How to Make a Popcorn-Cranberry Garland for Your Christmas Tree

How to make a popcorn , cranberry garland for your Christmas tree .

Add an old fashioned touch to this year's Christmas tree by decorating it with popcorn and cranberry garlands .

You will need popcorn , a tapestry needle , heavy duty sewing thread , wax , dental floss or fishing wire and fresh cranberries optional .

An air popper , drop cloths and narrow gauge floral wire popcorn .

Cranberry garlands hanging from a Christmas tree may prove tempting to pets .

Be sure to place them out of reach .

Step one make or buy popcorn , then leave it out for a day or two to get stale fresh popcorn breaks too easily for stringing .

If you're using microwave popcorn , choose one with no butter and no salt day old air popped popcorn works best step two thread , the needle with heavy duty sewing thread , wax , dental floss or fishing wire , tie a fat knot at the other end of the string , wear old clothes and put down drop cloths before you begin stringing .

Cranberry juice can stain step three alternate stringing fresh cranberries with popcorn , taking care to push the needle straight through the center of each piece carefully , pull each one to the knotted end of the thread before stringing the next piece , make popcorn , cranberry decorations by stringing cranberries and popcorn directly onto narrow gauge floral wire , then twisting the wire into a ball or another shape .

Step four , arrange the lights on the tree before hanging the garlic ornaments come last after the garlic step five , drape the garland loosely on the tree branches starting from the top , keeping it well away from lights .

Use about 9 ft of garland for each foot of your tree .

Step six .

If you compost , add the cranberries and popcorn .

When you take down your tree , did you know American colonists from Germany were the first to hang popcorn , cranberry garlands on Christmas trees .