The Best Christmas Garland That Looks Realistic
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If you’re looking for a realistic garland to decorate with for the holidays, look no more! The Afloral Real Touch Norfolk Pine Garland is the best Christmas garland on the market. It has been around for a few years and continues to restock year after year. In this post, I’ll explain what makes it the best and show the different ways I have styled them throughout my home.
Real vs. Faux Garland
There is nothing like the real thing. But if you decide to use fresh garland to decorate for the holidays, you should keep a few things in mind.
Fresh garland is only going to stay fresh for a couple of weeks. If you start decorating in early November, it’s likely that your garland won’t look so good by the time Christmas rolls around.
To get the most out of your fresh garland you can style it in a cool place, soak it before you hang it, or pull it down periodically to give it a drink.
Sources: Garland | Taper candles holders | Bells
The holidays are a busy time so if none of these extra steps sound appealing, using faux garland is the next best thing. Therefore, you might as well use the best faux Christmas garland you can!
What Makes This the Best Christmas Garland?
Norfolk pine garland used to be plasticky looking and very rough to the touch. Or they were made from that tinsel-type material. Either way, you couldn’t fool anyone into thinking they are even close to real.
Here are three reasons this the best Christmas garland:
- Soft to the touch – it has a rubbery feel that is easy on the fingertips
- Color variations – the needles have a realistic blend of shades of green
- Branches are bendable – this makes positioning and shaping your garland much easier
I had sworn off of ever buying an artificial garland and thought I would have to deal with wiping sap and sweeping needles for weeks each year – if you know, you know!
Swipe through my favorites from the collection here:
Where Can You Hang Christmas Garland in Your Home
There are so many creative ways to decorate your home with Christmas greenery. You can use a few pieces for a minimalist look or go crazy and layer them all around your home. Here are a few ways I style my favorite realistic garland around my home:
Staircase Railing
The Afloral Norfolk pine garland comes in two lengths – 5ft and 15ft. For the upstairs railing, I used a 15ft strand cinched in the middle. It was beautiful on its own, but tying some ribbon at each peak made it even better. Read my STAIRCASE GARLAND TUTORIAL for more details!
In the image below, I used three 5ft overlapping garlands and staggered them on this short basement staircase. The same ribbon technique was used, but this time in gold.
Sources: Garland | Bench | Frame gallery
Console Table
The console table in my entryway is a great place to decorate for the seasons. Christmas is the holiday I do a little extra for in this space but only because it’s the perfect spot for my hanging bells. Learn more about DECORATING WITH CHRISTMAS BELLS!
Sources: Console table | Taper candle holders | Garland | Bells | Brass Reindeer | Windowpane drapes | Baskets (similar)
Fireplace Mantel
There is nothing more storybook Christmas than garland draped on a fireplace mantel. As I mentioned above, one of the best features of the Norfolk pine garland is the flexibility of the branches. Lay them on the top of the mantel or drape some branches over the edge and it will look like a real pine branch.
Start with a couple and fill in where you want it to be fuller. I used multiple strands of the 5ft garland to achieve the final look below.
As mentioned above, one of the reasons this is the best Christmas Garland to use for layering is the texture of the bendable branches. They don’t get tangled up and the rubbery surface helps to keep them in place.
Sources: Garland | Coffee table | Taper candle holders | Frame TV | Ottomans
Related post: HOW TO HANG GARLAND ON THE MANTEL
Mirror
Drape this beautiful realistic garland over a mirror as an added holiday accent. For smaller mirrors, only a single strand is needed, but if you prefer, you can add more until you get it just right.
Sources: Garland | Mirror | Vintage artwork | Trinket dishes | Cane cabinet (similar) | Reindeer
If you have a floor mirror, take advantage of this opportunity to add Christmas greenery there too! I have the 7ft Gleaming Primrose mirror in my bedroom and it’s the perfect spot to add some holiday cheer.
Sources: 7ft mirror | Bed | Rug | Wallpaper | Woven bench | Drapes | Quilt | Garland
More Norfolk Pine Greenery Options
Not only does Afloral have the best Christmas Garland, but they also offer several other Norfolk pine options that deserve some attention too. All of which have the same realistic characteristics as the garland.
When I style my mantel, I supplement the garland with Norfolk pine branches. They allow me to fill in any thin spots or hide the point where the garland is attached to the surface. I also use them for centerpieces when I decorate my kitchen for Christmas.
Related post: CHRISTMAS KITCHEN DECORATING IDEAS
Who doesn’t love little Christmas trees? These small artificial trees are easy to incorporate into your Christmas decor and don’t need to be decorated. They’re the perfect size to style next on top of a cabinet or the floor.
Sources: Cane cabinet (similar) | Mirror | Vintage artwork | Tree | Vase
Finish off your holiday greenery with a Norfolk pine wreath. These can be used indoors – on a door or window – or in a covered outdoor space. Other places you can hang them are on mirrors, on the wall over a fireplace or bed, or on a photo gallery wall as seen below.
Sources: Wreath | Photo frames | Lamps
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Check out my Simple and Classic Christmas Dining Room post for more Christmas decor ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s really important to measure the space you are decorating. Don’t forget to allow for any draping you plan on doing with your design. The shorter garlands are perfect for things like fireplace mantels while the longer ones are better suited for staircase banisters.
Take advantage of the real-touch feature and fluff the branches as much as you can. If you still have any sparse areas, full the in with Norfolk pine stems.
As mentioned above, real garland is beautiful but this faux garland looks so realistic that it can easily be mistaken for the real thing. You don’t have to store real garland, but you have to buy more year after year.
There are so many storage bags and boxes made specifically for storing Christmas greenery. Check out my post about CHRISTMAS STORAGE SOLUTIONS for more tips and ideas.
In order to maintain the integrity of your garland you’ll need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Most real-touch garland is meant for indoor use, but I have a friends that have used the wreath in outdoor covered areas with good results.
You can go directly to the Afloral website but it is also sold at AMAZON.
WINTER DECORATING AFTER CHRISTMAS:
Check out this post that’s full of simple ways to create a warm and cozy winter home after the Christmas decorations come down.
