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A Guide to Christmas Ribbon

Christmas is a time for getting together with family and friends and celebrating at home. Rooms filled with festive decorations, plenty of good food on an elegantly dressed table and the excitement of children hanging up stockings all contribute to the happiness of the festive season.

Christmas ribbons from Berisfords are available in a huge assortment of colours, widths and textures, so there truly is a ribbon for everyone. From plain satin ribbonsgrosgrain ribbonvelvet ribbon and sheers, through to metallics, checks, ginghams and tartan ribbons and novelty prints and ropes – you are sure to find that perfect ribbon solution for you.

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Christmas ribbon for 2021

It’s no secret that Christmas looked a lot different last year, but with things going back to normal – now is the perfect time to stock up on your Christmas ribbon and decorative supplies.

To help, we’ve rounded up the key themes to look out for in 2021.

Traditional

We have the Victorians to thank for our love of traditional Christmas patterns, and many of us are inspired by the rich colours popular in that era. Red and green, the colours of winter berries and evergreen foliage, are a classic combination (try Art. 1025 velvet and Art. 3501 satin) with touches of gold or silver (try Art 9165 Lame) to add a sense of drama and opulence. For this look, you might choose a tree laden with red and gold baubles and ribbon bows, chunky candles wrapped with tartan ribbon (Art. 7622) and stockings hanging from the mantelpiece with rope Art. 7921.

Nordic

The Scandinavian style of decorating the home for Christmas is charming, understated and homespun. Red and white – fire and ice – are the key colours this year, and help to make this look fresh and bright. Traditional decorations are often made from wood, focusing on simple motifs such as stars and hearts (see Art. 13950 Magic Stars and Art. 13592 Hearts and Kisses) and families bake gingerbread biscuits to hang on the tree. Table settings are homely rather than elaborate and often feature a gingham element (see Art 7921 Gingham ribbon or Art 1438 Rustic Gingham).

Rustic

Handmade decorations, muted colours and seasonal foliage and fruits play important roles in the rustic look. Candles in ivy trimmed jars with ribbons tied around the neck create a welcoming atmosphere, while bundles of sticks tied with rustic twines (Art. 60046) bring the outside in.

White

An all-white decorating scheme need not be minimalist. When colour is monotone, texture and pattern become all the more important. Offset white (Art. 3501 satin) with a silver (Art. 9165 Lame), grey (Art. 41025 Grosgrain), gold (Art. 3710 textured metallic ribbon), iridescence (Art. 9574 Dazzle) and transparency (Art. 4268 Supersheer).

A tree of white sprayed branches could be hung with glass baubles, strung with fine ribbons and tie up napkins with white ribbon and feathers.

Everyone loves festive occasions, and particularly those that are imaginatively managed – whether stunningly simple or totally theatrical. Ribbons can be added in a matter of minutes to give that personal touch – not only to gifts but to the whole occasion.

The different uses for Christmas Ribbon

christmasblog2 1 - A Guide to Christmas Ribbon - Berisfords Ribbons

Gift Wrap

All children love to receive presents, but as we get older, we find greater pleasure in giving them too. We wrap gifts to give others the thrill of opening them, so gorgeous paper, tags and ribbons are an important part of the fun, both for the giver and the recipient.

Wrapping up presents is a ritual you either love or loathe but finishing a present with pretty trims and Christmas ribbons make all the difference. A ribbon can be tied into large opulent bows and narrow or sheer ribbons can be layered over wide ones.

The decorating of gifts or other items with Christmas ribbon requires no special skills or tools, just a little care, thought and imagination. However simply applied, a ribbon can transform a quite ordinary object into something special.

The different colours and textures of ribbon determine the effect, so using a sheer (Art. 4268) in a pale shade will have a soft feminine look whilst using a grosgrain (Art. 41025) in a navy shade will give the same gift a more dramatic look.

When choosing ribbon always consider the size of the gift to be decorated and select the width accordingly. Other factors to consider are the ‘feel’ you wish to convey. This allows you to perfectly depict what exactly you are trying to achieve from placing your Christmas ribbon in an ideal location. The last thing you want is a ribbon that looks out of place and steals the attention for all the wrong reasons.

For a ‘Traditional Christmas’ look, the obvious ribbons are metallic in gold Art. 60170 Zig Zag, Satin Art. 3501, Red and Green Tartan Art. 7622 and deep, richly coloured Velvet Art. 1025.

For an ‘Opulent Christmas ‘ try purples and turquoises in Glitter Satin Art. 8611 and Random Glitter.

Thirdly for a ‘Rustic Christmas’ look Christmas wishes Art. 43591.

Tree Decorations

The modern Christmas tree as we know it dates back to the nineteenth century when Prince Albert introduced to Britain the German practice of decorating a tree with candles, wooden toys and glass ornaments.

