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.
- Read how to do this in this post: Christmas Staircase Decorating on a Dime
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. 7 – Invisible Tree Ornament Hooks
- Cut the ties into 3-1/2″ sections to make invisible ornament hooks.
- Simply bend each into the standard ornament hook shape.
Twist one end on the ornament…
…and the other end over a tree branch. No unsightly wire showing.
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. 11 – Create Festive Gift Bag Handles
Replace the standard paper twist cord handles with 2 garland ties. It is really simple to do.
Option 1 – Carefully remove existing handles from inside the bag. Most bags have the end of the handle covered in a thick piece of paper. You can gently rip this away to remove the existing handle. Cut 2 ties to size and use hot glue to attach inside the bag. Glue the paper back into place to secure.
Option 2 – Remove the existing handles, then use a paper hole punch to make two holes in each side of the bag where the handles were. Thread the end of a garland tie into hole about an inch. Bend the end upwards inside the bag and squeeze to secure. Repeat for the other 3 holes.
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.
- How to make: Mason Jar Gift Bag Purse
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
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:
- Christmas Faux Pine Garland Ties – Usually come in packaged quantities of 10 or more. One brand, Haute Decor even sells them with little pinecones and others have jingle bells on the ends.
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
More Creative Christmas Ideas:
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Definitely a holiday workhorse!! I purchase mine at the Dollar Store 🌲. Thanks for a couple new ideas too!
Wow! I had no idea. You just solved a few of my decorating dilemmas!
Hi Decorah – So happy to hear that my blog post has helped you. :-). Garland ties are the best.
I always enjoy your blog. It’s filled with interesting and many times unique ideas. Thank you! Plus, it isn’t so stuffed with advertising that I give up reading and go on to another email.
Hi Marilyn – Thanks for taking the time to tell me that you always enjoy my blog post. :-) I try to keep the ads down to the lowest I can and still make a living from my blog. I also take the extra step to group sections in each post so ads don’t break up a thought or a heading from the paragraph under it. I make less by doing this as advertiser want their ads to be placed just so. I will always keep doing this as I think it makes reading a post much easier also. Thanks for reading my blog. :-)
Thanks yet again Diane! I’d never heard of these and I think I’ll definitely steal the banister idea for my front porch (instead of the live garlands I would buy–it’s just getting too expensive). I just went to Amazon and ordered some 16″ long ones and the red balls. I think it will be pretty easy and reusable with taking as much space in storage, which is severely limited in my small house.
Hi Mary – You will love the ease of using the garland ties on your banister. After having real garland in my previous home and having to clean up the mess at the end of the season, plus no longer having to store faux garland – garland ties are my quick and easy go to that looks just as festive. Enjoy decorating your home for the holidays.
Good morning, Diane
I really love these ideas for the garland ties. I only wish they had been around when I had my staircase with the banister. I am pretty sure I left a few scratches on it. I will be looking at those garland ties differently, in fact I’m sure there are some in my stash. Thank you much for all your clever ideas. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Hi Glenda – I just love garland ties and all they can do. I have a few different types and I recently saw flocked ones. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.
Wow, the great ideas just keep coming! Thank you for the timely inspiration!
Many blog posts feature suggestions that are completely impractical and undoable (i.e. hang your custom deer head above your double wide hearth). Yeah, that’s not gonna happen! This post is great. Practical and full of fresh ideas that anyone can adapt and do with their holiday decorations. That’s why I like following your blog.
I think the first time I bought these was in a Michael’s and I happened to see them….not knowing what the real use was I just bought them because I thought I’d use them for something. I started with making little wreaths for package decorations and then also to wrap small gifts.
At some point, I did discover their original purpose and then used them for garland hanging. They are useful in so many ways !!!! Thanks for a couple more ideas 🌲
What a great post. I had never heard of such a thing.
I used your idea for the staircase in our new (old) home. It took about 15 minutes tops-and looks terrific. Thanks for the idea! I had never heard/seen susangarland ties until I read your blog post.
