Looking for ideas to hang Christmas garland on a mantel with a little unique touch?  Check out this easy tutorial to hang Christmas garland on a mantel with asymmetrical style in your living room!

Christmas decorating is so much fun but I do love to find simple little tips to help make it go more smoothly!  In this blog post, I am excited to share my Christmas mantel decor with you.  Since I did it a little differently this year, it look a bit of trial and error to get the asymmetrical look I wanted.  However, I love how it turned out!  So, today, I’ll show you how to hang Christmas garland on a mantel with asymmetrical style!  

Of course, if you want or need a symmetrical style for your own fireplace mantel, you can easily tweak what I did here and recreate the look when you hang Christmas garland on a mantel in your own way too!

​The reason I chose to hang my holiday garland on the fireplace mantel with asymmetrical style is because there is a lot of symmetry already happening in this space.  With the chippy, arched shutter doors framing the gallery wall space, it creates strong symmetry from the start.

Then, this year, I know I want to have a fairly symmetrical gallery wall over the fireplace mantel.  Too much symmetry is just too much symmetry for me!  My personal preference is to mix things up a little so it doesn’t all feel “too perfect” and matchy matchy.  Does that make any sense?!!

An asymmetrical holiday garland for the fireplace mantel it is!  Here’s a step by step guide of how I created this look and how to hang Christmas garland on a mantel easily:

Here’s what I used to hang Christmas garland on a mantel with asymmetrical style:

• cedar garland X 1
• Norfolk pine garland X 2
• cedar stems X 2
• crushed velvet ribbon
• frayed velvet ribbon
• mercury glass ornament garland
• tinsel garland
• wooden push pins

Now, you’re ready to hang Christmas garland on a mantel!

How to Hang Christmas Garland on a Mantel with Asymmetrical Style

How to Hang Christmas Garland on a Mantel Step 1: Secure first ribbon

The first step was to estimate about 2/3 across the mantel for my starting point with the smallest ribbon and secured it with a push pin on the top of the mantel.  Since I wanted an asymmetrical look to hang Christmas garland on a mantel, I intentionally went past the center of the mantel.

Attaching one end first is an easy way to get things started if you only have one set of hands.  If you are worried about an additional nail hole, grab a friend to help hold the end until you are certain where you want the push pin or hook to go when you hang Christmas garland on a mantel.

*Disclaimer: my mantel is wood, very chippy, and small holes in the top from a push pin are not a problem.  However, many there are many wood mantels I would not want to make a nail hole in!  If this is the case for you, I recommend command hooks.  I use them for many things in our home and my classroom and have had good success with them!

​Next, I left a little swag in the ribbon along the front of the mantel and secured it about the 1/3 point with another push pin.

Lastly, I left a little bit more of a swag for the second loop and secured the ribbon at the corner end of the mantel with the third and final push pin.

Getting the swag just right on the ribbon when you hang a Christmas garland on a mantel will take a little trial and error.  The great news is that you don’t have to be super precise and you can really just get it like you want!  I wanted to try two swag sizes to balance out the chunky knit stockings that would go on the other end.  I am glad I stuck with it and played around with the ribbon and garland because I am really enjoying how it turned out!

How to Hang Christmas Garland on a Mantel Step 2: Secure second ribbon

​For the second layer, I added a little wider ribbon.  I love the frayed edges of THIS ribbon because it has a really pretty vintage French look.  Basically, I followed the same steps as in number 1 with the first ribbon.

For a fuller look to hang Christmas garland on a mantel, though, I left a swag in the second ribbon just below the first ribbon.  I used the same push pin to secure both so I did not have to use more than one push pin at each of the 3 attachment spots.

How to Hang Christmas Garland on a Mantel Step 3: Secure ornament garland

Thirdly, I followed the same steps to hang Christmas garland on a mantel and secured THIS beautiful ornament garland just below the widest ribbon.  This is not a super heavy garland so I was able to use the same push pins as the ribbon

THIS beautiful Christmas garland is one of my very favorite Christmas decorations to use in our home.  I have several of them that I have collected over the past few years and I style them all over our home.  They even work perfectly down the center of a table for an easy centerpiece!

