How do you display Christmas cards in a small space?

Hang a ribbon with mini clothespins on the back of a door. A yard of ribbon holds about 5 cards and three ribbons hold 15. Add cards from the top down as they arrive. If you get under 10 cards, lean them on a mantel or shelf instead.

How many Christmas cards does a ribbon hold?

About 5 per yard. A standard card is 5 by 7 inches, so a 36 inch ribbon fits 5 cards end to end with a little air between them. Three ribbons hold 15, and a fourth ribbon in December handles the late mail.

What do you use to hold Christmas cards on a ribbon?

Mini wooden clothespins about 1 inch long. Full-size laundry clothespins are heavy enough to drag the ribbon out of line. Small binder clips work too, and magnets work on the fridge. Choose natural wood for a rustic look or red for a traditional one.

How do you display Christmas cards with kids or pets in the house?

Hang one ribbon line high, above a doorway or across the top of a mirror, instead of at eye level. Cards leaned on a low shelf get knocked over by a draft or a pet, so clip them to a garland instead.

9 Christmas Card Display Ideas, No Nails Needed

Q: How do you display Christmas cards without nails?

Use removable hooks for ribbon and twine, and removable strips or putty for a wall tree. Clean the spot with rubbing alcohol, press for 30 seconds and wait 1 hour before hanging anything. Or skip the wall: lean cards on a shelf, use a basket, or set a branch in a vase.

The easiest way to display Christmas cards in a small home is a yard of ribbon with mini clothespins, hung from one removable hook on the back of a door. A yard holds about 5 cards, three ribbons hold 15, and you add cards from the top down as they arrive. Nothing goes into the wall.

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Quick decision

Not sure what to buy? Start with these three

Each one makes a card display with no nails. Cost is $ (least) to $$ (most).

Budget: 1.5 inch red velvet ribbon, 10 yards. For the door idea. Ten yards cuts into ten 1 yard ribbons, which is more than any small home needs. The downside is that the ribbon alone holds nothing, so add clothespins. $ See the velvet ribbon on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Best all-around: 100 mini clothespins with 32 feet of jute twine. For almost every idea on this page. One box covers the ribbon, the twine line and the empty frame, and the leftover clothespins clip gift tags next year. The downside is that it is a supply, not a display, so pair it with ribbon or twine. $ See the clothespins and twine on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Splurge: tabletop tree card holder, 17.5 inches tall. For a console or mantel with no wall space at all. It holds up to 19 cards on wire spirals and stands on its own. The downside is the price against ribbon, and it holds fewer cards than three ribbons. $$ See the tabletop tree card holder on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.

Pick by how many cards you get. Under 10 cards looks best on a mantel, a shelf or in a frame. Ten to 25 fit on ribbon strips, a twine line or a wall tree. If dozens come, give them a whole door.

How many cards does each display hold?

A yard of ribbon holds 5 cards, a 4 foot twine line holds 8, a wall tree holds 15, and a tabletop tree holds 19. Most Christmas cards are about 5 by 7 inches, so the numbers below come from that size plus a little air between cards.

The tabletop tree, the clip counts and the ribbon lengths come from the product listings.

Display	Holds about	Needs
One yard of ribbon, hung straight down	5 cards	One hook, 5 mini clothespins
Three ribbons side by side	15 cards	Three hooks, 15 clothespins
Twine line across a 4 foot window	8 cards	Two hooks, 8 clothespins
Frame about 16 by 20 inches, three twine rows	6 cards	Twine, 6 clothespins
Wall tree, five rows (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5)	15 cards	15 removable strips or putty squares
Mantel or shelf, staggered rows	8 to 12 cards	Nothing
Hanging card holder, 4 ribbons of 39.4 inches	24 cards (24 clips)	Two hooks
Tabletop tree, 17.5 inches tall	19 cards, more if you double up	A table
Basket or dough bowl	As many as fit	Nothing

Table of how many Christmas cards each display holds, from one yard of ribbon with 5 cards to a tabletop tree with 19 — Cards per display, from the table above.

9 ways to display Christmas cards in a small home

1. Hang velvet ribbon down the back of a door

A door is the best spot in a small home because it already has the wall space and nobody wants it for anything else. Cut three lengths of ribbon about a yard long, tie a bow at the top of each, and hang them a hand’s width apart from small removable hooks. Clip cards on from the top down with mini clothespins.

A yard of ribbon holds about five cards. Three ribbons hold fifteen, and you can add a fourth in December if the mail keeps coming. Choose a door that stays closed most of the day, like a bedroom, pantry or closet door, so the ribbons hang still.