Getting out the tree decorations is one of the most magical Christmas moments and putting them on is often a family affair. Theming decorations by colour or style looks effective and a good way to start is by customising shop bought decorations (see the image using Art. 8692 for Traditional). We have used a rope to attach in a simple spiral to create different looks for different themes. Use Art. 60082 Rustic Twine.

Another idea is to use ribbon to make ribbon garlands (see image of ribbon chains). Instead of pre-cut gummed strips make links from ribbon and of course a pre-tied bow in one of your favourite ribbons can complement your colour scheme quite simply and effectively. The Christmas tree often steals the show when it comes to traditional Christmas decoration, so you will want to make sure that you pick the perfect ribbon for you. The range of options available at Berisfords Ribbons should mean you have no problem in finding the best festive ribbon to add the finishing touches to your dazzling Christmas tree.

Use ribbon, too, instead of wire or cord to hang decorations and then crown the tree with one spectacular bow to finish.

Table Decorations

Christmas is all about entertaining and feeding family and guests so you need to wow your visitors.

For simplicity, ribbons can simply be laid across a table like narrow runners and allowed to hang over the sides, or lengths can be pinned from one corner to another in generous swags (see Art. 3501 Satin in widths up to 70mm in a wide variety of colours)

On the festive table short lengths of ribbons can be used to tie napkins (see image Art. 12330 Merry Christmas ribbon combined with Art. 9165 Lame), menus and cutlery (see image using Art. 8611 Glitter Satin).

There are endless variations too, for decorating the backs of chairs using velvet (Art. 1025), satin (Art. 3501) and sheer (Art. 4268) ribbons and foliage to compliment the theme.

In addition, just as you would use a ribbon for finishing wrapping a present, you can also use it for celebration cakes, as a decorative band create tasty-looking trims that are a food lovers delight as the centrepiece for the festive table.

Centrepieces are the perfect opportunity to decorate with ribbons, natural foliage, glass jars, baubles and candles, can all be combined with ribbon to create unique, hand made arrangements to admire whilst enjoying a fabulous family and friends celebration.

Wreaths and Garlands

Christmas is a time of hospitality when we throw open our doors to friends and family with parties and gatherings. A wreath on the front door signals the start of the festive season, suggesting that a warm welcome will be found inside. Xmas Ribbon is an ideal way to customise a wreath and generate the atmosphere that will continue once you step inside.

Start with a blank canvas of a basic wreath which can be made from wire or sticks. Use craft wire and hot melt glue to build up and mix up real and faux foliage, adding in details such as pine cones and decorations and finish off with a large bow with long tails.

For a novel way to use ribbon see our ‘how to make a Christmas wreath’ step by step guide and you can interchange ribbons from our comprehensive essentials ribbon collection here on our website available through our network of stockists of Christmas ribbon bundles.

Great swags of greenery, fruit and berries create a dramatic and satisfying traditional decorative statement, particularly when adorning a mantelpiece or staircase. Making a garland from fresh foliage is quite a task, but unadorned fresh and artificial garlands are readily available and you can customize them with ribbons, baubles, artificial berries, flowers and so on.

For further information on how to best utilise ribbons this Christmas, do not hesitate to get in touch with our experienced, helpful team. Contact us on 01260 274011 or via office@berisfords-ribbons.co.uk.

As mentioned in the guide above, there are many different avenues you can go down with a Christmas ribbon. Use this creative time of year to your advantage and incorporate Christmas ribbons into decorations for your house, workplace or Christmas tree to ensure a show-stopping setting during the festive period. Whatever you see around you in your home could benefit from an Xmas ribbon to firmly fit in with the theme!
Absolutely! If you are looking to prepare your Christmas ribbon bundles well in advance, then Berisfords Ribbons can help. Feel free to get in touch with one of our team to discuss which of our amazing designs you would like to order. Or, if you have something more bespoke in mind, we can also help you bring your dream on paper to life.
If you have a specific Christmas theme design in mind, then you will be glad to know that you can make your own Christmas ribbons by using our personalised ribbon service. Here you can submit your ultimate design, perhaps taking inspiration from some of our existing ribbons on site and make your own perfect creation that is the best fit for this special occasion.
Although we’re proud to offer some the most affordable Christmas ribbon options on the market, you want to know that you’re getting the best value for money possible. The good news is that as long as you take good care of it, you can keep reusing your Christmas ribbon year after year. Most of our ribbons are also washable so can be freshened up in the same way as other textiles and clothing.
Absolutely! Christmas is a time for fun and our range of novelty Christmas ribbons makes for the perfect addition to any home. Whether you’re using it to add the finishing touches to a wrapped gift or as part of a display, with our broad collection of Christmas ribbon, you won’t be disappointed.
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