The easiest way to put ribbon on a Christmas tree is to cut it into arm-length strips and tuck each one into the branches in a loose, puffy loop, working from the top down after the lights are on and before the ornaments. A 6 or 7 foot tree takes about 10 to 25 yards of one ribbon, depending on how full you want it, and a 4 foot tree is fine with a single 10 yard spool. Below are nine ways to hang it, each with the width, the strip length, the yards for a small tree and a big one, and how to keep it in place.
9 Christmas Tree Ribbon Ideas and How Much to Buy
Styling idea: one wide wired ribbon in diagonal billows. Not the linked product.
Christmas ribbon is also the cheapest Christmas decoration to change. Southern Home and Hospitality points out that you can give the tree a new look every year just by swapping the ribbon, and ELLE Decor adds that it covers the bare patches that lights and ornaments leave behind.
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Which ribbon style should you pick?
Pick the ribbon placement by the look you want and the ribbon you already own. The yards in this table are planning figures: the strip length comes from the guide named in each idea, multiplied by a number of strips. Cut one test strip and hold it on your own tree before you cut the rest.
| Style | Strip length | 4 ft tree | 6 to 7 ft tree |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cascade from the top | Tree height, 4 to 6 ft | 7 yards | 12 yards |
| 2. Diagonal billows | 18 to 42 inches | 10 yards | 10 to 25 yards |
| 3. Loose spiral | One long piece | 10 to 12 yards | 18 to 22 yards |
| 4. Horizontal swags | Arm length, 2 to 3 ft | 3 to 4 yards | 8 yards (16 all the way round) |
| 5. Bows on branch tips | 3 ft per bow | 6 to 8 yards | 12 to 16 yards |
| 6. Topper bow with tails | Bow plus two long tails | 4 yards | 6 yards |
| 7. Two widths layered | Wide and narrow strips | One ribbon is enough | About 30 yards |
| 8. Curls and loops | 12 to 18 inches | 4 yards | 12 yards |
| 9. Unwired drape | 12 to 20 inches | 10 yards | 20 yards |
9 Christmas tree ribbon ideas
1. Let wired velvet cascade from the top of the tree
Hook the top of each strip near the topper and let it fall down the front of the tree, tucking it between the branches in two spots so it makes a soft wave. Balsam Hill cuts its strips 4 to 6 feet long for this, and Good Housekeeping shows a version with 2.5 foot pieces. Lowe’s runs each one from the top of the tree to just below the lowest branches.
Start the next strip a few inches to one side of the last one. Lovely Etc says the ribbon should look like it is flowing, not disciplined into straight lines, and Gathered suggests splitting the tree into three or four vertical zones and zigzagging a ribbon down each.
Use 3 to 4 inch wired ribbon so the waves hold. Plan on five or six strips about as long as the tree is tall: five 4 foot strips (about 7 yards) for a 4 foot tree, and six 6 foot strips (12 yards) for a 6 to 7 foot tree. A second staggered row doubles it. A 10 yard roll of 4 inch wired velvet (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is 30 feet, enough for five 6 foot strands.
2. Weave wired ribbon in diagonal billows
This is Lovely Etc’s favorite way to do it, and her post calls it the best and easiest method. Tuck one end of a strip into the tree, let the ribbon drape, tuck the middle so it puffs back out, and tuck the other end. Lovely Etc cuts her strips 18 to 24 inches long, and she lays each new strip where it could be the same ribbon that briefly disappeared into the tree. Southern Home and Hospitality cuts 38 to 42 inch strips that make two billows each, which goes faster.
Push the ribbon in deep. A House in the Hills says to tuck sections 6 to 12 inches into the branches so the ribbon adds depth and looks like part of the tree, not something laid on top.
Use 2.5 inch wired ribbon. Decorator’s Warehouse says one 10 yard spool of 2 inch ribbon is more than enough for a 4 foot tree. On a 6 foot tree Southern Home and Hospitality used one 30 foot roll, which is 10 yards, and Lovely Etc buys three 25 foot rolls of a single ribbon for a 7.5 foot tree, about 25 yards, depending on how ribbony she wants it. So a 6 to 7 foot tree takes 10 to 25 yards. This 2.5 inch wired velvet (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes as one continuous 10 yard roll.
