Christmas Tree Bows: 12 Elegant Ways to Style the Bow Trend
Christmas tree bows are the decoration of the season, and one look explains why. A tree dressed with soft velvet bows looks elegant, romantic and expensive, yet the bows themselves cost a fraction of a box of baubles and take minutes to tie. Whether you love the full coquette look of a Christmas tree with bows everywhere, or you just want one oversized bow as a topper, this guide covers how to make bows, how many you need, what size ribbon to buy, and 12 beautiful ways to style a bow Christmas tree for 2026.
Bows also solve a real problem: they fill gaps. A sparse tree, a bare patch, a branch that lost its needles, all disappear under a well-placed bow. If you are planning your wider festive decorating, our rustic home decor ideas pair beautifully with the natural ribbon and velvet textures in this guide.
Why Christmas Tree Bows Are Trending for 2026
The bow tree is the softer answer to years of maximalist, ornament-heavy Christmas trees. Velvet ribbon in burgundy, forest green, blush and black brings texture and colour without shine overload, and the silhouette reads instantly from across the room. Bows are also wonderfully practical: unbreakable around children and pets, flat to store, reusable every year, and cheap enough to change colour with your mood. Designers are calling it the “quiet luxury” Christmas: fewer ornaments, better materials, more ribbon.
How to Make a Christmas Tree Bow (The Easy Way)
- Choose wired ribbon. Wired edges are the whole secret: they hold loops open and let you reshape the bow after hanging. For tree bows, 6–10 cm (2.5–4 inch) wide ribbon works best.
- Cut about 60–75 cm of ribbon per bow, plus a short strip for the centre knot.
- Form two loops like bunny ears, cross them over each other, and pull one through the knot hole, the same motion as tying shoelaces.
- Fluff and shape: open the loops, twist them upright, and angle the tails. Cut the tail ends into a V (swallowtail) for a finished look.
- Attach with the tails or a twist tie: wrap a short piece of floral wire or a pipe cleaner around the centre and twist it onto the branch. Never hot-glue bows to a real tree.
Make all your bows in one sitting on the table, not on the tree. A batch of twenty takes about half an hour, and consistent bows are what make the finished tree look designed rather than improvised.
How Many Bows Do You Need? (Size Guide)
- 4 ft tree: 10–14 bows
- 5–6 ft tree: 16–22 bows
- 7–7.5 ft tree: 24–30 bows
- 9 ft tree: 36+ bows
Work in threes and fives as you hang them: one bow near the top, then descending triangles of bows down the tree, keeping roughly a hand-span of green between them. Slightly larger bows belong lower on the tree, smaller ones near the top, which keeps the proportions elegant.
12 Ways to Style Christmas Tree Bows
1. The All-Velvet Burgundy Tree
The signature 2026 look: deep burgundy velvet bows over the whole tree, warm white lights, almost nothing else. Rich, romantic and impossibly elegant against dark green branches.
2. One Giant Topper Bow
Replace the star with a single oversized bow, 30–40 cm loops with long tails streaming down the top of the tree. One statement, zero competition, and it photographs like a magazine cover.
3. Black Bows on a Flocked Tree
Black satin or velvet bows on snowy white flocked branches is the chic, fashion-editor tree of the year. Add silver or pearl accents only, and keep everything else monochrome.
4. Blush Pink Coquette Bows
Soft pink satin bows with long ribbon tails, mixed with pearl strands and white ornaments. Sweet, feminine and very current, especially in bedrooms and smaller living rooms.
5. Cascading Ribbon-Tail Bows
Tie slim bows but leave the tails extra long, 30 cm or more, so they drape down the branches like falling ribbon. The movement makes a still tree feel alive and luxurious.
6. Plaid Bows for a Cosy Cabin Tree
Red-and-green or cream tartan ribbon bows with wooden beads, pinecones and warm amber lights. The friendliest, most traditional version, perfect with rustic decor.
7. Gold Metallic Bows
Gold wired-ribbon bows catch the fairy lights and do the work of both ribbon and ornament. Keep baubles minimal and let the bows be the sparkle.
8. Bows and Baubles in Alternating Rows
A tidy, designed formula: one row of bows, one row of baubles, repeated down the tree. It looks deliberate and is the easiest style for beginners to get right.
9. Forest Green Velvet on Green
Tone-on-tone dressing: green velvet bows disappear and reappear as the light moves, giving a deep, calm, expensive texture. Add gold or cream accents sparingly.
10. Mini Bows on a Tabletop Tree
Small 5 cm bows in satin, a dozen on a tabletop or bedroom tree. Scale is everything: mini tree, mini bows, one colour, and it looks like a boutique display.
11. Double Bows: Velvet Plus Sheer
Layer a smaller sheer organza bow over a velvet bow in the same colour family. The two textures together read designer-level, and it is still just two ribbons and one knot.
12. Bow Garland Swags
Connect bows with a loose ribbon swag draped between branches, like a garland with bows at every dip. Romantic, soft, and ideal for anyone who finds tinsel dated.
Tips That Make Bow Trees Look Expensive
- Wired ribbon only. Unwired ribbon droops by day two; wired holds its loops all season.
- One ribbon, one colour per tree (two at most). Mixed colours are where bow trees go wrong.
- Tuck bows INTO the tree, not perched on branch tips: nestle them against the trunk so ornaments and lights layer in front.
- Steam, don’t iron: a kettle’s steam or a steamer revives crushed velvet bows from storage in seconds.
- Keep the tails: tails should be at least as long as the loops are wide; short stubby tails make bows look cheap.
Decorating the rest of the room to match? Our DIY decorations guide shows the same handmade approach, and our hall wall decor ideas will help you style the wall behind the tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bows do I need for a 7ft Christmas tree?
About 24–30 medium bows (loops roughly 12–15 cm wide) for full coverage. If bows are your only decoration, go to the higher end; if you are mixing with baubles, 18–22 is enough.
What width of ribbon is best for Christmas tree bows?
Wired ribbon 6–10 cm (2.5–4 inches) wide is the sweet spot for standard trees. Use 4–5 cm for tabletop trees and 10 cm or wider for a statement topper bow.
How do you attach bows to a Christmas tree?
Twist a short piece of floral wire or a pipe cleaner around the bow’s centre and around the branch. It holds firmly, is invisible, and removes in seconds without damaging the tree or the bow.
Are velvet bows better than satin for a bow tree?
Velvet looks richer and more modern, and it hides small tying imperfections, which makes it kinder for beginners. Satin gives a shinier, more formal look and photographs brighter. Both work; velvet is the 2026 favourite.
One ribbon, one quiet evening of tying, and your tree becomes the one everyone asks about. That is the magic of Christmas tree bows: the softest decoration of the season is also the simplest to make yourself.
