How To Hang Christmas Garlands Around Door Frames Without Damage

A garland round an internal doorway or arch is the cheapest way to make a hallway feel like Christmas, and you can do the whole thing without a single screw.

The failures are always the same: too few hooks, hooks stuck to gloss paint, or a garland heavier than the fixing was rated for.

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

Work out what you need

• Measure up one side, across the top and down the other side.
• Add a third for a garland that swags rather than sits flat.
• A standard UK internal door frame is about 2m up, 0.8m across, 2m down - so roughly 6.5m of garland with the swag.
• Weigh the garland. Most artificial holly garlands are 1-2kg for a 2.7m length, which matters when you pick hooks.

Removable adhesive hooks

• Buy hooks rated for double the weight you're hanging. Manufacturers' ratings assume a straight downward pull, and a garland tugs outwards.
• Stick them to the door frame itself, not the wall - frames are usually gloss or satin, and they hold better than emulsion.
• Clean the spot with rubbing alcohol first, not a wet cloth. Any dust and it will fail.
• Press for 30 seconds, then wait an hour before you hang anything. This step is the one everyone skips.
• Three hooks on each vertical side, three across the top. Six is not enough for a full garland.
• Never stick them to fresh paint, wallpaper, or textured plaster - all three come off with the hook.

No-adhesive options

• A tension rod inside the top of the door reveal, with the garland cable-tied to it.
• Over-door hooks, the kind meant for coats, hooked over the top of the frame.
• Fishing line or clear cord run from an existing picture hook nearby.
• Existing curtain pole brackets, if the doorway has them.
• A freestanding garland along a shelf above the door, if the doorway itself is a lost cause.

Hanging it evenly

• Hang the top run first and get it level before you touch the sides.
• Work outwards from the centre of the top so the swag is symmetrical.
• Attach the garland to each hook with a loop of floral wire, not by pushing the foliage over the hook - foliage slides, wire doesn't.
• Let each side hang slightly longer than you think. Garland that stops short of the floor at knee height looks unfinished.
• Battery lights only. A mains cable across a doorway is a trip hazard and a fire risk.

Taking it down without marks

• Pull the adhesive tab straight down, slowly, stretching it out. Never pull it away from the wall.
• If a tab snaps, warm the hook with a hairdryer for 30 seconds and try again.
• Leftover residue comes off with a little rubbing alcohol on a cloth.
• Take the garland off the hooks before you remove the hooks - the weight is what tears paint.
• More no-damage hanging - Read the guide

Shop party decorations

How to write it so it lands

• Nine hooks, not six.
• Rubbing alcohol, then wait an hour.
• Wire the garland to the hooks, don't rest it on them.

Where to shop next

• Party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Christmas cards
• Wall art and prints
• Funny pin badges
• How to decorate a banister with garland
• Christmas mantelpiece ideas
• Christmas bay window ideas
• 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
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

How do you hang a garland around a door frame without damaging paint?

Removable adhesive hooks rated for double the weight, stuck to the gloss frame rather than the wall, on a surface cleaned with rubbing alcohol and left an hour before loading.

How much garland do you need for a door frame?

Measure up, across and down - about 4.8m on a standard UK internal door - then add a third for the swag, so roughly 6.5m.

How many hooks does a door frame garland need?

At least nine: three up each side and three across the top. Six is the usual reason a garland ends up on the floor.

How do you hang a garland with no adhesive at all?

A tension rod in the door reveal, over-door coat hooks, clear cord from an existing picture hook, or existing curtain brackets.

How do you remove adhesive hooks without peeling paint?

Take the garland off first, then pull the tab slowly straight down, stretching it out rather than away from the wall. A hairdryer softens a stubborn one.

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.