Christmas Tree Bows: Sizes, Placement and How Many

Tie Christmas tree bows from wired ribbon, starting with Home Depot’s 15-inch length and going longer for a bigger bow. Gathered places large bows on the branch ends for a bold look. No standard bow count exists, so space a few around the tree, step back, and add more where gaps show.

How to tie a bow for a Christmas tree

A bow for a Christmas tree starts with a 15-inch piece of ribbon in Home Depot’s method, and a longer piece gives a bigger bow. Work on a table first, then move the finished bow to the branch.

1. Fold the ribbon into two loops at the top and one at the bottom, without twisting it. The top loops look like bunny ears.
2. Cross the right loop over the left, forming a third loop.
3. Fold the left loop behind the right and pull it through the bottom loop.
4. Pull the top loops together and knot the center.
5. Notch the tails.

Use wired ribbon if you can. Gathered recommends it for bows because it holds its shape.

Tying is optional. Christina Lane, a professional tree decorator featured by Southern Home and Hospitality, skips bows in favor of ribbon loops: pinch a tail of 2 to 3 inches, wrap a branch at the pinch, and add three more loops, each held by a branch. The Christmas tree ribbon guide covers how much ribbon to buy.

Christmas tree bow sizes: what sets them

Christmas tree bow size comes down to the length and width of the ribbon you start with, because a longer ribbon gives bigger loops. Home Depot gives a 15-inch starting point, and Gathered says thinner ribbon suits mini bows. Neither gives a size by tree height, so size by eye.

A simple way to size bows is to compare them with your largest ornaments. Hold a finished bow up beside the biggest ball on the tree and step back. If you want the bows to be the main feature, go larger than the ball. If they are filling gaps between ornaments, go about the same size or smaller. Our ornament size guide gives diameters to compare against.

Christmas tree bows

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Where to put bows on a Christmas tree

Bows on a Christmas tree can sit on the branch ends, where they show from across the room. Gathered suggests covering branch ends with large bows for a bolder style. Wire the bow on, leaving the tails free to hang.

A few placement choices change the look:

• Scattered evenly. Turn the tree as you go, or walk around it, so no side ends up bare or crowded.
• Larger low, smaller high. Lane makes ribbon loops bigger toward the bottom of the tree, and bows can follow the same pattern.
• Mixed in with ornaments. St. Nick’s suggests pairing large ornaments with oversized decorations such as bows and floral picks.

Ornaments can hide the wire. Lane covers visible tucks with an ornament, or with a flower and pick together.

How many bows a Christmas tree needs

A Christmas tree has no standard bow count. The right number depends on bow size and on whether bows are the main feature or an accent, so build up gradually. Place a handful around the tree at different heights, step back, then add more where the tree looks bare. A tree dressed only in bows takes far more than a tree where bows sit between ornaments.

Buy extra ribbon if you are tying your own. Each 15-inch bow uses 1.25 feet (calculated), so a 10-yard roll, which is 30 feet, makes about 24 small bows (calculated). Larger bows use proportionally more.

Big bow, gold and white ideas for a Christmas tree

A big bow on a Christmas tree can serve as a single focal point at the crown. Reviewed mentions a giant velvet bow among its topper options, and Hicks Nurseries also lists a bow as a topper choice. Gathered slips a piece of wire through a large bow to attach it firmly. Our Christmas tree topper guide covers proportion and how to secure one.

Gold bows suit warm schemes and sit naturally with red. See the red and gold tree guide for pairings. White and cream bows read softly on a green tree, while on a white tree they can fade into the branches, so look for texture or a metallic edge. The white tree guide has ideas. Hicks Nurseries also suggests mixing matte, shiny and textured finishes, and that can keep a single-color scheme from looking flat.

Whatever the color, put the lights on before any ribbon, as Gathered advises. Our decorating guide lays out each step.

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