Here is what this one takes. A spool of 1.5 inch velvet ribbon (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. is 10 yards, enough for ten ribbons. Mini wooden clothespins (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. come as 100 pieces with 32 feet of jute twine. For the hooks, Command mini decorative hooks with clear strips (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. are sold as damage-free when you follow the package directions.

2. String a twine line across a window

Tie a length of twine between two small hooks on the window trim, leave a gentle sag in the middle, and clip the cards along it. Window trim is a spot nobody else wants, and the cards catch the daylight.

A four foot span holds about eight cards side by side. Wind a strand of battery fairy lights along the twine and they glow in the evening. Battery strings run 6 to 8 hours per set of batteries, according to the XmasTips renter guide, so put them on a timer. Command clear light clips (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. come as 45 clips with 54 strips and hold a twine line or a light string on trim.

Jute twine with warm white fairy lights stretched across a paned window, holding eight Christmas cards on mini clothespins, with two candles and a bowl of pinecones on the sill — Styling idea: a twine line across a window, with a few lights wound through.

3. Turn an empty picture frame into a card holder

Take the glass and the backing out of a big frame, or buy a cheap one at a thrift store for the job. Tie three rows of twine across the back, side to side, and clip cards onto the rows. Hang the frame, or lean it on a console table in the hall.

A frame with an opening about 16 by 20 inches holds about six cards in two rows of three, with the third row of twine ready for more. In January you take the cards off and the frame goes back into the closet, or back on the wall as a frame. Shutterfly and Instantprint both suggest this one, and it is the neatest choice if loose twine bugs you.

Large empty gold picture frame leaning on an entry console, with three rows of twine holding six Christmas cards on mini clothespins, beside a birch branch in a pitcher and a lit lamp — Styling idea: an empty frame strung with twine, on an entry console.

4. Lean cards on the mantel or a shelf

If you have a mantel, this is the one with no hardware at all. Stand 8 to 12 cards in staggered rows, taller ones at the back and smaller ones in front, and tuck three or four into a garland or lean them against candlesticks. Folded cards stand open like a little tent, and photo cards stand up on their own against the wall.

No mantel? A floating shelf, the top of a bookcase or the back of a console does the same job. Real Homes points out that loose cards on a surface get knocked over by a gust of wind or a curious cat, so a draft or a pet is a reason to clip them to a garland instead. Our Christmas mantel ideas for a home with no fireplace has the shelf versions.

Wood mantel over a white brick fireplace with ten Christmas cards standing in staggered rows among cedar garland, pinecones and two candlesticks — Styling idea: cards leaned in staggered rows along a garland.

5. Make a card tree on the wall

If there is no room for a real tree, make one from the cards. Start with one card at the top, then two, three, four and five in rows beneath it, which uses fifteen cards and ends up about 2 feet wide at the bottom. Add a paper star on top and a strip of brown paper for the trunk.

Stick the cards up with removable adhesive strips or poster-safe mounting putty so you can move them as the display grows, which is what Shutterfly and Midwest Living both suggest. Hang an ornament or two on the lowest row and call it a second tree. If your first tree is the problem, our small space Christmas tree ideas has seven that fit.

6. Clip cards along the stair railing or a doorway

If you have stairs, you already own a card display. Cut short pieces of ribbon, tie one around each baluster and slip a card under it, or run one long ribbon down the railing and clothespin the cards to it. Shutterfly suggests space for the first few cards well apart, so the gaps can fill in as December goes on. A doorway works the same way: frame it with garland or two vertical ribbons and clip cards on, starting near the top.

This is the free one, and it decorates a part of the house that usually gets ignored. Sugar Design Co does the same with her stairs and keeps to one high ribbon line when a toddler is in the house.

Wooden stair railing with a cedar garland on the banister and five Christmas cards hung from short red ribbons tied around the balusters, spaced apart with room for more, a lit lamp on the landing — Styling idea: cards on ribbons around the balusters, with gaps left for later arrivals.

7. Put the cards on a branch in a vase

This one has no wall at all. Martha Stewart’s version, which Homes & Gardens wrote up, uses wintry branches in a large vase and the cards tied on with ribbon through a hole punched in the corner. Homes & Gardens says it takes about 30 minutes or less.

Use bare branches from the yard or a bundle of birch twigs, set them in a heavy vase so they do not tip, and tie each card at a different height. It fits in a corner, on a console or on the floor beside a chair.

