Holiday Mantel Decorating Ideas with Garlands

How to Decorate Your Holiday Mantel with Artificial Garlands

The holidays are almost here, and with the changing seasons comes an opportunity to refresh your space, embrace entertaining, and design the decor you’ve been dreaming of. Whether styling a staircase, draping a Christmas mantel, or sprucing up your front door wreath, Afloral artificial garlands and holiday accents bring the lush look of nature’s forests into your home.

From whimsical hanging pine to detailed cedar stems, artificial garlands and fake branches offer life-like texture and that winter wonderland feel without drying out or shedding in your space. In addition, premium faux garlands offer versatility in styling, from Christmas mantel decorating to elegant holiday tablescapes. Follow along and learn how to style your space with the top Christmas 2022 trends.

How to Style the Norfolk Pine Christmas Garland

The Norfolk Pine Garland is a fan favorite. With over 87 5-star reviews and write-ups in home decor sites like Apartment Therapy, it's everyone's go-to for simple holiday styling. With real-touch leaves and a wired stem, it hangs organically like nature's draping pine tree branches. Styled alone, it can be hung over a window or laid on a table for a simple holiday tablescape. 


For a rich, dimensional look, intertwine 2-3 garlands together, then drape them over a mantel or staircase. Once you've got your Norfolk Garland base, try layering it with accent stems such as pine cone branches or the popular artificial pear branch.

How to Style with Faux Juniper Garland

Style your space with faux juniper garland and artificial juniper branches for an elevated and unique holiday look. Varying from the traditional cedar or pine, juniper greenery is rich in texture and adorned with artificial, blue-shaded berries. Style a few garlands together, allowing them to flow naturally over a Christmas mantel. Embrace juniper's natural, wild texture and bend the greenery for a complete and fluffy look. Unlike cedar or pine garlands, juniper has structure and can hold a distinct shape. Style a few stems together in a complimenting ceramic vase for sophisticated Christmas coffee table decor.  

Juniper garlands and wreaths look best styled alone. Give them space, and their detailed branches and abundant berries will continue to catch your eye. If you're working with an artificial cedar or pine garland base, sprinkle in artificial juniper stems for a more dimensional look.

Holiday Styling with Cedar Garlands

This holiday, recreate the rich hues and soft, peaceful feeling of a forest in your home. Afloral cedar garlands are botanically inspired - designed to capture the lush texture and various shades of a thriving North American forest. Made from premium materials, fake cedar garland adds elegance without the hassle of shedding or drying out over the holiday season. These garlands look great alone or styled in layers.

How to Decorate a Staircase for Christmas

Styling a garland for stairs can be a simple yet stunning way to elevate your interior for the holidays. This year, swap heavy fresh garlands that dry out in weeks for reusable, lightweight artificial Christmas garlands. Long, fake garlands like the Norfolk Pine Garland 180" can easily drape a staircase. Simply secure with floral wire or zip ties, and your Christmas decor is set for the season.



To create a simple look, start by measuring your staircase banister and ensuring you have enough garland to cover the area you'd like to style. If you'd prefer to drape your garland as we've done above, add a few extra feet of garland and secure it along the railing every few balusters. Allow the garland to hang naturally, giving it a soft swooping motion that carries from the top of the staircase down to the bottom.

For the look above, we wrapped the bottom of the staircase with an extra Norfolk Garland 60" - draw the eye from the floor to the ceiling with garland to create a smooth transition. Once you've secured your base design, add holiday accents, complementing stems, or LED lights to complete the look.

How to Style Artificial Christmas Garland Outdoors

Styling artificial Christmas garland outdoors is an easy way to up your holiday curb appeal, without the hassle of hanging heavy fresh garlands. Whether you're draping garlands along your patio railing or dressing up your front door, hanging long artificial garlands like the Norfolk 180" garland is a simple way to celebrate the season. For the look below, we styled two 180" garlands along the outside peak of her home. For outdoor styling, we recommend showcasing artificial garland in well covered areas and out of wind and rain - under your porch is perfect!

How to Make a Christmas Wreath

Not all holiday wreaths have to jingle. We're embracing understated elegance this season and spicing up the Norfolk Wreath with dried accents and everlasting winter greenery. With just a few additional items and a bit of creativity, we elevated a classic holiday staple to a wreath worth showcasing late into the new year.


Begin your design with the Norfolk Wreath. First, insert a few artificial juniper stems following the natural flow of the leaves on the wreath. Next, add a few fake cedar stems to fill out the foliage and add some texture. Once the wreath feels full, secure a few dried pine cones and preserved limes to the wreath base with floral wire. For a step-by-step, watch the video above and shop the recipe here.

Although the Norfolk wreath is made from real-touch plastic, we recommend hanging this wreath indoors to increase it's longevity. If accented with preserved limes and dried pinecones, style this wreath out of rain and snow, as the moisture will affect the dried accents.

How to Style a Christmas Table with Artificial Garland

This season, spare yourself the stress of styling a centerpiece and decorate your Christmas table with artificial garland. One long garland with added accents provides texture and color without distracting or overpowering the table. For this simple, sophisticated look below; layer fake cedar garlands, artificial eucalyptus, a few stems of faux juniper, and preserved limes and pinecones. 

Start by layering your cedar garland with fake eucalyptus and faux juniper branches. Next accent sparingly with limes and pine cones. Finally, clip small bits of greenery and add dainty pinecone to to each napkin setting. Finish the look off with candles and glassware and your Christmas table is set.

Artificial garlands are a sustainable holiday decor choice that can be used year after year. Each holiday season, you can customize your decor by adding a unique touch - layering stems or garlands, candles, and accents. Best of all, artificial garlands and fake greenery are easy to style and store, allowing you to enjoy your holiday decoration without the hassle. Once the holiday season ends and you're looking to refresh your space for the new year, transition your home decor from holiday to evergreen by simply restyling your artificial stems in a new vase or removing a few Christmas accents.

Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas with Preserved and Faux Greenery

'Tis the season of giving, and what's better then giving a gift that keeps on giving. This holiday, we partnered with interior stylist and photographer Carley Page to create gift wrapping ideas that may just outshine the gift inside. Follow along to recreate the look.

For this look, Carley kept the color palette natural, and classic for Christmas. With unbleached Kraft paper, our red silk ribbon, and both preserved and artificial holiday greenery, this combo is simple, yet stunning. The best part? These holiday trimmings can be repurposed in a bud vase for a dainty, Christmas accent.