How to decorate stairs for Christmas: garland on a banister
How much garland a staircase really needs, how to fix it without marking the banister, where to hide the battery pack, and what to do with the stairs if a garland is too much.
A garland along the banister is the classic Christmas stair decoration, and getting it right comes down to the length of the rail, the depth of the swags and the spacing of the ties. This guide gives the sums, a fixing method that leaves no marks on paint or varnish, how to add lights safely, and ideas for stairs that do without a green garland.
Christmas stair decorations: what goes where
A staircase has more places to decorate than the handrail. The banister is the handrail plus the row of spindles (balusters) that hold it up; the newel posts are the thicker posts at each end.
| Part | What works | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Handrail | A garland along the outer face or the underside, ribbon, fairy lights | The top must stay free to hold |
| Spindles | Ties for the garland, bows, small wreaths, stockings, cards on a ribbon | Nothing that sticks out into the stairway |
| Newel posts | A large bow, a small wreath, the garland’s tails | The best place to hide a battery pack |
| Treads | Nothing | Lanterns, figures and baskets on the steps get tripped over |
| Wall side | A second garland or a row of cards on removable hooks | Test a hook on a hidden patch, as some lift paint |
| Landing | A small tree, a garland along the landing rail, window lights | Keep the top step and the landing clear to walk |
How to hang a garland on a banister
Measure the rail and work out the length
Run a piece of string along the handrail from the top newel post to the bottom one, then measure the string. That is the garland length for a straight run. Swags need more, and how much depends on how deep they hang:
| Swag depth, ties about 60 cm apart | Extra garland | Example: a 4 m rail |
|---|---|---|
| No swags, straight along the rail | None | 4 m: two 2.7 m garlands |
| 10 cm | About 7% | 4.3 m: two garlands |
| 15 cm | About 15% | 4.6 m: two garlands |
| 20 cm | About 25% | 5 m: two garlands |
| 25 cm | About 37% | 5.5 m: three garlands |
| 30 cm | About 50% | 6 m: three garlands |
Ties set closer together use more garland for the same depth: at 50 cm apart, a 20 cm swag takes about a third more than the rail. Add any tail you want hanging from the bottom post, and buy every length in the same style so the joins do not show. Our staircase garlands run from 1.8 m to 16 m. The longest are slim, unlit ropes (a 10 m one is about 9 cm wide), while full 2.7 m garlands are about 25 cm wide and look more generous on a wide rail.
Choose how it hangs
- Straight along the rail: the least garland and the tidiest result. Best on narrow stairs, where swags catch on legs and laundry baskets.
- Swags between ties: the traditional look. Keep every swag the same depth, or the eye goes straight to the odd one.
- Wrapped round the handrail: common in photos, but it covers the part you hold. Keep it for a landing rail that nobody needs to grip.
Fix it without marking the banister
- Cable ties round the spindles hold best. Pull them tight, snip the tails and turn the heads to the back; green ties vanish in the branches.
- Florist wire or green garden twine is gentler on varnish and easy to undo in January.
- Ribbon ties turn every fixing into a bow.
- Removable adhesive hooks suit the wall side. Test one on a hidden patch first.
- Avoid nails, drawing pins and tape on painted or varnished wood.
Hanging it, step by step
- Shape the garlands on the floor: pull out every branch and bend the tips until the wire core disappears. Join two lengths by twisting their wire cores together; a bow will hide the join.
- If the garland is not pre-lit, wind a string of lights through it now and test them before anything goes up.
- Start at the end where the battery pack or plug will sit, usually the bottom newel post.
- Tie the garland at the top and the bottom, then in the middle, then halfway between each pair of ties, so the swags come out even.
- Look from the hall and from the top of the stairs, even out the swags, then pull every tie tight.
- Add bows, baubles and picks last, at the tie points, where they hide the fixings.
Adding lights to a stair garland
A pre-lit garland saves threading lights through the branches, but check the density: the Christmas garlands with lights in our range carry from about 10 to 28 LEDs per metre on the greenery garlands and 60 or more on the cluster-light ones, so compare per metre rather than per garland. Most run on 3 AA batteries in a small pack, which has to sit where you can reach it: behind a bow at the newel post works. Two garlands means two packs.