8. Keep a basket or dough bowl on the console

A basket of cards is not fancy, but it always looks fine. Stand the cards up with their fronts facing different directions so the pictures and family photos show, and put the basket on a coffee table, a console or the kitchen counter. Sugar Design Co uses a long 17 inch dough bowl, because the narrow shape suits cards and it is not a Christmas item, so it works on the table all year. Guests pick the cards up and read them.

It also works as overflow. When the ribbons on the door are full, the next cards go in the bowl and nobody has to throw anything out. For a small, tidy console, a tabletop tree card holder (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. keeps up to 19 cards standing without any wall at all.

Long narrow wooden dough bowl on an entry console holding about fifteen standing Christmas cards facing different ways, with a sprig of cedar at one end and a lit lamp beside it — Styling idea: a dough bowl on the console holds as many cards as fit.

9. Lean a ladder with ribbon rungs

A small wooden ladder leaned against the wall takes cards on every rung. Run twine or ribbon across the rungs and clip cards along each one, or hang one card on each rung. A ladder 20 inches wide fits 3 cards across, so five rungs hold 15, in a narrow space, and it stores flat in the closet in January. If you already use a ladder for blankets, our Christmas blanket ladder ideas shows how to dress it.

How do you display Christmas cards without nails?

Use removable hooks for ribbon and twine, removable strips or putty for a card tree, or skip the wall. For a hook, clean the spot with rubbing alcohol, press for 30 seconds and wait 1 hour before hanging anything, per the XmasTips renter guide. Remove it by pulling the tab slowly straight down.

To take a hook off without marking the wall, pull the tab down, not out from the wall. Read the package for the weight a hook holds. A ribbon and a dozen cards weigh very little, so small hooks are enough. Painter’s tape for very light things removes clean after 4 to 6 weeks, according to the same guide, but never use masking, duct or packaging tape.

For no wall at all, lean cards on a mantel or shelf, set a branch in a vase, use a basket, or put a standing card holder on a table. Homes & Gardens suggests a tabletop tree, a card stand or a keepsake box when you want to save the walls. A hanging card holder (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes with 4 ribbons, each 39.4 inches long, and 24 photo clips, so ideas 1 and 6 arrive in one box. Our renter friendly Christmas decor guide has more on what each adhesive strip really holds.

What do you use to attach cards: clothespins, clips or tape?

Mini wooden clothespins about 1 inch long. They hold a card by its edge without leaving a mark. Skip the full-size laundry ones, because Sugar Design Co found they were heavy enough to drag the ribbon out of line and hang the whole thing crooked. Small binder clips or paper clips work too, and magnets are for the fridge.

For a card tree, use strips or putty, because you do not want to clip anything to a wall. Choose clips in natural wood for a rustic look, or gold or red for a traditional one.

How do you keep Christmas cards safe from kids and pets?

Hang one ribbon line high, above a doorway or across the top of a mirror, instead of at eye level. Sugar Design Co learned that a bowl of cards on a low table is a basket of toys to a two year old, and a ribbon ladder at eye level loses its bottom two feet every day.

A high line survives.

If you have a cat or a draft, clip the cards to a garland or a ribbon instead of leaning them on a shelf. Real Homes points out that loose cards get knocked down.

Can you use the refrigerator?

Yes, if you do it on purpose. Line the cards up in rows or a loose grid with magnets, and keep the handles and any water dispenser clear. In a tiny kitchen with no other wall, this is often the only place.

If the front fills up, continue down the side. Shutterfly makes the same point about keeping the cards from spreading across the whole kitchen.

What do you do with Christmas cards after the holidays?

Keep the ones that matter and recycle the rest. Save cards with a handwritten note or a family photo, label them with the year, and store them with the ornaments. Cut a photo card down to just the picture, or save the plain ones for gift tags next Christmas.

You can also slip a favorite into a photo album. A card ring or a small box works too.

What to buy

Everything below is low cost. Cost: $ is the least, $$ the most.

Velvet ribbon, 1.5 inch, 10 yards (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. for the door strips, $
Mini wooden clothespins with 32 feet of jute twine (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. for the twine line and the frame, $
Command mini decorative hooks with clear strips (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. and Command clear light clips (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. for hanging without nails, $
A tabletop tree card holder (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. if you want cards to stand on a table, $$
A hanging card holder with 4 ribbons and 24 clips (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. for a door or wall with no hooks, $

9 Christmas Card Display Ideas for a Small Home

How many cards does each display hold?

9 ways to display Christmas cards in a small home