8 Ways to Add Ribbon to Your Christmas Tree
Don't forget the bow.
Ribbon is one of those classic Christmas decorations that seems to have lost its limelight in recent years. Equal parts traditional and unique, ribbon is the perfect choice for adding pizzazz to your Christmas tree. Plus, it's incredibly versatile. Choose between ribbon colours, thicknesses, patterns and textures that best suit your specific festive vibe. In this guide, discover 8 Christmas tree ribbon ideas that'll teach you how to put ribbon on a Christmas tree in a beautiful, high-impact way.
How to Put Ribbon on a Christmas Tree
Place ribbon before ornaments but after lights. It would be a shame to spend so much time decorating your Christmas tree with ornaments only to cover them up with ribbon. However, we recommend placing your ribbon on after your fairy lights – this will allow you to play around with spacing and ensure that your tree is glittering just as much as you'd like it to.
Start by tucking instead of knotting. Tying the start of your ribbon to one of your Christmas tree's back branches won't hurt but it's a lot easier to adjust your ribbon later if you avoid using knots. We recommend tucking the start of your ribbon gently into the back of your tree. As long as you wrap your ribbon around your tree gently, you won't need to worry about pulling it out of place.
Avoid straight lines. They can make your tree look a little too artificial. Instead, try to lay your ribbon in organic stripes. You can even twist your ribbon as you wrap to avoid making your stripes look too uniform.
Avoid thin ribbon. Unless you plan on pairing thin ribbon with a thicker ribbon, thin ribbon will struggle to create a big impact on its own. Plus, thin ribbon can be a health hazard for children and pets if swallowed.
Try not to wrap your ribbon too tightly around your tree. You don't want to make your tree look like it's being strangled. A looser, more natural ribbon placement can enhance your tree's delicate beauty rather than detract from it.
1. Bright Red Spiral
When it comes to Christmas decorations, there's no better colour combo than deep forest green and bright ruby red. Give your Christmas tree gorgeous red stripes by wrapping a red ribbon around it. You can start from the top of the tree and work your way down or move bottom-up, tying a beautiful, lush bow at the very top of your tree. With thicker ribbons, it's best to space your stripes 1–2ft. apart otherwise, your tree could end up looking a bit too crowded.
You don't need to limit yourself to only one ribbon. If you choose two ribbons of different colours, patterns or thicknesses, you can layer them to create your very own striped pattern up and down your Christmas tree. This is the most versatile Christmas tree ribbon idea; you can choose colours and patterns that match your household's festive style. If you're using more than one ribbon, their spacing isn't as important as their uniformity - as long as you keep your ribbons an even distance apart along the entire tree, you can avoid making your tree look messy.
3. Bows Galore
What's Christmas without a few plump bows? Instead of wrapping your entire tree in ribbon, consider cutting short lengths of ribbon, tying them in delicate bows and spacing them out on your tree. This Christmas tree ribbon idea is especially impactful if you've chosen some particularly eye-catching ribbon - the bows will stand out against the tree's branches and put your chosen ribbon's gorgeous colour, texture or pattern on full display.
If the green-red colour combo isn't your preferred choice then give green-gold a go. Gold can serve two gorgeous purposes on a Christmas tree. It can complement the tree's earth tones and beautifully reflect the tree's glittering lights. Wrapping a gold ribbon around your tree is a surefire way to give it a magical aura.
With this Christmas tree ribbon idea, there's no need to hold out for a white Christmas. A thick white ribbon wrapped gently around your Christmas tree can emulate the look of freshly fallen snow. We recommend holding the ribbon loosely as you wrap it around your tree so it can fall naturally against the tree's branches. This natural pattern can enhance the snow-covered look of your tree.
Wondering how to put ribbon on a Christmas tree without wrapping it? Try creating vertical cascades instead. Simply trim strips of ribbon to match the height of your tree and gently lay them vertically atop its branches. If you'd like to hide their ends at the tree's top, you can cover them with a thick bow. In addition to being uniquely beautiful, this Christmas tree ribbon idea can actually make your tree look taller.
7. A Curly Spiral
Give your Christmas tree some dynamic texture by spiraling the ribbon as you wrap it around your tree. This artful Christmas tree ribbon idea takes a little bit more effort than the others in this list, but it's truly worth it if you want your tree to impress. Don't worry too much about how neat your curls look as you wrap – you can tweak and perfect them once you're done.
Time to get nostalgic! Crafting colourful paper chains to wrap around your Christmas tree can be fun for the whole family. Plus, paper chains can be the perfect complement to paper snowflakes and homemade ornaments. If you're looking for an easy, engaging way to decorate your tree with ribbons (or ribbon-like garlands), this can be a wonderful, low-budget option.
Tip: For more Christmas ideas and inspiration, check out:
- DIY Christmas Table Decorations to Keep You Merry and Bright
- How to Decorate Your Home Scandi Style This Christmas
- Which Christmas Lights Will You Decorate With This Year?
