Tired of Tangled Tinsel? Try This Stress-Free Method for Decorating Your Tree

Decorating your Christmas tree with tinsel is a tried-and-true way to make your tree sparkle. Traditional tinsel has been busy making a comeback in recent years, thanks to the popularity of the vintage holiday decor trend. And while tinsel usually takes more time to place on your tree than other ornaments, it’s well worth the commitment. Silver or iridescent tinsel makes your tree look like it’s covered in sparkly icicles, while gold tinsel gives your tree a beautiful sheen.

The biggest trouble with tinsel is its propensity to tangle. If you find yourself in knots from the sheer stress of arranging your tinsel, we’ve got a few tips that can help you decorate your Christmas tree like a pro.

How to Decorate Your Tree with Loose Strands of Tinsel

Working with loose tinsel? No problem. You’ll first need to decide how much tinsel you want on each branch of your tree. Smaller groups of tinsel make for a subtle sparkly look, while larger groups will give your tree more bling. If you’re working with thick tinsel, you can even use as little as a single strand of tinsel at a time. 

Once you’re ready to start decorating, grab your strands of tinsel together in a bundle, pinching them tightly in the center so that they drape out over both sides of your fingers. Once you find a suitable branch, place the center of the tinsel on top and pull it into the needles of your tree to secure it. Each tinsel strand should drape over both sides of the branch. 

After you’ve placed your tinsel, you can adjust the length of either side by pulling down on it gently. You can also fan it out over the branch so it looks fuller, or adjust it to cover the end of your branch as well as the sides.

If you’re not sure how much tinsel to put on your tree, you can size out your strands by placing them along various branches of your Christmas tree to determine which groupings you like the best. Remove your loose tinsel from your tree branches by pinching it in the center again, and pull straight upwards to easily free it from its place on your tree. 

Tinsel Fringe Garlands Can Help Prevent Tangles

If your tinsel comes in a single strip, you can use that to your advantage. Cut the top of the strip down horizontally so that only a small portion is holding all of your tinsel together, and then make vertical cuts to separate your tinsel into groups of strands. 

Hold each section of tinsel by the top strip, and part it down the middle. Place it over a branch so that the tinsel spills out over both sides, and tamp down the strip so it’s hidden amongst your tree’s needles.

Tips for Placing Tinsel Perfectly Every Time

When placing tinsel on the tree, keep it to the very end of your Christmas tree’s branches. Towards the center of your Christmas tree, branches are thick and lush, which makes it impossible for your tinsel to sit without tangling. The ends of your branches will stick out more, giving your tinsel extra room to hang down without being blocked. 

Instead of adding your tinsel randomly, start from the bottom of your tree and work upwards. This will help you space your tinsel strands out evenly, so that they aren’t getting tangled up in one another. Go around the entire base of your Christmas tree with tinsel strands before starting another loop; place your next row of tinsel strands high enough that their base hangs just above the rest of the tinsel on your tree. 

The longer your tinsel is, the more likely it will be to tangle, so don’t be afraid to cut the ends of your tinsel if you’re struggling with its placement. Varying the lengths of your tinsel strands can be a fun way to add dimension to your Christmas tree. 

Always place your tinsel last. Your Christmas tree lights should nestle deep in the inner branches of your tree, so that they’re far away from tinsel strands. Feel free to drape your tinsel near or over round ornaments, since there won’t be anything for them to catch on; ornaments with shapes or textures that could cause tinsel to tangle should either be placed in the inner branches or kept away from where you plan to put your tinsel.

What to Do If Your Tinsel Is Already Tangled

If you do run into any snags, you can gently pull downwards on both sides of your tinsel at once, smoothing it out as you go. Remove knotted tinsel from your tree before attempting to detangle it, since it could become caught up in branches or ornaments while you try to untie it. Be sure to keep extra strands of tinsel on hand just in case you need to cut tangled tinsel loose from your tree—but if you follow our decorating tips, chances are you’ll have a tangle-free tree all season long.