One of the questions I get every year is: how can you hang garland, stockings, ornaments and wreaths on a mantel, doors or windows at different heights without putting holes all over your walls or trim?
It’s a great question. With a newly refreshed fireplace—new stone, wood planking above, and fresh paint on the surround and mantel—I don’t want to cover it with nail holes just to hang holiday decorations.
Here are a few practical items and tips I use to hang Christmas decor neatly and safely, no matter where you want to place it.
1. Command hooks.
Command hooks are one of the simplest, least damaging solutions for hanging wreaths, garland and stockings on a mantel, door or wall without nails. They use a removable adhesive strip that peels away cleanly when removed if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. They come in a range of sizes for lightweight to slightly heavier items. I place a few discreetly at the back of my mantel and on the sides; sometimes I still use an out-of-sight nail on the side if I need extra support.
Larger command hooks are useful for holding wreaths where you don’t want to make holes, such as on planked walls. They also work well for hanging garland around doors and windows. Be sure the surface is clean, dry and dust-free before applying. Note that adhesives can be affected by heat, so avoid placing hooks too close to the fire; they may lose their grip if they become warm. For safety, I remove or relocate delicate ornaments when the fireplace is in use.
Follow the product instructions for weight limits and removal directions to avoid damage to paint or finish.
2. Twine, thread, ribbon or clear fishing line.
To create varying heights for ornaments or stockings, hang them with twine for a rustic look, or choose ribbon, white thread, or clear fishing line for a more subtle effect. Clear fishing line makes ornaments seem to float because the line is barely visible from a distance. For hanging from a mantel or window, put a small discreet hook where needed and attach your chosen string or ribbon to it.
This technique works great for suspending ornaments from lanterns or across openings—use a single secure anchor point rather than multiple hooks for each ornament.
3. Large sticks or branches.
A natural branch can be an easy and beautiful way to display ornaments. This year I used a birch branch I found on a walk. It was heavy enough to sit on the mantel without additional support, though you can tie it to command hooks for extra security. Ornaments hang from the branch, and I threaded beaded string lights around it for sparkle. Last year I secured a branch across a window and hung ornaments from it, so I only had to anchor the branch rather than each individual ornament.
Thank you all for the kind comments on my Christmas house tour. It was fun to open my home and share the rooms and layout so you could feel like you were walking through. I enjoy seeing other people’s spaces and how they decorate for the season.
We’ve added a very large tree this year and I’ll share photos soon, along with the finished front porch. Small updates keep happening around the house as we finish decorating.
There are many holiday house tours happening this season—if you enjoy home tours, check the daily roundups from other bloggers to see more creative decorating ideas. These tours showcase a lot of talent and give great inspiration for your own home.
It’s always inspiring to see how much effort and creativity goes into these tours; even if you feel like you’re doing less, enjoy browsing and taking inspiration at your own pace.
How’s your week going so far? 🙂