How to Hang Christmas Garland on a Mantel Step 4: Secure tinsel ornament garland

This adorable little garland is a recent find I picked up at Pottery Barn.  I love the combination of the silver tinsel with the gold vintage-style ornaments.  The sparkle adds a really festive touch for this time of year!  Since the tinsel garland is really light weight, it was really easy to add.  In fact, I just used the loop on the two ends to hang it on the first and third push pins.

Next, I hung the middle over the middle push pin and adjusted the swag in both sections.  For even more of a layered look, I let the tinsel garland hang in front of the ribbons.

How to Hang Christmas Garland on a Mantel Step 5: Layer different types of garland

For this mantel display, I used 3 strands of faux garland.  Two of them are faux pine garlands (Norfolk pine, to be exact) and one faux cedar garland.

Before I explain the layering, I should add that while I hung the ribbons and ornaments along the front of the mantel, I rested the faux greenery along the top of the mantel.  If you want to add more Christmas decorations along the top of your mantel, you will want to add small wire hooks or strong command hooks to the front of the mantel to hang the faux greenery.

​The first garland I laid down is a cedar garland.  I cannot link this exact one as I’ve had it for a couple of years and it’s no longer available.  However, you can find a similar strand of garland HERE for a great price.  I pulled quite a few branches of the cedar garland almost straight up, knowing I’d be layering more artificial garlands on top and I wanted to make sure the cedar branches poked through here and there.

The first garland starts about where my ribbon and ornament garlands also begin.  At the other end, I carefully bent the garland to drape down the side of the mantel.

Next, I laid THESE beautiful greenery garlands made of Norfolk pine.  To me, THIS is the perfect garland.  I add to my collection of them every year and use them around my windows, on my table centerpieces, and other places around our home.  If I had to choose a single type of greenery to use in the winter, this would be it for sure!

I intentionally let them lay to the side so the branches would hang over the front of the mantel in places.  Even though I didn’t make a garland swag, the nature of these draping artificial garlands is that they naturally create a bit of a swag and look so beautiful!

Carefully, I pulled stems from the first garland through so they are also visible.

Pro Tip:  If you want to create this look with fuller garlands but cover the entire mantel, just double the artificial garlands and bend them to drape down the ends of the mantel.  

If you need extra length to hang Christmas garland on a mantel, my favorite Norfok pine garland also comes in this longer length.  I need the extra length around my windows and this works perfectly!

Note: If you only have one Norfolk pine garland and need a budget-friendly option for a third greenery garland, try THIS eucalyptus garland.  Last year, I layered it between the cedar and Norfolk pine.  It looks so beautiful and the three different types of garlands mix so nicely together for a really natural look.

How to Hang Christmas Garland on a Mantel Step 6: Cover the ends for a more natural look

To hang a Christmas garland on a mantel, you’ll want to add some kind of faux stems to cover the ends.  For example, at the point where the first ribbon and ornament garland meet with the greenery garlands, you could still see the push pin and bent ends of the garland stems, which doesn’t look as pretty.

I tucked a faux cedar stem into my garlands with the branch part facing toward the other end of the mantel.  Then, for balance, I added a matching cedar stem at the corner of the mantel, facing the same way as the greenery garlands.  These added branches created an even fuller look to this mantel focal point in our living room.

You can also use small greenery picks and branches as the final touches to fill in any bare spots when you hang Christmas garland on a mantel.

How to hang garland on a mantel without nails?

​​How to hang Christmas garland on a mantel without making any nail holes is a great question!  It also really depends on how much garland you are using, whether you’re using heavy garland, or a single piece of garland.

If you are combining multiple strands of greenery garland like I did and you don’t want to put holes in the mantel, I would lay the garlands out on the floor.  The easiest way would be to fasten them together at three points.  You could use pipe cleaners, floral wire, green zip ties, clear zip ties, or even the command cord bundlers.

Then, attach command hooks to your mantel and secure your beautiful Christmas garland to the command hooks.

How do you decorate a fireplace mantel with garland?

