With Christmas around the corner, knowing how to hang stockings is an important nugget of information you should have in your wheelhouse if you want to fill your home with festive cheer. After all, these stockings aren’t just for presents. They’re for decoration, too.
As one of the Ideal Home team’s favourite budget Christmas decorating ideas, stockings are an affordable and inexpensive addition to any home. But finding a way to hang stockings without doing permanent damage can seem impossible - especially if you don’t have a fireplace.
That’s why we’ve asked the experts for tips and tricks on how to easily hang stockings in your home without using nails, no matter whether you have a fireplace or not. In fact, there are so many places you can hang stockings you’ve probably never thought of before.
How to hang stockings
‘Stockings are becoming stylish and a mandatory part of a home’s festive aesthetic, which is why it’s important to carefully judge where they’re placed and how they’re presented,’ explains Nic Shacklock from Online-Bedrooms.co.uk. If you need some tips on how to hang stockings in your home - whether you have a fireplace or not - we’ve got you covered.
How to hang stockings on a fireplace
Fireplaces have long been the traditional place to hang your stockings - but you don’t necessarily need a working fireplace to bring this aesthetic to the Christmas table. Whatever mantelpiece idea you’ve brought to life, there are so many ways to hang stockings on a fireplace without having to use nails or do any permanent damage.
Use stocking hangers
Stocking hangers are perfect for those who want to add some extra festive flair to their fireplace, mostly because they look like decorations in themselves! There are so many different types of stocking hangers out there, but most come with a weighted base and a hook to hang your stocking from.
As the weighted base sits on the mantelpiece, it should take a fair amount of weight. Of course, it’s always good to check the specs of the specific stocking hanger you want to buy to ensure you don’t overload it with Christmas treats.
Use a curtain pole
We’ve already seen how a curtain pole can revolutionise how to hang a door garland, but it turns out that a curtain pole can also help you hang your stockings on your fireplace without having to drill any holes or cause any permanent damage.
To do this, all you need to do is measure your fireplace and then find a curtain pole that is as wide as the mantelpiece (you could even buy an extendable curtain pole if that’s easier). Then, stick some heavy-duty Command hooks onto the top of the mantel, and hang the curtain rod from the hooks using some festive ribbon.
To finish, slide your stocking hooks onto the curtain pole. You could even add some more festive decorations onto the pole if you wanted to, and Tricia Guild, OBE. Founder & Creative Director of Designers Guild says, ‘The fireplace at Christmas is the perfect opportunity to inject some colour and personality above your stocking selections. Introduce charming garlands and plenty of foliage, opting for accompanying pinecones and branches too, for a truly traditional feel.’
Use Command hooks
The Ideal Home team love Command products. And while these adhesive and removable hooks are handy all year round, they are particularly handy around Christmas time. Not only can they help you hang a garland around your front door, but they can also help you hang lights around your windows.
But it seems as though their uses are never-ending, as Command hooks are also a great way to hang your stockings on your fireplace. The best way to use these hooks is to stick them to the top of your mantelpiece, fairly close to the edge, and then hide them with some festive foliage or fairy lights.
You can then hang the hooks of your stockings over the Command hooks. However, you should always choose hooks that will take the weight of your stockings - especially when they’re filled.
While hanging a stocking on a fireplace is both traditional and stylish, Joanna Humphreys, Fire and Stove Specialist at Direct Stoves has issued a warning to those hanging stockings on their fireplaces this year. ‘When it comes to hanging stockings safely, we would always suggest moving these temporarily when the fire is lit, or if your electric fire heater is turned on as they could pose a safety hazard,’ she says.
How to hang stockings without a fireplace
If you don’t have a fireplace, you don’t have to kiss goodbye to your dreams of hanging up your stockings. There are so many ways to hang stockings without a fireplace and so many other areas of your home that are screaming out for this extra decoration.
Hang from your staircase
In recent years, it seems as though more and more people are using stockings for decoration on their staircases - and the Ideal Home team is a huge fan of this new trend. Plus, there are so many ways to do this, and you can either hang them from the bannister itself or from the spindles.
