I bought a few of my favorites and got to work. Click through to check out the full tutorial.
Begin by drawing tall triangles on the back of a piece of cardstock. They should be about 4 inches wide at the bottom, so if you have an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of cardstock, then you should make a mark at the 4 inch point along the bottom edge, and at the 8 inch point. Along the top edge, make a mark at the 2 inch point and the 6 inch point. Connect the dots from top to bottom and then cut out the triangles.
Each piece of 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper should make 3 triangles. Fold them each accordion style as shown above, making sure that each fold is about 1/2 an inch wide. Repeat this process on all of your triangles.
Make a mark inside the lowest hole and then punch through that spot to make sure that all of the holes are centered. Repeat this until you have made holes through the entire tree.
Alternate method: If you’re impatient like me, you may want to use your drill to make the holes instead. They do come out slightly ragged this way, however, whereas the hole punch method cuts very crisp holes. But it also takes much longer. You decide.
Fold a paper tree back up and slip the skewer through the holes. Spread out the accordion folds so that everything looks even. Set it aside and repeat the process as many times as you like, depending on how big you want your forest to be.
The end result is super unique and festive, thanks to the glitter paper and bold colors. I love non-traditional colors, but if you’re more of a traditionalist, you might want to experiment with greens and reds.
Or if you like more of a neutral look, you might consider all white and beige papers with different textures. You could use them throughout the winter if you opt for less of a holiday color scheme.
They look quite impressive lined up all together, but you could also scatter them around the house where ever you need a bit of extra holiday cheer. Happy crafting friends!
Every winter, it’s the same story. I get a handful of thoughtfully selected, lovingly written cards for the holidays…and, I have nowhere to put them.
Tacked on the fridge with the grocery lists and unpaid parking tickets? Jammed on a shelf between the dusty knick-knacks and piles of unopened mail? Ok, my house isn’t THAT disorganized (most of the time), but I’m sure you feel the pain of receiving beautiful mail and having nowhere to display it.
This year, I decided to take matters into my craft-loving hands and make a simple, pretty DIY branch holiday card display. It only requires a few basic supplies to make, can be made as small or as large as you want, and will make your home smell like a pine tree, which is obviously the best reason to make your own. Keep reading to see how to make a DIY branch holiday card display!
Materials
Step
Cut a piece of cord to hang your branch, and tie the cord to the branch at two points.
Step
Attach string to the branch to hang the cards.
If you receive lots of cards for the holidays, simply scale this project up with a larger branch and more string!
Step
Trim all the string ends, then hang the branch (Command hooks are great for temporary projects like this!). Attach the cards to the string with mini clothespins.
Finally, tie beads to the ends of the strings so they hang straight.
And that’s it! Now you can see and enjoy all that lovely holiday mail for the season.
Don’t forget to pin this project to Pinterest!
Where would you hang your branch holiday card display? Do you have other ideas for showing off your holiday cards? Let us know in the comments!
