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Ideal Home reports that homemade paper chains are a breakout Christmas decorating trend for 2026, with similar looped garlands appearing in velvet, lace, wool and sheet music. The appeal combines nostalgic styling with an affordable, family-friendly craft, although the report does not provide data measuring how widespread the trend is.
Homemade paper chains are being presented as a notable Christmas decorating trend for 2026, according to a report by Ideal Home, which says similar linked decorations are appearing in materials such as velvet, lace and wool on social media. The trend offers a relatively low-cost, hands-on way to add a nostalgic look to holiday interiors, but the report does not quantify how widely the style has caught on.
The Ideal Home report describes a renewed interest in traditional paper decorations as part of a broader preference for Christmas interiors that feel playful and reminiscent of childhood. Paper chains are framed as an accessible option for households that have already spent on a tree, lights and baubles, rather than as a replacement for those decorations.
The look is not limited to paper. The report points to looped garlands made with velvet, lace, wool and sheet music, which add texture or a more traditional feel. Little Barn Door founder and CEO Natalie Evans said these materials can give the familiar chain shape a different appearance and may be kept for use in later Christmas seasons.
For a basic chain, Evans recommends cutting strips about 2 centimetres wide and 15–20 centimetres long, looping each through the previous strip and fastening it with glue, a staple or double-sided tape. The report also suggests hanging chains from a central point toward the walls to create a ceiling display; interior designer and trends forecaster Whinnie Williams said this can create a starburst effect without permanent changes to the room.
A Low-Cost, Hands-On Holiday Decoration
The trend matters to readers because it turns decorating into an activity as well as a purchase. A paper chain can be made with simple materials and adapted to a room’s colours, while making links together can involve children and adults in a shared seasonal project. That makes it an alternative for households seeking festive decoration without adding another expensive item to their shopping list.
Material choice also changes the practical value of the idea. Paper is easy to make and customize, while reusable fabric garlands may be stored for another year. Evans describes that reuse as a way for a decoration to become part of a family’s holiday routine. These are expert views and suggestions in the report, not evidence that the craft is reducing spending or waste at scale.
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Nostalgia Shapes 2026 Holiday Styling
Ideal Home places paper chains within a wider Christmas styling mood built around nostalgia, colour and whimsy. Williams connects the look with “whimsymaxxing,” a term she uses for adding joyful, unexpected details to everyday spaces rather than keeping every element carefully coordinated. This is an interpretation of the style, not a measured consumer trend.
The report also distinguishes between inexpensive homemade chains and ready-made options, including paper-chain kits and linked fabric garlands. Both follow the same basic visual idea: repeated loops arranged as a hanging decoration. The article’s examples range from a simple family craft to richer-textured designs suited to traditional or Victorian-inspired rooms.
“There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a handmade paper chain. With the right colour palette, they can look incredibly chic too!”
— Whinnie Williams, interior designer and trends forecaster for Balsam Hill
How Broad Is the Paper-Chain Revival?
The report characterizes paper chains as a breakout trend and says related designs are appearing across social media, but it supplies no platform data, sales figures, survey results or other measurement of their reach. It is not clear whether interest is widespread among shoppers or mainly visible in the interiors and decorating content covered by the article.
There is also no detailed comparison of the cost, durability or environmental impact of paper and fabric versions. Reusable fabric chains may last longer, as Evans suggests, but the report does not provide product testing or lifecycle information. The trend’s popularity and practical benefits should therefore be understood as reported observations and expert commentary, not independently quantified findings.
Making and Displaying the Garlands
The immediate next step for anyone trying the idea is to choose a material and colour scheme, make a short test chain and decide where it can hang safely. For a simple version, cut strips to the dimensions Evans suggests, link them one at a time and secure each join. Adults should handle staples and supervise children using scissors or other fastening tools.
For a larger display, Williams suggests suspending chains from a central point and draping them toward the walls. The report does not give a schedule for further trend data or forecasts, so whether paper and fabric chains remain prominent through the 2026 holiday season is still to be seen.
Key Questions
What is the Christmas decorating trend?
It is the use of handmade paper chains and similar linked-loop garlands as nostalgic holiday decorations. Ideal Home reports versions made with materials including velvet, lace, wool and sheet music.
How do you make a basic paper chain?
Cut strips about 2 centimetres wide and 15–20 centimetres long. Loop one strip through another and secure the ends with glue, a staple or double-sided tape, repeating until the chain reaches the desired length.
Can the chains be made from fabric?
Yes. The report describes linked decorations made with velvet, lace and wool, as well as sheet music. Fabric versions can offer a different texture and may be stored for reuse, although the report does not test their durability.
How can paper chains be displayed?
They can be draped on a tree or mantelpiece, or hung from a central point toward the walls to create a ceiling display. Check that decorations are securely attached and kept away from heat sources and open flames.
Is the trend’s popularity backed by data?
Not in the source report. Ideal Home describes the style as a breakout trend and notes social-media examples, but provides no figures or survey data showing how widespread it is.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