3. Spiral one ribbon loosely from top to bottom
Anchor the end at the back near the top and spiral down, leaving 8 to 12 inches between passes, as Balsam Hill suggests. Tuck and billow at uneven intervals throughout the tree and keep every pass wavy. Inspired by Charm says to avoid sharp bands of ribbon cutting across the tree, and Lovely Etc calls the tight wrap “mummy style” because the tree looks strangled. If you run out, start the new roll where the old one ended by tucking both ends into the same spot.
A continuous spiral uses more ribbon than cut strips do, as Lovely Etc points out. Balsam Hill’s baseline is 3 yards per foot of tree: about 12 yards for a 4 foot tree, 19.5 yards for 6.5 feet and 22.5 yards for 7.5 feet. Inspired by Charm used 12 yards of 2.5 inch ribbon on a narrow 7.5 foot tree and 30 yards of 1.5 inch ribbon on a full one. A two-roll set of red and black buffalo plaid (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. has 9.8 yards on each roll, 19.6 in all, which is almost exactly Balsam Hill’s number for a 6.5 foot tree.
4. Drape ribbon in horizontal swags across the front
A swag is a strip hung between two branch tips on the front of the tree so the middle sags. Fynes Designs calls this the updated version of the old coiled wrap: loose horizontal sections, not a tight coil. Cut arm-length strips, 2 to 3 feet, and pin each end lightly to a branch. She uses bobby pins because they pull off easily at the end of the season. Keep the rows 8 to 12 inches apart, the spacing Balsam Hill gives for horizontal wraps, and stagger them so the swags do not stack in a column.
This is a good way to dress a slim or corner tree that is only seen from the front. At 10 inch spacing a 4 foot tree has about 5 rows and a 7 foot tree has about 8. With a 2 foot swag on the small tree and a 3 foot swag on the big one, that is about 3.5 yards and 8 yards. Double the big number if you want the sides covered too. A narrower 1.5 to 2.5 inch ribbon suits the smaller tree.
5. Tie bows onto the branch tips
Bows on the ends of the branches fill the gaps between ornaments and use less ribbon than a full wrap. Good Housekeeping suggests a few classic red bows scattered through the open spaces. Gathered says to go large and use wired ribbon, which keeps the loops where you bend them. Balsam Hill’s DIY bow is a few folds of ribbon gathered in the middle with a wire or twist tie, so even narrow velvet ribbons that are too thin for a billow make good bows. For a looser, vintage feel, Fynes Designs ties relaxed velvet into drooping bows, and she ties each one like a shoelace and clips an ornament hook to the back so it rehangs next year.
Balsam Hill cuts about 3 to 4 feet of ribbon for a large bow. At 3 feet each, six bows are 18 feet for a 4 foot tree (6 yards) and a dozen bows are 36 feet for a 6 to 7 foot tree (12 yards). A 10 yard spool of 1.5 inch velvet (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is 360 inches, so it makes ten 3 foot bows. Our vintage Christmas decor guide has more red velvet bow ideas for the rest of the room.
6. Finish with a topper bow and long tails
A big bow can stand in for the star. ELLE Decor quotes tree decorator Julia Testa saying an oversize ribbon topper gives a tree height and drama, and Homes & Gardens points out that a ribbon will not fall off the way a star can, which helps when children or pets are around. Use a wide wired ribbon.
Fynes Designs makes the bow by forming a circle the size of the finished bow, gathering the middle with a zip tie and leaving about 24 inches free on one end, then pinning that tail down the branches in waves. She recommends 3.5 to 5 inch velvet for this. Balsam Hill wires the bow to the top branch with floral wire or a pipe cleaner and lets the tails run down the tree.
For the math, a bow takes 3 to 4 feet and each tail can run the full height. On a 4 foot tree, a bow plus two 4 foot tails is about 11.5 feet, or 4 yards. On a 7 foot tree it is about 17.5 feet, or 6 yards. This green floral wire (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is 22 gauge and comes as three rolls of 39 yards, far more than you need for bows, toppers and securing strips.