While you can use Command hooks to do this, perhaps the easiest and most aesthetically pleasing way to hang stockings from your staircase is to use a strong ribbon and then finish off with a bow. After all, Christmas tree ribbon ideas are everywhere this year - so why not add some ribbons to your stairs, too?
'Ribbons are the perfect method for hanging stockings on your staircase this Christmas,' says Margaret Larson from Sustainable Furniture.'Not only do they ensure a damage-free attachment but they also add a special decorative touch to your staircase.'
'Simply, cut a small strip of ribbon and thread it through the hook of your stocking, then thread this around the bannister of your stairs and tie in a bow. Make sure to double knot your ribbon before tying it in a bow, this will ensure that your stockings remain securely attached throughout the festive period.'
Hang from bed frames
If you’ve invested in the best mattress and know you will struggle to get out of bed on Christmas morning, why don’t you hang your stocking from your bed frame? Not only will this give you the chance to start the big day with a smile on your face, but it’ll also give you the chance to add some Christmas decor to your bedroom - a room that’s often left out of the festive equation.
This idea couldn’t be simpler, as many bed frames come with spindles that you can hook your stockings onto. If yours doesn’t, simply attach them using Command hooks anywhere you like.
Hang on windows
Stuck with some more Christmas window ideas? Well, if you want to know how to hang a stocking without a fireplace, your windows could be your next best bet. By hanging your stockings on your window, you can add some festive magic for you and your neighbours to enjoy, and they’re out of the way of small hands if you have children.
The best way to hang your stockings from your windows is to invest in some suction cup hooks. These hooks will form a strong seal when suctioned to the windows, and many can also take a huge amount of weight - which is perfect for those who like to go hard on presents for stockings.
Hang from door handles
There are so many areas around the house that are often forgotten about when looking to hang stockings in the home - and this is certainly the case with door handles. Whether you hang them on the inside or outside of your doors, this idea is not only practical for those with little space, but it can also aid in adding a pop of colour to a room.
Thrifty shopper Jo Threlfall from L'espoir De Ma Vie is particularly fond of this idea, and has hung her own stockings on the doors of her one-bedroom flat. ‘We liked how it brought a bit of a nostalgic touch as it's outside our bedroom door and brings back those childhood memories,’ she explained.
You need to be careful when hanging stockings on door handles, though. Nic says, ‘Only place it where the handles aren’t too low to the ground, or it’ll look unattractive amidst the decorations. If you don’t want the stocking to look plain and boring, add red poinsettia, holly, chestnuts and evergreen branches to give it a festive spruce up.’
The best Christmas stockings
If you haven’t bought your Christmas stockings yet, here are some that have caught our eye this year.
The boucle trend is still alive and kicking, and this boucle Christmas stocking is perfect for those who want to add some 'quiet luxury' to their home. Plus, it's currently on sale.
Christmas wouldn't be the same without the Big Man hanging up on your fireplace, and this tapestry stocking will look perfect in your living room or hanging off the door in your child's bedroom.
If you're looking to have a merry and bright Christmas, it doesn't get much merrier or brighter than this Dunelm offering. With a tufted star design, it'll certainly stand out in your home.
FAQs
How do you hang stockings without damaging the mantel?
There’s no need to use nails or a hammer to hang your stockings from your mantelpiece, as there are many products out there that will make this task a breeze.
Perhaps the easiest and most aesthetic way to hang stockings without damaging the mantel is to use stocking holders. You can buy stocking holders that look like decorations in themselves, and they have a hook on the bottom to hang your stockings on.
If you don’t have enough space on your mantel for a stocking holder, though, you could use Command hooks instead. These hooks are temporary and can be pulled off when the Christmas period is over.
Where can I hang my stockings if no fireplace?
If you don’t have a fireplace, you can hang stockings anywhere you like. Usually, the most popular places to hang stockings are on the staircase, on bed frames, on door handles, and on windows. You just need to make sure that wherever you hang them, they won’t get in the way or be too heavy.
Do stockings hang left or right?
Although we wish we could answer this question with an official answer, there are only unwritten rules when it comes to hanging a stocking. While you could hang a stocking with the toe pointing to the left, it seems as though most people prefer the aesthetic of the toe pointing to the right.
So, where will you be hanging your stockings this year?
