DIY Christmas Garland with Fresh Winter Greenery

Fresh greenery adds a natural beauty to your home decor, and making your own garland for Christmas is a great way to get your home ready for the holiday! While store-bought Christmas garlands are convenient, there’s nothing quite like the lush look, natural scent, and eco-friendliness of a DIY fresh winter greenery garland.

In this post, I’ll share how to make fresh greenery garland for Christmas to make your home feel extra special during the holiday seasons!

Why Choose Fresh Greenery for Your Christmas Garland?

Fresh winter greenery is my favorite choice for DIY Christmas garlands, and here’s why:

1. Cost-Effective: If you have shopped for garlands that are real-looking, you know they can be quite pricey, but if you can source greenery for free, your DIY version is nearly free.
2. Natural Scent: Real greenery like pine, fir, and eucalyptus offers a fresh, festive aroma – so much better than the plasticky smell of artificial alternatives.
3. Eco-Friendly: After the holidays, fresh garlands can be composted, leaving no waste or need for storage space, especially if you are tight on storage space like me.

DIY Christmas Garland Materials

• Fresh greenery. Pine, fir, cedar, eucalyptus, or whatever you can find! 
• Floral wire. Also called paddle wire. I used a 22-gauge wire.
• Twine. I used raffia because it’s what I had on hand.
• Pruners or sturdy scissors for trimming greenery

How to Find Fresh Winter Greenery

Finding fresh greenery can be part of the fun. It is like a treasure hunt! Here are some tips:

• Look for greenery in public parks or roadside patches with overgrown plants. Avoid trimming trees in well-maintained areas or private property. Areas like freeway ramps or train stations usually have a lot of untamed greenery.
• Look for trees with low-hanging branches or suckers growing from the roots. Clip from trees that could use pruning, like branches growing too low or suckers sprouting from the base. This ensures you’re helping, not harming, the plants.Only take what you need. Over-harvesting can damage trees.
• While collecting greenery, pick up pine cones or berry branches to add festive touches to your garland.
• Pro Tip: Keep a running list of local places with accessible greenery. I kept a list on my phone and this makes it easier to find materials for future projects like wreaths or bouquets! 

Step-by-Step Instructions for DIY Christmas Garland

Step 1: Prepare the greenery.

Begin by trimming the branches you’ve gathered into smaller pieces, roughly 6 – 8 inches long. The exact size will depend on the type of foliage, but keeping the pieces consistent will give your garland an even look. 

Organize the cuttings into piles by type, such as pine, eucalyptus, and cedar. Be mindful not to over-process—start with a small pile and add more as needed to avoid waste.

Step 2: Create a secure base.

Take your floral wire and twine, and twist them together at one end to form a small loop. This loop will act as an anchor, making it easy to hang your finished garland.

Step 3: Assemble your first bundle.

Gather a few pieces of greenery to create your first cluster. For example, you can combine two pine branches, one eucalyptus sprig, and a piece of cedar. 

Adjust the composition based on your personal preference. Personally I like to use large plain leaves as a backdrop and add more decorative elements on the top (e.g. berries)

Then use the floral wire to tightly secure the first bundle to the twine. Wrap the wire around the stems a few times to ensure it’s firmly in place.

Step 4: Proceed to Layer Bundles

Build the garland by placing another bunch, slightly overlapping the one before it, in a consistent direction. This allows the entire Christmas garland to appear flush and conceals the stem and wires of the previous bunch.
You can also vary what you include in each bundle like I did here. For my other fresh green garland, I worked berries into every third or fourth bundle for a little drizzle of red here and there.

Step 5: Finish the garland.

When you get to the end of your twine, turn the last bunch the opposite direction, so your garland looks good from either end. Wire in any little pieces individually to fill over the connection. Attach securely using the floral wire.

Then Twist the wire and twine together at the end to create another loop for hanging. 

Note: Always wrap your floral wire in the same direction throughout the entire process. If you change directions, the wire will loosen when you lift the garland, and that can cause the bundles to potentially fall out or the garland may stretch out creating some thinner spots.

Optional Step: Preserve the greenery.

If you want your Christmas garland to last longer, you can spray your fresh garland with Wilt Stop. This natural product contains pinene which slows down water loss, helping your greenery stay fresh throughout the season. 

My friend swears by this and claims it helps her Christmas wreath and garland to last for more than 2 months!

Styling Your DIY Garland for a Touch of Christmas Magic

Now it’s time to style your beautiful garlands! I created two setups with the two winter garlands I made.

For the first garland, I styled it on my living room mantel.

Since the garland is long and heavy, and I also have a mirror on the mantel, I used 3M Command Hooks to secure it. These hooks are a lifesaver—they hold the garland securely and are easy to remove later without leaving residue.

To complete the look, I added a few candles for the height(for display only, not gonna light them), which brought a warm and cozy glow to the space. For an extra festive touch, you could even hang a few stockings and tie a velvet bow at each end of the garland!

The second garland went inside a cabinet with glass doors in my dining room. Here, I set up a whimsical Christmas scene using the garland as a base.

I added a felted squirrel, a candle, and some fairy lights to create a magical, storybook-like display. It reminded me of those enchanting store windows you see during the holidays, and it brought so much magic to the space!

DIY Garland for Christmas Bonus Ideas

Here are some special touches you can add to your garland for Christmas season. 

• Add dried elements: Incorporate dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, or star anise for a rustic, fragrant twist. You can also use pine cones if you happen to pick up some on your material hunt.
• Add A pop of color: Use red berries, or colorful ribbons to add a festive vibe. Velvet ribbon has been so trendy these days for Christmas decorating
• Lights and Ornaments: Wrap fairy lights around the garland or hang small ornaments to make it shimmer in the evening!

How to Maintain Your Fresh Garland

To make your DIY Christmas garland last longer, you can:

1. Hydrate Your Greenery: Mist your garland with water every few days to retain moisture. 
2. Avoid Heat Sources: Keep garlands away from fireplaces, radiators, or direct sunlight to prevent drying out.
3. Use a Sealant: As mentioned earlier, spraying a product like Wilt Stop can reduce water loss and extend freshness. 

More Decorating Ideas

DIY Dried Hydrangea Wreath

How to Set Up A Beautiful Winter Dinner Party

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