Decorating Enclosed Staircase For Christmas

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Christmas is a wonderful time of year, perfect for lavish decorations. Your staircase provides a highly visible location to create a Christmas wonderland! Try various garlands, particularly with decorative touches like lights, ribbons, or pine cones. For extra cheer, add fun items along the steps, such as presents, Santas, or small plants, which will brighten anyone's day.

1
Try a simple evergreen garland for easy elegance. Sometimes, simplicity is best, and a plain evergreen garland can be a perfect touch. Wrap it around the railing for an easy look or attach it every 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m) with large green twist ties, letting it hang down in between.^[1]
- Make sure when you drape the garland that's even between the places you attach it.
2
Create a snowy effect with a white-dusted evergreen garland. Pick out a green garland that has white tips to make it look snowy. Alternatively, use a can of fake snow to create the effect by spraying it lightly over the garland before you put it up.^[2]
- Another option is to choose an all-white garland to begin with.
3
Use an ornament-laden garland for a fun and festive look. Find a garland made completely out of Christmas balls and wrap it around your railing or attach it in several places, draping it in between. Pick one in your favorite color scheme or go for a bright garland with 3-4 different colors.^[3]
- You can also create your own by adding Christmas balls to a plain green garland.
4
Attach a simple wood garland for an understated folksy look. Try a garland that has small pieces of drifted wood strung on through the width of the wood, so they criss-cross each other along the garland. Then, just attach it along the railing, spacing the draping out evenly.^[4]
- You can also use the kind that has round disks of woods with little spacers in between.
5
Twist together wide ribbons and beaded garlands for a customized style. Pick wide, wired ribbon in colors you like, such as a mixture of reds, golds, and whites. Loosely twist them together to form a garland, and then wrap a beaded garland around it if you desire. Tie it together as you hang it and drape it evenly along the railing.^[5]
- You could also try making a large, very loose braid with the ribbons.

1
Attach pine cones or fake holly berries to a green garland. Pine cones are a great decorative touch. Add them in bunches with green twist ties or spread them out along the garland. You can also wrap fake holly berries around the garland every 1 foot (0.30 m) or so.
- Some fake garlands are made of wire, and you can simply wrap the branches around the pine cones to hold them in place.
2
Wrap lights around the garland or just the railing. Lights are a great way to make any area festive. If you've already put up a garland, simply wind the lights around it, making sure to keep them even. If you just want lights, start at the bottom of the railing and wrap them around the railing every 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm).
- You may need 3-4 strands to cover a railing, depending on how long they are.
3
Tie bows along the railing. Every 2 to 3 feet (0.61 to 0.91 m), add a decorative bow out of wide ribbon. This also works well if you've hung a garland already, as it helps complete the look.
- Keep the ribbon all in one color scheme to help bring the look together.
- For extra pizzazz, wrap a wide ribbon in the same color all along the garland before adding bows.^[6]
4

Add bits of white to green to make it seem snowy. For instance, add silk flowers like baby's breath, roses, mums, or tulips along a garland in bunches to help create the illusion of snow. You can also create bouquets of evergreens and flowers to hang evenly spaced along the railing instead of a garland.^[7]
5
Hang the stockings along the staircase for a simple, classic look. This works especially well if you don't have a fireplace or mantel. Just hang the stockings every 1 to 2 feet (0.30 to 0.61 m) with a hook that fits over the railing.^[8]
- It doesn't hurt to add other touches around the stockings, such as ribbon bows or bouquets of evergreen.
6
Tie the decorations into your home's color scheme for a pulled-together look. While Christmas colors are traditionally red, green, white, and metallics, you can pick colors for your decorations that go with the rest of your house. For instance, if your home has browns, blues, and greens, opt for evergreens decorated with blues and coppers.^[9]
- You can also just choose colors within the Christmas palette that look well in your home. For instance, if you have warm colors, try picking reds and golds.
7
Keep the look simple with a single grouping of decorations at the bottom. Put together a bouquet of evergreens, flowers, snowflakes, Christmas baubles, and/or ribbon, and hang it at the end of the railing. You'll still get a holiday effect without much effort.
- To up the ante, add a little figurine below the bouquet, such as a Santa Claus, reindeer, snow-person, or angel.

1
Place 1-2 wrapped presents on each step. Aim for presents in a single color scheme, such as red and white. Go over the top with bows and ribbons on the presents and stack a couple on top of each other for even more fun.^[10]
- Make sure to set them over to the side so people don't trip on them.
2
Spell out a Christmas-themed word in marquee letters. You can find these at most craft stores or you can even make your own with handmade cardboard letters and small strands of battery-powered lights. Set one letter on each stair to spell out something meaningful to you.^[11]
- For instance, you could write words like, "Ho, ho, ho," "Joyful," "Merry," "Home," or "Celebrate," just to name a few.
3
Add mini evergreens along the steps for a fresh look. Find small, potted evergreen plants, either fake or real. Wrap the bottoms in a square of fabric; you can use muslin, burlap, plain cotton, or a patterned cotton. Then tie the fabric on with a piece of twine or ribbon. Place one on each step or every other step.^[12]
- Just try to keep all the fabric in the same color scheme!
- Alternatively, try small pots of poinsettias. Keep in mind, though, this plant is toxic to most animals, so choose fake flowers if you have furry friends in the house.^[13]
4
Light up the staircase with fake pillar candles. Tie a bow around each pillar candle in the color scheme of your choice. Set one candle on each step or even line both sides with candles, alternating sides each time.^[14]
- Real candles pose a fire risk, particularly if you have children or animals in your home.
5
Put a different decorative item on each step. Try to pick a theme, such as playing in the snow. Then you can add things like a pair of old fashioned ice skates, a snowman, a small sled, and/or a collection of snowflakes. Alternatively, put a different style Santa on each step or Santa at the top of the stairs with a reindeer on each step.^[15]
- If you have a landing in the middle of the stairs, try grouping a small collection of items in this corner.

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