7. Layer two widths of ribbon
Decorator’s Warehouse treats ribbon like an outfit: a main ribbon that gets noticed, a supporting ribbon under or beside it, and a thin accent to fill gaps. Lowe’s puts a wide base ribbon down first and a narrower one on top, such as a plain red base with a plaid over it. ELLE Decor’s Shea McGee uses two widths or two materials, like velvet and silk, to break up the line. Southern Home and Hospitality puts the widest ribbon on first and spreads it out so there is room for the next one.
Decorator’s Warehouse suggests an accent ribbon that repeats a color from your ornaments or picks, which gives the tree a cohesive look. Layering gives the tree dimension. Stop at two or three. Lowe’s warns that more than three kinds of ribbon can overpower a tree. Craving Some Creativity pairs a 3.5 to 4 inch statement ribbon with 1 to 2.5 inch accents cut into 3 to 4 foot lengths.
This one belongs on a bigger tree. Decorator’s Warehouse says a small tree can usually carry one ribbon, and Craving Some Creativity lists a very large ribbon on a 4 foot tree as a mistake. For a 6 to 7 foot tree plan on about 30 yards: two 10 yard rolls of the wide ribbon and one of the narrow. The 4 inch wired velvet (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. and the 1.5 inch velvet spool (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. are a wide and narrow pair.
8. Add curls and loops from short strips
Short pieces of wired ribbon give the tree some bounce. Southern Home and Hospitality cuts wired ribbon into 12 to 18 inch pieces, wraps each loosely around her hand a few times, pulls the inner end out to make a spiral curl, and tucks the top end into the tree. Lovely Etc has a quicker version: tuck one end, curl the ribbon into a loop and tuck the other end. Some ribbons curl better than others. Her fluffy white ribbon curled easily, and the stiffer gold mesh looked better tucked.
Inspired by Charm only curls 3 or 4 spots per tree, so treat this as an accent for the gaps a long ribbon leaves. Eight 18 inch strips are 12 feet (4 yards) for a 4 foot tree, and twenty-four are 36 feet (12 yards) for a 6 to 7 foot tree. Leftover ribbon from the other ideas will do.
9. Drape unwired velvet over the branch tips
Soft velvet without wire hangs straight down, and that droop is the point. Fynes Designs cuts lengths of 12 to 20 inches and hangs them over single branches around the tree, and she says velvet is the one for an elegant droop. Fold the strip in half lengthwise and cut the ends at a 45 degree angle for a fishtail, which she says looks professional. Lowe’s notes that unwired ribbon works best in smaller pieces on individual branches.
At 20 inches a piece, one 10 yard spool (360 inches) makes 18 strands, enough for a 4 foot tree. A 6 to 7 foot tree takes two spools for 36 strands, or 20 yards. The 1.5 inch velvet spool (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is nylon velvet and the listing does not mention wire, so use it for this one.
How do you put ribbon on a Christmas tree?
Start with a tree that is ready for ornaments. Four steps cover nearly every style above:
- Fluff the branches. Southern Home and Hospitality shapes each tip into an open hand, and Lovely Etc says fluffing makes a huge difference in how the finished tree looks.
- Put the lights on and test them. Gathered and Lowe’s both put the lights before the ribbon.
- Cut strips and start at the top. Cut one strip first and adjust the length as you go. Work down, tuck each end deep, and let the middle puff out.
- Step back. From across the room you can see which areas look empty or crowded. Craving Some Creativity tucks the ends deep and then hangs an ornament in front of them.
If you plan to use a tree topper, put it on first. Craving Some Creativity does, so she is not climbing a finished tree later.
Do you put ribbon on a Christmas tree before or after ornaments?
Before. Balsam Hill says to start with the ribbon so it sets the flow, and designer Erin Haugerud tells ELLE Decor that ribbon comes first because it sets the stage for the ornaments. The order is fluff, lights, ribbon, ornaments. The ornaments then hide where each strip starts and stops.
How many yards of ribbon do you need for a Christmas tree?
