“I’d love a Christmas garland but I don’t have anywhere to put one” is a phrase I hear a lot! But garlands are not just for fireplaces and mantelpieces, they’re not just for Christmas either! Garlands can be made for spring, summer and autumn as well as winter!

Garlands have been used for many years, with roots dating back to Pagan times. They are said to represent eternal life, and hope for a good spring. These days, we use them to decorate our homes and bring a touch of the outside in! 

Garlands come in many different sizes and styles, you can find snowy garlands, evergreen garlands, cedar or pine garlands. You can also add lights for a touch of sparkle, bells and a whole rainbow of colours with baubles, bells and flowers. Dried fruit, pine cones and cinnamon for a classic traditional look, or vibrant colours, monochrome or pastels for more modern homes. But where do you display them if you don’t have a traditional fireplace? 

Here are a few suggestions. 

• Around a front door- You can opt for a shorter length to cover either the top or one side, or an extra long garland to surround the whole door for the ultimate wow factor! Why not add lights to really give your Christmas visitors a warm welcome.
• On a tv stand- a shorter garland is the perfect size to place in front of your tv. If you’re worried the remote sensor won’t work you could opt for an ivy garland with some dried fruit and fairy lights instead of the full pine version. 

• Staircase garland- For a real luxury feel a staircase garland is a great choice! This option is ideal if you like to decorate more than just one room for Christmas, you can tie in the colour scheme to match your Christmas tree or go for something entirely different!

• Windowsill- A small garland can really brighten up a window, lights are a good choice to bring some warmth in when you’re looking out onto a cold winter day. You could even attach the garland to your curtain pole if you’d prefer to keep the windowsill clear. 
• As a table centrepiece- If you like to go all out with beautiful table decorations a garland makes a fabulous alternative to a traditional table runner. add candles, (fake flame ones ideally) or if you’re feeling creative you could use sprigs of foraged foliage to create matching place names or cutlery holders! 
• Sideboard, or Welsh dresser- Another option to consider is as decoration for a sideboard or cupboard, push right to the back so you still have a useable space or right in the middle to really make a focal point! 
• Around a mirror or picture- adding a garland around a frame can add a touch of Christmas to any room!

• Christmas tree- if you have a beautiful tree but don’t like the boring tree stands you could simply wrap a garland around the bottom! This will elevate your Christmas decor and hide the unsightly tree holder or base at the same time.

These are just a few ideas, there are many more ways to display a garland in your home, if you have a flat surface you can put a garland on it! 

At Silver Halos I offer a completely bespoke service; you choose the style, length, colour scheme, and leave the rest to me, or why not check out my ready to post options!