Think realistic faux garlands don’t exist? Think again! These artificial garlands in every variety from cedar to pine will blow your mind! I’m officially a fan of faux garlands!
I know, I know. It’s only October so why are we talking about the best faux garland?! Because y’all, the good stuff sells out QUICKLY. I learned this the hard way last year.
And if you are picturing the super fake greenery and garland that you may have seen your parents decorate with, you are in for a surprise! Artificial garland has come a long way friends!
I have to admit that last year is the first year that I really researched and looked into faux garlands. And I wish I had done it so much sooner!
I want you to be able to get your hands on gorgeous faux garlands this year, hence this post in October. Let’s dive in, shall we?
What to Consider When Shopping for Artificial Garland
There are a few important considerations I want to mention before I share my favorite garland options.
I’ve made you a video where I SHOW you the two artificial garlands I personally own and love and talk about some of the most important things to consider. It’s only 3 minutes long. You can watch it below.
- This list may be shorter than some others you find out there, but that is for a reason! I think most of the other lists out there are over-inclusive. I’ve included only those garlands I think are worth the investment (and yes, good faux garland is most definitely an investment).
- Look for “realistic touch” or “soft-touch plastic” garlands whenever possible. Not only do they feel real, but the way they drape and hang is also realistic because they are nice and heavy (just like REAL fresh garland).
- Avoid garland that has stiff wire in it that you have to “fluff” to make it look full. I have some of this garland that I purchased many years ago, don’t get me wrong. But now that I have discovered the real-touch options, I would never, ever buy garland with stiff wire it in again.
- The most realistic faux garlands are pricey. There’s just no way around it. I absolutely consider these investment pieces. That’s why I didn’t buy a single high-quality faux garland until I was 43 years old. These just wouldn’t have been in the Christmas decor budget when we were younger. Even now, we will only invest in 2 or 3 garlands a year until we have all that we want. But I feel confident these garlands will be passed down to our girls and even our grandchildren. They are THAT GOOD.
- Because they are pricey, keep your eyes peeled for sales and act quickly when they pop up! But if you are hoping to get some on clearance after Christmas is over, don’t bother. Believe me, I TRIED to find good ones on clearance last year. Didn’t happen. And I am the queen of being able to find deals after Christmas.
- The best faux garlands sell out QUICKLY and EARLY. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This is why you can’t find any on post-Christmas clearance as I mentioned above.
Okay, with those important considerations out of the way, let’s take a look at what I think are the best/most realistic artificial garlands available.
Best Faux Cedar Garlands
Faux Soft Touch Cedar Garland
I found these faux cedar garlands at a local store last year and fell in love! They are made of SOFT plastic and each one weighs several pounds. They are sooooooo realistic. You can see a few other photos of them framing our dining room in my 2021 Christmas home tour.
I wanted MORE. But guess what?! Even though I bought them at the beginning of November, I got the last 2 in stock. So I’ve hunted down an online source for something similar and have been stalking them ever since.
When I saw what I am pretty sure are the exact same faux cedar garlands pop up online this year, I ordered 4 immediately. I can’t wait to hang them on our freshly updated stair railing with the backdrop of our newly installed stair runner!
Real Touch Cedar and Hemlock Garland
Though I have not personally tried this version, it has 10,162 5-star reviews, so it feels like a very safe investment. Like the faux cedar garlands I have, these are made from the same “real-touch” material which is what I love about them so much!
Real Touch Cedar Holiday Greens Garland from Afloral
Afloral also offers another very popular faux cedar garland. I have not personally tried this one, but I am very impressed with Afloral’s faux garlands in general (I have the faux Norfolk Pine garland which I’ll share later in this post), so again, I feel confident this is a pretty good investment.
Faux Cedar Garland from Terrain
Last but not least is this stunning artificial cedar garland from Terrain. This is a favorite among influencers whose Christmas decor is greatly admired! Isn’t it beautiful on Finding Lovely’s banister?
Best Faux Pine Garlands
Real Touch Norfolk Pine Garland from Afloral
I invested in a few of these artificial Norfolk Pine garlands this year and I am VERY happy with them. In fact, you can see me unwrapping them and checking them out in the video I’ve included in this post.
They are very, very realistic. And they are nice and heavy, which I think is an absolute must for an artificial garland to look realistic–after all, real pine garland is heavy! I ordered the 180″ length so I will probably hang these in the cased opening to our dining room since they will be a better length for that area!
I don’t have any photos of them hanging up in our home for Christmas since this is the first year we will be using them, but I can’t wait to get them up. I’ll add a photo of ours as soon as I get them up and photographed!
Norfolk Pine Natural Touch Garland from Kirklands
This seems to be another favorite of artificial garland enthusiasts out there. And I have to say, the price point is great (especially when they are on sale like right now). And the reviews are IMPRESSIVE.
Faux Hemlock Pine Pre-Lit Garland from Crate and Barrel
I included this one because there are some big fans of it out there and it does look pretty. But FYI, while the ratings are incredibly high, there aren’t a ton of them. That would make me a bit more reluctant to try this one over some of the other options. But it does look beautiful and promising, so I included it for you.
I hope that you have found this helpful and that you find some artificial garland that you LOVE and will last for generations!
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