Hi Susan – :-) It makes me happy to know my post was inspiring to you and to hear that you decorated your staircase using them. They are the best little Christmas decorating item – they look nice and can bend any which way to do what you need.
Diane,
It all looks great. I see you like plaid this year. I use plaid every year. I, too, change things up every year. I decorated with an all-natural look. Very different for me but if ever there was a year to do things a bit differently and creatively, it’s this year.
Anyway, have a great day.
Hi Rebecca – I agree that this year is the year to do things that make you feel good. Getting creative adds the happy positive vibe we all need after the last 11 months. Enjoy your festive decorating for a very Merry Christmas.
Hi Diane
I’m definitely going to use garland ties as ornament hooks, because our cats really enjoy batting my glass ornaments!
Hi Susan – The garland ties make the best and secure ornament hangers. You will love them, your kitties not so much. :-)
Hello! ?
On the GIFT BAG PURSE is there any OTHER kind of jars WE can USE in Australia?? We don’t have MASONS JARS!
HELP?
Hi Frances – You can use any jar with a lid and make tie the garland ties around the same way. For the top just glue the tag onto the lid.
LOVE these ideas! Just pinned! Merry Christmas! Melissa
Just found you on pinterest I love you idea for decorating the front porch lights. The wind here is terrible and I will try this . A wreath on the door won’t stay
Hi Diane,
I am thinking about buying some dill essential oil after reading about your sugar addiction. I too struggle with this and I’m wondering how you are doing and is the dill oil still working? Are you loosing weight from using it? I hope you don’t mind my questions, but would like to know how things are going for you before I purchase some. How long have you been using the oil? Thanks so much for your time!
Hi Lisa –
I have been using the oil since May and am amazed at how it works. In Sept, I stopped using it to see if I would get the cravings back. It took about a week and then I noticed the cravings slowly crept back. I started applying the dill oil again every morning and am happy to say that they cravings are gone agin. It did not happen overnight like it did when I first started. The key I have found is to use it everyday for a month and then you can go every other day or every 2-3 days between applying it to your wrists. I lost 8 lbs. The oil seems to only remove cravings from sweets, not food in general so if you want to lose weight you still need to lower your caloric intake. I think I lost the 8 lbs since I was eating so much sugar laden foods and then stopped pretty much cold turkey. I feel better, my skin looks better. Using the dill is a huge win for me.
Thank you for your quick reply! I am going to give the dill oil a try. Thanks for sharing what is working for you. I love your blog!
Diane, maybe you could talk about the dill oil again. I’m really struggling with sugar cravings after some unusual stress lately and I’m losing the war. Thanks!!!
Hi Deborah – Do you have the Young Living Dill Oil. Here is some information about it. https://static.youngliving.com/en-GB/PDFS/Dill_PIP_EN.pdf. I mixed it with a carrier oil – jojoba in a roll on vial. I roll it on my wrists and behind my knees in the morning when I am feeling a sugar craving come on. I read about this benefit of the oil in an Essential Oil Reference Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3JXkmKq
It works for me, but not for my twin sister so everyone is different. I hope it works for you to tame the sugar cravings. They are the hardest to stop.
Wow, amazing!
Oh how I love you Diane! Never a wasted visit to your blog…… ever!
Thanks Sheryll – you are the best XO
Really good ideas for these little garland ties. My favorite is the ornament hooks.
I just grabbed a bag of these, such great ideas!!
Thanks Kelly – They come in pretty handy this time of year. I just bought 2 more packs – good to have in my toolbox.
I like to read other home decorating sites as well as yours, but yours is the very best of all. You always explain in detail how you do a project. And the website appearance is very classy. Thank you.
I want to roam the aisles of the craft store with you so some of your creativity will rub off on me! Who would have thought!!
Not sure where I have been, but I didn’t know these existed, and I NEED them! One year I even cut a piece off of some garland so I could use it. This is an adorable idea! I love it! Thanks for sharing!! Pinning!
Diane, these are brilliant! Such an easy idea that will make Christmas preparation a whole lot easier! LOVE the ties with the flatware!!!
Great ideas! To never have to mess with those funky ornament hooks again…wonderful!