There are a lot of ways to hang Christmas garland on a mantel for the holiday season.  I love how my garlands all worked together and were pretty easy to hang this year.​

Here are some other great options you could add to greenery garland as well as some other beautiful garlands that would make amazing holiday decor:

• ​Add fairy lights to any garland
• Add battery operated string lights to any garland
• This pre-lit garland
• These pine cones to easily add to your greenery garlands after Christmas for a winter look
• Favorite juniper greenery garland

What if you don’t have enough garland?

If you want to hang Christmas garland on a mantel but don’t have enough, ​I have great news!  Head to the thrift store and find an old Christmas garland.  Cut out the ornaments, flowers, or whatever objects it may have attached.

Then, use this garland as your base for layering other garlands when you hang Christmas garland on a mantel.  Even though it isn’t the prettiest garland, it will still add structure and give a more full look to your nicer garlands that you layer over the top!

This is a great way to save some money on your Christmas décor as well as use older holiday decor items that you may have laying around in storage.

How do you style a mantel for Christmas?

​There are so many wonderful ways to decorate a mantel for the Christmas season.  In fact, there’s a pretty good chance that Christmas is the most popular time to decorate a mantel!  After you hang Christmas garland on a mantel, it’s time to decorate the top of the mantel.

Over on THIS blog post, I share an easy step-by-step guide to decorate a mantel year round.  Included are pictures from all four seasons as well as non-seasonal decor.

However, Christmas is always my favorite mantel decor for sure!  Since I have a lot going on with the ribbons, ornaments, and greenery garland, I decided to keep the top of the mantel more simple.

First, I added this amazing antique wooden horse that I purchased from The Gilded Cottage (@thegildedcottage).  Around the horse, I added a second ornament garland.

Next, I hung THESE chunky knit stockings to balance out the ribbon and ornament garlands on the front of the mantel.  These are such budget-friendly stockings and perfect for a decorative accent!

Then, I added some of my thrifted, vintage brass horn candle holder collection on each side of the horse.  For a cozy final touch, I put my favorite flameless taper candles in the brass horn candle holders.  These beautiful candles flicker on at about 5:00 each evening and add such a cozy glow to this living room space!

Even though it seems like there are a lot of steps and hard work to hang these different kinds of garlands for holiday decor, it was really pretty easy and only took me about 30 minutes or so from start to finish.  Next year, I think I can hang Christmas garland on a mantel a lot faster because I’ll know exactly how to get the look I want…unless, of course, I do something completely different!

Christmas garlands are simple ways to decorate your home for the holiday season.  The best part about greenery garlands is that I can leave them up after Christmas for winter decor. For Christmas, though, adding simple ribbons and ornaments can take your decor to the next level by adding a festive touch and sparkle to accent your Christmas decorations.

There are a lot of different ways to hang Christmas garland on a mantel but once you figure out what works the best for your particular space, you can keep using the same method year after year!

Here, on my storefront, you can find my curated Christmas collections, stoppable mood boards, and more ideas to inspire you Christmas decorating!

I hope this simple guide is helpful to you and gives you a fresh and fun idea that you can use for your own holiday decor this year!  Happy decorating!

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If you enjoyed this post on how to hang Christmas garland on a mantel, you may also enjoy these Christmas decor related blog posts to help you decorate for the holiday season:

• 21 Favorite Christmas Decor Ideas for Your Home (2024)
• 10 Easy Tips to Decorate for Thanksgiving and Christmas Early
• Easy Ways to Choose a Christmas Theme for Holiday Decorating
• Easy Ideas to Decorate a Cozy Bedroom for Christmas
• Easy Ideas to Decorate a Console Table for Christmas
• Beautiful Vintage Farmhouse Christmas Home Decor Ideas
• Simple & Natural French Country Christmas Decor Ideas
• 9 Festive and Easy Christmas Candle Centerpiece Ideas
• Simple Tips for Christmas Coffee Table Decor Ideas
• 17 Easy Ideas to Decorate a Ladder for Christmas
• 13 Best Ideas for Decorating a Sparse Christmas Tree
• 11 Best Festive Christmas Table Decor Ideas
• 15 Festive and Easy Christmas Gift Wrap Ideas

Blessings,

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