How To Hang And Decorate A Christmas Garland Around A Window
Learn to hang a beautiful Christmas window garland around your window that matches your tree’s style. It will turn your window into a beautiful focal point for your holiday decor.
This year I decided to try something different with my Christmas decorations.
I took down my curtains and replaced them with a faux evergreen Christmas garland decorated in blue and white to match my decor.
During the day, this garland around the window frames the view of my backyard.
And at night (with the lights on) it transforms my living room into a winter wonderland that is absolutely stunning.
This simple yet impactful decoration elevated my seasonal decor to another level, creating a cohesive look that’s both inviting and enchanting.
So I thought I would share what I did in case you want to try something similar.
Supplies
My window is 9-feet wide with 3 windows side by side. So I draped the garland across the top, down the sides, and partway down the vertical dividers between each window.
If your window is smaller (or larger), you’ll need to adjust the number of each ornament you need.
You can find the sources for all of my supplies in the section below.
Materials
- 6 large command hooks – 1 for each corner at the top, and 2 over each vertical window divider.
- 2 medium command hooks – These are used on the sides of the window to keep the garland hanging straight.
- 3 9-foot faux evergreen garlands – I used these pre-lit ones that are battery operated so I didn’t have to worry about plugging them in. They have a timer that turns on for 6 hours at the same time every evening. It’s also a pretty full garland.
- clear fishing line – we’ll use this to tie up some of the branches if the garland falls too far forward.
- 10 yards clear bead string
- 18 to 24 ball ornaments – Try to find ones that go with your Christmas decor and are different sizes. I used blue and white ones.
- 36 to 48 clear glass icicle ornaments – These add sparkle and give the illusion of actual icicles hanging from your garland.
- 12 finial ornaments – Finials mimic the shape of the icicle ornaments but add a little more substance. I used white and silver ones to enhance the winter wonderland feeling.
- 6 bows – I tied these myself using blue and white 2.5″ wide wired ribbon.
- Christmas ornament hooks – I used these to attach the bows, but you may also need them for your ornaments.
Substitutions
- If you don’t want to use command hooks, you can tie the garland to a curtain rod above the window using clear fishing wire. For a draped look, attach the fishing wire in the same locations where the hooks would go so the garland hangs down a little in between.
Tools
- scissors
How to hang the window garland
Put up command hooks
Begin by attaching one large Command hook to the top corners of the window frame.
Then, place two Command hooks on each side of the vertical dividers in the middle of the window.
If you’re not having the garland hang down in the middle of the window like I did, you may not need this many.
Basically, you need one hook to hold up the end of each garland. And then one every couple of feet to hold the weight of the garland and ornaments.
Finally, add one small Command hook on each side of the window, ensuring the hook faces away from the window. This will help the garland hang straight down along the sides.
Hang the garland
Hang the first garland by placing one end on the first hook to the side of the vertical divider.
Then loop it over the corner hook and let it cascade down the side of the window.
Mirror this process on the opposite side, ensuring that the garland branches point downwards for a natural look.
Place the third garland across the middle, stretching it over the two center hooks, and adjust it so the ends are symmetrical.
The ends of the two side garlands should come to the edge of the middle garland so it looks like it’s all one piece.
To keep the garland from sagging forward, you can pull a few of the branches up by wrapping fishing wire around the ends of them. Then tie the other end to the curtain rod for discreet support.
How to decorate the Christmas window garland
Now that the garland is hung, it’s time to decorate.
Step 1 | Hang ball ornaments
Hang a selection of ball ornaments over the top of the garland, spacing them out evenly.
I used blue and white to go with my color scheme, but you can use whatever colors match your Christmas decor.
Continue by attaching additional ornaments along the length of the garland that runs vertically, ensuring a cohesive and festive look throughout.
Step 2 | String up the beads
Drape a string of clear beads from the bottom of the garland, letting it swoop across the top of the window.
Hang this first row towards the back of the garland (close to the window), to create a more dimensional effect.
Go back across the length of the garland with the bead string, about halfway up the garland.
