Garlands and swags
Nine unlit garlands and swags. The 10m garlands, in natural faux pine and in chunky tinsel (gold, red or silver) at £29.99, are the long runs for a staircase, a hall or a shop. The shorter wired pine swags are for a mantelpiece or over a door, and they hold a shape once bent.
Faux pine or tinsel
A faux pine garland has a wire core and PVC needles. It bends round a newel post, drapes over a mantelpiece and stays where it is put, and it takes cluster lights and baubles. A tinsel garland is lighter, brighter and cheaper per metre; it is tied on rather than wrapped and is the usual choice for a shop ceiling, a hall or a party room where the effect is colour from a distance.
Lengths
Ten metres of garland does a full staircase with the landing, a long shop counter, or a hall wall. Cut it with wire cutters if you need two lengths; the wire core holds the needles in place at the cut. For a mantelpiece alone, a 1.8m swag is enough; for a banister on a straight flight, 2.7m.
Lighting a garland
A 480 cluster set lights 2.7m densely, and a 200-LED battery set does a mantelpiece with no cable. Weave the lights through the foliage rather than wrapping round the outside, and put the battery box or plug at the end nearest the socket.
Lit versions
If you want the lights already in, the lit garlands carry up to 860 LEDs over 5.4m and come in green and rose gold.
Common questions
Can I cut a garland to length?
Yes, the pine garlands have a wire core that holds at the cut. Tinsel garlands can also be cut; bind the end with tape.
How do I fix a garland to a banister?
Wire ties or cable ties at the newel post and every 50cm along the rail, hidden in the foliage.
How many lights for a 10m garland?
A 960 cluster set covers 10m densely, or two 480 sets from each end.
Are the garlands outdoor rated?
Four are indoor pieces. The pine garlands can be used under a porch roof; tinsel should stay inside.