Start with 3 yards per foot of tree, which is Balsam Hill’s baseline and the same as the 9 to 10 feet per foot that both Lowe’s and A House in the Hills give. That is for a full wrap with one ribbon. People who cut strips and skip the back of the tree buy much less. The guides disagree by a factor of two, which is why a test strip is worth the minute.
| Tree height | Baseline, one ribbon, full wrap | What decorators actually used |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft | About 12 yards | One 10 yard spool of 2 inch ribbon is “more than enough” (Decorator’s Warehouse) |
| 6 ft | 18 yards | One 30 foot roll, or 10 yards, for cascades and billows (Southern Home and Hospitality) |
| 7 ft | 21 yards | 30 to 45 feet, or 10 to 15 yards, on three sides (Fynes Designs) |
| 7.5 ft | 22.5 yards | 12 yards of 2.5 inch on a narrow tree (Inspired by Charm), 15 yards on the front only (Craving Some Creativity), 25 yards for one very full ribbon (Lovely Etc) |
| 9 ft | 27 yards | Two 30 foot rolls of each color, or 20 yards a color (Southern Home and Hospitality) |
Each extra ribbon adds its own rolls. Decorator’s Warehouse suggests two to three 10 yard rolls per ribbon style plus one accent roll for a 7.5 foot tree, with the lower number for a tree in a corner and the higher for one seen from every side. Craving Some Creativity adds 30 to 50 percent when she decorates all sides. Southern Home and Hospitality’s advice is to buy one more roll than you think you need and return what you do not use, cutting one spool at a time.
What is the best size ribbon for a Christmas tree?
For a 6 to 9 foot tree, use 2.5 to 4 inch ribbon. For a 4 to 5 foot tree, use 1.5 to 2.5 inch ribbon. Those are A House in the Hills’ ranges, and the others agree with them: Lovely Etc says 2 to 4 inches works best, Inspired by Charm calls 2.5 inches ideal, and Southern Home and Hospitality prefers 3 or 4 because the loops stand up better.
Very narrow ribbon gets lost in the branches, and very wide ribbon is harder to shape. Craving Some Creativity lists a tiny ribbon on a big tree and a huge one on a 4 foot tree as the two size mistakes. Use 1 to 2 inch ribbon for accents and for layering over a wider one.
Should Christmas tree ribbon be wired or unwired?
Wired, if you are choosing for the first time. Wire in the edges lets the ribbon hold a loop, a billow or a tail where you bend it. Lowe’s says wired ribbon is easier to work with, and Southern Home and Hospitality asks who wants droopy loops.
Unwired ribbon is better for a droop. Use it in short pieces tied or draped on single branches, like ideas 5 and 9. A House in the Hills says unwired ribbon drapes naturally but needs a small piece of floral wire to stay put.
What kind of ribbon is best for a Christmas tree?
Any decorative ribbon will work, but each does something different. Fynes Designs and Lowe’s describe the main options, and choosing the right ribbon is mostly a matter of how you plan to hang it:
- Velvet: soft, rich and good for a droop or a big bow.
- Satin: smooth and glossy, made for long ties and flowing drapes.
- Grosgrain: ribbed and sturdy, it holds its shape well.
- Burlap: burlap ribbon is a coarse hessian fabric with a rustic feel. Fynes Designs warns it can come with an earthy smell.
- Plaid or tartan: plaid ribbon in red and green looks traditional, and red and black buffalo plaid looks relaxed.
- Gold and metallics: Lowe’s says golds, silvers and sparkling metallics look elegant, and Good Housekeeping pairs a gold ribbon with gold and silver mercury glass ornaments.
- Mesh: light, flexible and sparkly, with a lot of volume.
How do you decorate a Christmas tree with mesh ribbon?
Balsam Hill starts at the top and gathers sections of the mesh into soft poufs as it works down, securing each pouf with floral wire or by tucking it into the branches. Lowe’s adds that the needles of a tree help hold the mesh in place. Lovely Etc found that gold mesh looked better tucked than curled.
How do you keep ribbon on a Christmas tree from slipping?