A plain garland with a separate string of battery fairy lights lets you choose the colour and spacing yourself. Plain green and snow-tipped Christmas garlands take a light string well, and warm white suits green pine.
Leave the top of the handrail clear to hold. Never run a lead across a step or along a tread, and keep battery packs off the steps. Switch the lights off at night and when you go out, and unplug mains sets, as Electrical Safety First advises. No real candles on the stairs or the newel posts.
Christmas stair decorations without a garland
If a green garland is too much for a narrow or steep staircase, decorate the spindles and posts instead:
- A ribbon bow on every second or third spindle, in wired ribbon so the loops hold their shape.
- Small wreaths hung from the spindles or the newel post on loops of ribbon. The smallest in our wreaths and garlands collection are about 25 cm across, which suits a post.
- Christmas cards pegged along a ribbon tied between the top and bottom posts.
- One stocking per person hung down the spindles, if the mantelpiece is missing or full.
- Battery fairy lights along the outer face of the rail or wound loosely down the spindles.
- Baubles threaded onto ribbon and tied in loops between the spindles.
- Paper chains or a dried orange garland made by the children.
Staircase decorating ideas by style
| Style | Garland | Trimmings |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Green pine with cones and berries | Red bows, gold baubles, a wreath on the bottom post |
| Scandi | Eucalyptus or plain fir | Wooden beads, white paper stars, warm white lights |
| Rustic | Pine with cones | Tartan or hessian ribbon, dried orange slices |
| Glam | Frosted or snow-tipped | Velvet bows, silver or champagne baubles |
| Family | Plain green | Paper chains, cards, coloured lights |
Our guide to Christmas decor styles shows how to carry one scheme from the tree to the hallway. A fresh pine or eucalyptus garland smells better than an artificial one but dries out in a heated hall, so hang it in the last week or two before Christmas and mist it every day or two. For a staircase that stays dressed from Advent to Twelfth Night, an artificial garland from our Christmas garlands for stairs will last the season, and a matching door wreath from the wreaths and garlands range ties the hall to the front door.
Frequently asked questions
How do you decorate stairs for Christmas?
Start with a garland tied to the spindles along the outer face of the handrail, either straight or in even swags. Add bows at the ties and a wreath or a large bow on the bottom newel post, and wind battery lights through the garland if it is not pre-lit. Keep the treads clear and the top of the rail free to hold.
How much garland do I need for a staircase?
Measure the rail with a piece of string. A straight run needs exactly that length; swags 20 cm deep with ties about 60 cm apart need about a quarter more, and deep 30 cm swags about half as much again. A 4 m rail with shallow swags takes two 2.7 m garlands.
How do you attach a garland to a banister without damaging it?
Tie it to the spindles with cable ties, florist wire, garden twine or ribbon instead of nails, pins or tape. Turn the cable tie heads to the back and snip the tails close. On the wall side, use removable hooks and test one on a hidden patch first.
How can I decorate my staircase for Christmas without a garland?
Work with the spindles: ribbon bows on every second or third one, small wreaths on ribbon loops, a row of stockings or a line of Christmas cards pegged to a ribbon. Battery fairy lights along the rail give light with no greenery at all, and a large bow on the newel post finishes it.
Should a stair garland start at the top or the bottom?
Begin at the end where the battery pack or the plug will be, usually the bottom post, so it stays within reach. Tie the top and bottom first and then fill in the middle ties; that keeps the swags even whichever end you start from.
What are some creative ways to decorate a stairway?
Thread baubles onto ribbon and loop them between the spindles, hang a garland of dried orange slices, or run small wreaths down the balustrade. On a wide staircase, a second garland on the wall side doubles the effect without touching the handrail.
Can I use a fresh garland on the stairs?
Yes, eucalyptus and pine are both popular, but a fresh garland has no water source and dries out in a heated hallway. Hang it in the last week or two before Christmas and mist it every day or two. Sweep up dropped needles, as they make the treads slippery.
