How to decorate a Christmas tree with ribbon

Put the lights on first, then the ribbon, then the ornaments. Use wired ribbon at least 2.5 inches wide (4 inches or more from 9 feet up), start at the top, and tuck it into the branches every 10 to 14 inches so it dips in and out instead of wrapping flat around the outside. For a fully ribboned tree, plan on 15 to 20 feet of ribbon per foot of tree height.

Choosing ribbon that holds its shape

• Wired, always. The wire along each edge is what lets ribbon hold a curve, a loop or a pouf. Unwired ribbon flattens against the branches within a day.
• Width in scale with the tree. 2.5 inches works on a 6- or 7-foot tree. From 9 feet up, go to 4 inches or wider, or the ribbon disappears from across the room.
• Double-sided when you can. Ribbon twists as you tuck it, so the back shows. Double-sided ribbon looks right from both faces.
• Texture over more colors. Velvet, linen-look and a subtle metallic give variety while the palette stays calm.

We usually layer two or three ribbons: a wide hero ribbon that carries the color, a second in a different texture, and sometimes a narrow accent for tucks and bows.

How much ribbon you need

It depends on the method, so we estimate each one and add them up. These figures are for a 9-foot tree.

A tree that uses all three lands around 160 to 180 feet, which is where the 15-to-20-feet-per-foot rule comes from. Most wired ribbon is sold in 10-yard (30-foot) rolls, so a fully ribboned 9-foot tree takes about six rolls. For comparison, our Signature Trim brings 100 to 150 feet of ribbon to a 7-foot tree.

Method 1: the cascade

Vertical drops that fall from the top of the tree like a waterfall. This is the most dramatic look and the one most people mean when they say “a designer tree.”

1. Decide how many drops you want: five to seven on a 9-foot tree, spaced evenly around the sides people will see.
2. Secure the end of the first length just under the topper with floral wire or a green chenille stem twisted around a branch.
3. Let the ribbon fall about 10 to 14 inches, then push it into the tree and secure it, leaving a soft rounded pouf on the outside.
4. Repeat all the way down, staggering where each drop tucks so the poufs don’t line up across the tree like rungs.
5. Finish each drop a few inches above the skirt, tucked out of sight.

Method 2: the swag

Ribbon draped diagonally around the tree in loose garlands. It reads softer and more traditional than cascades.

1. Start near the top, tucking the end deep into the branches.
2. Drape the ribbon on a gentle diagonal, letting it sag between tuck points about 18 to 24 inches apart.
3. Keep the angle consistent as you work down and around, and let the swags get longer toward the bottom, where the tree is wider.
4. Never pull it tight. A swag should hang, not hug.

Method 3: tucks and loops

Short pieces folded into loops and wired into gaps. This is the fastest way to add fullness and color to a tree, and it pairs well with either method above.

1. Cut pieces 18 to 24 inches long.
2. Fold each into a loose loop or figure-eight and pinch the center.
3. Wire the center to a branch and push it in so the loops sit just proud of the tips.
4. Place them where the tree looks thin, then step back and add a few more for balance.

To finish the top, a bow with five to seven long tails can become the start of your cascades, which hides the joins and ties the whole tree together.

Common ribbon mistakes

• Ribbon after ornaments. It knocks things off and has nowhere to go. Ribbon goes on before ornaments, every time.
• Pulled tight. Ribbon wrapped snug around the outside looks like packing tape. Let it dip into the tree.
• Too narrow. 1.5-inch ribbon is lovely on a wreath and invisible on a 9-foot tree.
• Perfect spacing. Poufs measured to the inch look mechanical. Stagger them slightly.
• One side only. In an open great room, the tree is seen from the kitchen and the stairs too. Carry the ribbon around every side someone will see.

Ribbon is also where most of the time goes on install day. If you’d rather have it done for you, it’s part of every tree we decorate.