How To Decorate A Banister With Christmas Garland

A garland down the banister is the single decoration people notice when they walk through your front door, and it's the one most often done badly - sagging in the middle, slipping down the newel post by Boxing Day.

Here's how to measure it, fix it and finish it so it stays put.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations, not garlands.

How much garland you need

• Measure along the handrail from the top of the stairs to the newel post at the bottom.
• Wrapping in a spiral: add half again. A 3m staircase wants about 4.5m of garland.
• Draping in swags: add a third. A 3m staircase wants about 4m.
• Most artificial holly garlands come in 1.8m to 2.7m lengths, so plan to join two or three.
• Join lengths by twisting the wire stems together, then hide the join under a ribbon bow.

Wrapping versus draping

• Wrapping spirals the garland round the handrail - tidy, safe to hold, best for narrow modern rails.
• Draping loops it in swags below the rail - fuller and more traditional, best for Victorian staircases with turned spindles.
• Wrapping keeps the handrail usable, which matters in a house with small children or older relatives.
• Draping looks better in photos but blocks the rail, so keep the swags shallow on a staircase people actually hold.

Fixing it so it doesn't slip

• Green floral wire is the right fixing - cut 15cm lengths, twist round the rail and the garland stems, tuck the ends in.
• One tie every 40cm for wrapping, one at the top of every swag for draping.
• Never use tape or drawing pins on a painted or polished handrail.
• Cable ties work but show - use them only where the garland is thick enough to hide them.
• Start at the top and work down so the weight pulls the garland tight rather than loose.

Victorian versus modern banisters

• Victorian turned spindles: drape through the spindles rather than over the rail, so the shapes still show.
• A big turned newel post takes a full wrap plus a bow, and anchors the whole run.
• Modern glass or steel: no spindles to tie to, so wrap the handrail and use small clear adhesive hooks underneath.
• Painted white spindles: keep the garland dark green and the ribbon a single colour - it reads cleaner.
• Open-tread stairs: a garland along the wall side works better than the rail.

Lights and finishing

• Battery lights save you trailing a cable down a staircase, which is a trip hazard.
• Weave the lights in before the ribbon, pushing the wire deep into the foliage.
• Ribbon last: a wide wired ribbon woven in and out, plus a bow on the newel post.
• Add a few pine cones, dried orange slices or baubles wired into the thin patches.
• Fluff the foliage out at the end - artificial garland comes flat in the box and looks it until you bend every stem.
• Hanging things without marks - Read the guide

Shop party decorations

How to write it so it lands

• Start at the top and work down.
• Floral wire every 40cm - never tape.
• Fluff every stem before you judge it.

Where to shop next

• Party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Christmas cards
• Wall art and prints
• Funny pin badges
• Christmas mantelpiece ideas
• Christmas bay window ideas
• Hanging garland around a door frame
• Christmas shelf decor ideas
• Christmas porch ideas
• Christmas gift ideas
• How to hang prints without damage
• Gallery wall ideas
• Christmas card messages
• Secret Santa generator
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Birthday cards for kids
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

How much garland do you need for a staircase?

Measure the handrail, then add half again if you're wrapping in a spiral or a third if you're draping in swags. A 3m staircase needs roughly 4 to 4.5m.

How do you attach garland to a banister without damaging it?

Green floral wire twisted round the rail and the garland stems every 40cm. No tape, no pins, nothing adhesive on polished or painted wood.

Should you wrap or drape a banister garland?

Wrap on narrow modern rails and in houses where people hold the rail. Drape in swags on Victorian staircases with turned spindles, keeping the loops shallow.

Do you put the lights on before or after the ribbon?

Lights first, pushed deep into the foliage, then ribbon woven over the top. Battery lights avoid trailing a cable down the stairs.

How do you make an artificial garland look real?

Bend every stem out so it's three-dimensional rather than flat, vary the depth, and wire in a few pine cones or dried orange slices to break up the repeat.

Do you sell Christmas garlands?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Garlands and hooks are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.