Most wired ribbon stays put once it is pushed between branches. When it does not, pick one of these:
- Bend a branch over it. On an artificial tree, twist an inner wired branch around the ribbon (Southern Home and Hospitality, Lowe’s). On any tree, a pine tip bent over the ribbon holds it (Inspired by Charm).
- Use floral wire or green pipe cleaners. A House in the Hills twists a small piece of floral wire around a branch near the trunk for unwired ribbon and heavy loops, and Balsam Hill also names pipe cleaners.
- Pin it lightly. Fynes Designs and Gathered use bobby pins, which pull off easily when you take the tree down.
- Use an ornament hook or a plant tie. Lowe’s lists both, and the hook works well at the top.
Do not pull the ribbon tight to make it stay. Inspired by Charm says ribbon that keeps slipping is usually being pulled, and it should have no tension at all.
What color ribbon looks best on a Christmas tree?
The one you can still see after the ornaments go on. Southern Home and Hospitality lays a long strip across the tree and steps back before she starts, because dark, sheer or very narrow ribbons tend to disappear. Ribbon colors that match the room help too. Craving Some Creativity often builds her whole color scheme from the ribbon, and Gathered suggests two ribbons in different colors from the same palette so they blend.
On a flocked tree, Good Housekeeping says silky ribbon stands out even more against the textured branches.
How do you put ribbon on a small Christmas tree?
Scale everything down and use one ribbon. Decorator’s Warehouse says a small tree needs smaller loops and often only one ribbon, and Lowe’s says thin ribbon looks better on a slim, pencil or tabletop tree. A single 10 yard spool of 2 inch ribbon covers a 4 foot tree, and a small Christmas tree with ribbon on it looks finished with just that. Ideas 2, 4 and 9 scale down well to a narrow tree. For the tree itself, see our small space Christmas tree guide and our pencil Christmas tree guide.
What are the most common ribbon mistakes?
- A flat ribbon. Use wired ribbon and push it deeper into the branches (A House in the Hills).
- A tight wrap. Lovely Etc’s “mummy style” makes the tree look strangled.
- Perfect spacing. Southern Home and Hospitality says uniform billows look stuffy. Uneven is better.
- Too much. A House in the Hills says ribbon should guide the eye, not overwhelm the tree, so take out a section if it looks crowded.
- The wrong size for the tree. See the size section above.
How do you store Christmas tree ribbon?
At the end of the Christmas and holiday season, roll it loosely and keep it in a shallow box, as Homes & Gardens suggests. Fynes Designs coils each cut strand around her hand and keeps it in a zip bag, then smooths any creases next year with a hair straightener on a low setting.
What can you do with leftover ribbon?
Wrap presents to match the tree. Inspired by Charm likes to have ribbon left over for coordinating gifts. Decorator’s Warehouse turns small scraps into bow ties by pinching the middle of a piece and cutting fishtails on each end, then tucking them into spots that need a pop of color. Fynes Designs swaps the hook on a few ornaments for a loop of accent ribbon. A strand left over can also go on the stairs or mantel, and our Christmas garland guide shows how much garland each one needs.
What to buy
The products from above, in one place. Check sizes and colors on each listing before you order.
- Wired velvet ribbon, 4 inch, 10 yards: for cascades and topper bows (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Wired velvet ribbon, 2.5 inch, 10 yards: for diagonal billows (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Buffalo plaid wired ribbon, 2.5 inch, 2 rolls: 9.8 yards each (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Velvet ribbon, 1.5 inch, 10 yards: for bows, accents and draping (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Green floral wire, 22 gauge: three rolls (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
What to read next
For more Christmas tree decorating ideas, start with these.
- Small space Christmas tree ideas covers tabletop, pencil, half and wall trees and how to fit one in a small room.
- Pencil Christmas trees for small spaces compares real base widths and heights.
- Glowing Christmas trees compares five lighted trees from a 2 foot tabletop pair to an 8 foot floor tree.
- Vintage Christmas decor for a small home has velvet bows, bottle-brush trees and a paper chain.
- Christmas garland ideas for a small home shows how much garland each spot takes.