Finally, string the beads across the very top of the garland to complete the look.
These should be draped loosely to create swags. For a more natural appearance, try to make the swags different lengths and heights so they aren’t all lined up on top of each other.
Step 3 | Put up icicle ornaments
Hang long glass ornaments from the garland at the top of the window.
Place some of them closer to the front and others deeper into the garland, varying their height to give a captivating, multi-dimensional look.
This arrangement will create an interesting and dynamic display that mimics the natural variation of icicles.
They can be a little hard to see during the day when it’s bright.
But at night with the garland lights on, those glass ornaments really sparkle.
Step 4 | Add finials
Fill any gaps in your Christmas garland with finial ornaments to create a full, lush look. I used white and silver ones to add to the winter wonderland look.
Distribute the majority of these decorative elements along the top portion of the garland that drapes over the window.
Then, add a few finials to the vertical sections of the garland for a balanced and festive touch.
Step 5 | Put up bows
Tie bows using wired ribbon. I used blue and white ribbon to go with my decor.
Then attach them evenly across the top of the garland with ornament hooks.
The finished garland
The finished garland turns the window into a focal point in the room.
It frames the window and ties together the other Christmas decorations in my living room.
I completed the look by adding 3 simple evergreen wreaths in the windows beneath it.
With all the white Christmas lights at night, the whole room feels like a magical winter wonderland.
Can I use a real evergreen garland instead of a faux one?
Yes, you can use a real evergreen garland if you prefer natural elements. Just keep in mind that real garlands are heavier, may shed needles, and will not last as long as faux garlands. You will also need to add lights if you want them.
How can I make my Christmas window garland look fuller?
If your garland is not as full as mine, you can intertwine additional greenery or tinsel into your garland to add volume. Or twist 2 garlands together.
In any case, fluffing the branches can also create a fuller, more luxurious appearance.
Other Christmas garland ideas you might like
- Gold and crystal indoor doorway Christmas garland
- DIY Grinch garland
- How to make a Christmas garland for the fireplace mantel
Or browse all of our Christmas home decor ideas.
DIY Christmas window garland
Equipment
- 1 Pair of scissors
Materials
- 6 large command hooks
- 2 medium command hooks
- 3 9-foot faux evergreen garlands
- clear fishing line
- 10 yards clear bead string
- 18 to 24 ball ornaments
- 36 to 48 clear glass icicle ornaments
- 12 finial ornaments
- 6 Ribbon bows
- ornament hooks
Instructions
Hang the garland
- Begin by sticking one large Command hook at each end of the window.
- Next, place two Command hooks on the sides of the center vertical window frames.
- Then attach one small Command hook on each side of the window, making sure the hook part is facing outwards. These will help the garland stay straight as it hangs down the sides of the window.
- Hang the first garland by placing one end on the first hook beside the vertical divider above the window. Take it over the hook at one corner and let it fall down the side of the window.
- Do the same thing on the other side with another garland. Check that the branches on both sides point downwards.
- Guide the garland through the hooks on the sides of the windows to keep them in place.
- Put the third garland across the middle of the window, making sure it goes over the two center hooks and the ends are the same length.
- If the garland hangs too far forward, use fishing line to tie some of the branches to the curtain rod to hold them up.
Decorate the garland
- Drape the bead string from the bottom of the garland across the top of the window. Hang this row from the back of the garland (close to the window) to make it look more interesting.
- Next, run the bead string back across the garland about halfway up.
- Then go back across one more time, at the top of the garland. Make sure it is loose so the beads create swags.
- Hang ball ornaments along the and down the sides of the garland, making sure they are evenly distributed.
- Hang icicle ornaments from the garland above the window, varying how high or low each one hangs. Also, place some ornaments close to the front and others deeper into the garland.
- Fill in empty spots in the garland with the finial ornaments.
- Make bows with wired ribbon and attach them to the top of the garland using ornament hooks.
Notes
- If you don’t want to use command hooks, you can tie the garland to a curtain rod using fishing line. To keep the draped look, attach it in the same spots where the command hooks would go.