TL;DR
Get business pricing on tools and workshop supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
Ideal Home describes handmade paper chains as a breakout Christmas decorating trend for 2026, with similar garlands made from velvet, lace, wool and sheet music. The report presents them as an affordable, family-friendly way to add nostalgic decoration; the scale of the trend is not independently quantified.
Handmade paper chains are being highlighted as a nostalgic Christmas decorating trend for 2026, with fabric versions in materials including velvet and lace also appearing in social media styling, according to Ideal Home. The idea offers households a relatively inexpensive way to add handmade decorations and make a family activity out of preparing for the holidays.
The report describes paper chains as a straightforward alternative to buying additional ornaments after investing in a tree, lights and baubles. Its broader styling suggestion is to choose colours that fit a room’s existing Christmas scheme, rather than treating the chains only as children’s crafts. The report characterizes the trend as part of a wider interest in nostalgic and whimsical interiors, but does not provide data measuring how widespread it is.
Paper is not the only material being used. Ideal Home points to examples made with velvet, lace, wool and sheet music, which give the familiar linked shape a more textured or traditional look. Interior designer and trends forecaster Whinnie Williams, of Balsam Hill, said paper decorations were having “another moment” and argued that careful colour choices can make chains look stylish as well as nostalgic.
For a basic chain, the report’s instructions are to cut strips roughly 2 centimetres wide and 15–20 centimetres long, loop each one through the previous link, then secure it with glue, a staple or double-sided tape. Natalie Evans, founder and chief executive of home styling and staging company Little Barn Door, suggests letting family members contribute individual links. Chains can be hung on a tree or mantelpiece, or arranged from a central ceiling point toward the walls for a starburst effect, Williams said.
A Low-Cost Handmade Holiday
The appeal is practical as well as decorative: paper chains can be made from accessible materials, adjusted to suit a colour scheme and assembled at home. That makes the idea relevant to people looking for lower-cost Christmas décor or an activity involving children, without requiring a new set of ornaments. Fabric versions may take more preparation, but the report says they can be kept and reused, unlike decorations that are discarded after the season.
The trend also reflects a styling preference for visible handmade details over uniformly coordinated decorations. Williams connected it to “whimsymaxxing,” a term she used for adding colour and unexpected details to interiors. That is an interpretation from a design professional, not evidence that households broadly are changing how they decorate. Readers should treat the trend label as the report’s description of a social-media and interiors pattern, rather than a measured market shift.
Products Worth Considering
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Retrofit Recessed LED Downlights, 5/6-Inch, 4-Pack
Philips Hue Festavia 65-Foot Smart LED String Lights, 250 Color-Changing Mini LEDs
Philips Hue Play Gradient 65-Inch Smart TV Light Strip
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Nostalgia Shapes 2026 Decorating
Ideal Home places paper chains within a broader 2026 Christmas mood centred on childhood memories and more playful, whimsical rooms. The decoration itself is familiar: strips are linked into a repeating garland, and its appearance can change substantially with the paper colour, print or material used. The current styling pitch is to apply that simple form to more polished or traditional schemes.
The report includes comments from two home-design professionals. Williams recommends choosing shades that complement a room and also mentions concertina-style honeycomb paper garlands, which can be folded for storage. Evans says materials such as velvet, lace and sheet music can preserve the playful looped form while adding texture. These are expert opinions and styling suggestions; the article does not cite sales figures, platform analytics or a survey establishing the trend’s reach.
““Paper decorations are having another moment, and honestly, I’m thrilled. There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a handmade paper chain.””
— Whinnie Williams, interior designer and trends forecaster for Balsam Hill
How Broad Is the Trend?
The report’s description of the trend draws on social-media sightings and expert commentary, but it gives no figures for searches, sales or participation, and does not identify specific platforms or a measurement period. It is not possible from the source to establish how many households are making chains or whether interest is growing compared with previous Christmas seasons. The claim that paper chains are a “breakout” trend is the publication’s characterization, not a quantified finding.
It is also unclear how well different materials will hold up, or whether reusable fabric garlands are more costly or time-consuming to make than paper versions. The report offers no product testing or price comparison. People making chains with young children should choose materials and fastening methods appropriate to their age and supervise use of scissors or staplers.
Making and Hanging the Chains
For households interested in trying the idea, the next step is choosing paper or another material, selecting strips in a preferred colour scheme and linking them into a garland. Ideal Home’s suggested dimensions are a starting point rather than a required standard; changing strip size or material will alter the chain’s appearance. A simple paper version can be made with glue, tape or staples.
Williams suggests extending chains beyond trees and mantels by hanging them from a central point toward the walls. No further developments or confirmed trend data are cited in the report. Whether the decoration becomes a more visible feature of Christmas 2026 will become clearer as the holiday season approaches and more households and retailers share their displays.
Key Questions
What is the Christmas decorating trend?
It is the use of handmade paper chains as nostalgic holiday décor. Ideal Home also reports linked garlands made from velvet, lace, wool and sheet music.
How do you make a simple paper chain?
Cut strips about 2 centimetres wide and 15–20 centimetres long. Loop each strip through the previous one and secure the ends with glue, double-sided tape or a staple.
Where can paper chains be displayed?
They can be draped on a Christmas tree or mantelpiece. Designer Whinnie Williams also suggests hanging garlands from a central ceiling point and spreading them toward the walls.
Is the trend’s popularity supported by data?
The source describes social-media sightings and expert views, but provides no audience, sales or search figures. Its description of paper chains as a breakout trend is not backed by a stated measurement.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
