How to Put Ribbon on a Christmas Tree

Put ribbon on a Christmas tree after the lights, either as straight drops from top to base or as a spiral wrapped around the branches. Hicks Nurseries suggests about 9 feet of ribbon per foot of tree, which comes to 63 feet on a 7-foot tree (calculated). Wired ribbon holds its shape better.

How to put ribbon on a Christmas tree vertically

Vertical ribbon runs from the top of the Christmas tree to the base, so the eye follows the height of the tree rather than its width. Home Depot lists this as one of its ribbon methods, with the lengths left hanging loosely. Follow these steps:

1. Measure the tree from the crown to the base, and cut each length a little longer than that.
2. Secure the top of each length under the crown, or at a bow on top, as Home Depot does.
3. Let the ribbon fall to the base, giving each length a few twists.
4. Tuck the ribbon into the branches on the way down, so it stays put when someone brushes past.
5. Space the lengths around the sides that show, and trim each end.

Gathered offers a looser version. Split the tree into three or four sections and zigzag the ribbon down each one, pushing some of it back toward the trunk for depth. A zigzag runs longer than a straight drop, so allow extra ribbon for it.

How to wrap ribbon around a Christmas tree

Wrapped ribbon circles the Christmas tree in a spiral, and you can start from either end. Home Depot starts at the base and winds upward with even spaces, twisting if you like, for a candy cane effect. Gathered starts at the top and winds down, adding small twists and weaving in and out of the branches.

Cut pieces are the easier choice on a big tree, because you never have to feed one long ribbon around the back. Designer Brad Schmidt tells Reviewed to cut 3- to 4-foot pieces and weave them in and out from the top. Hicks Nurseries cuts shorter pieces of 2 to 3 feet and tucks them in as gentle waves or loops, using 2 to 3 coordinating ribbons. Christina Lane, a professional tree decorator featured by Southern Home and Hospitality, makes the loops bigger toward the bottom of the tree.

Want loops with a knot in the middle? The Christmas tree bow guide covers tying and placing them.

Wired Christmas tree ribbon

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How much ribbon a Christmas tree needs by height

A Christmas tree needs about 9 feet of ribbon per foot of height, according to Hicks Nurseries, and the table below works that out for common heights. The roll count assumes 10-yard rolls, the bolt size Schmidt mentions, so check the length printed on yours.

Schmidt’s figure in Reviewed lands close to that: a 7- to 8-foot tree needs at least two bolts of 10 yards, or 60 feet (calculated). Gathered simply says to be generous.

Straight drops take far less. Four drops on a 7-foot tree come to about 28 feet before any twists (calculated), so that table is more than a vertical tree needs. Hicks Nurseries gives the same 9-foot figure for garland, and our Christmas tree garland guide compares it with other rules.

Choosing Christmas tree ribbon width and type

Christmas tree ribbon works best fairly wide, Gathered says, because wide ribbon fills gaps much as tinsel does and is easier to twist. Home Depot also reaches for wide ribbon to hide bare spots. Thinner ribbon suits smaller trees, Gathered adds. Neither guide gives a width in inches, so judge it against your branches. Christina Lane’s designer tree in Southern Home and Hospitality pairs one wide patterned ribbon with two narrow coordinating ones.

Material matters as much as width. Schmidt says wired ribbon is good for loops and rolls because it holds its shape better. Home Depot says mesh or textured ribbon holds on better than smooth, and it suggests burlap for a rustic tree and wired satin for an elegant one. Our small tree guide and slim tree guide cover ribbon on narrower shapes.

How to keep ribbon in place on a Christmas tree

Ribbon stays on a Christmas tree when each end is fixed to a branch rather than resting on one. Home Depot uses floral wire or small pieces of green pipe cleaner twisted onto the branches. Gathered uses bobby pins, or ties the end to a branch at the back of the tree, out of sight.

Finish the ends once the ribbon is on. Gathered trims each end into a V, and Reviewed cuts ends at an angle or curls them. Our decorating guide shows where ribbon fits in the full order of work.