Do your Christmas stockings need a bit of OOMPH? 

Let’s give your stockings the attention they deserve — more than they usually receive! 

In this post, we’ll explore creative ways to style flat stockings and add a touch of personality to your festive mantel. This post is all about styling the stockings themselves, once you have them hanging.

As a seasoned Christmas Stocking Professional, Better Homes & Gardens publications has come to me three times for help with stockings, I have my favorite ways of hanging stockings.

HINT: None include a chorus line of individual stocking holders. And none include Command hooks or any brand of adhesive hooks for that matter!

Start by visiting these posts for all the tips, tricks and creative ways — and places to hang your stockings. Whether or not your living room is your perfect spot, whether you have a fireplace mantel or not, I am loaded with ideas for your ideal Christmas stocking display.

First things first, plan where and how you’re going to hang your stockings. A good starting point is my eBook, and this blog post if you don’t have a mantel. and or this one if you do.

Flat stockings, whether they hang droopy or stiff, they always look a bit sad to me.

I think stockings with some stuffing to play up their 3-D form is such an easy way to add an extra touch of style. And it’s FREE!

You need something to gently stuff your stockings. You can use tissue paper, but I like to use plastic bags. 

I’ve been using the same bags for over ten years. I flatten them and store them right with the stockings.

You determine how much stuffing you like. Just a bit in the foot or do you like some all the way up like I do?

Weight? What?

Yes, you want a bag of weight in the heel to keep the stocking more upright. A handful of florist glass or pebbles tied into one of the grocery bags will work. 

PRO TIP: But if you are using on a door, fill a small bag with sand, flour or rice. The soft weight will keep the stocking from swinging too much AND protect the finish of your door.

My magic formula, is typically:

1. 2 or 3 bags in the toe and arch
2. Drop the weight in the heel
3. Then 5 to 7 bags up the leg

This is the easiest way to make such a difference in your stocking display, right? As we know, the little details are often the ones that count!

You can certainly stop here. But, why?

I love to add a touch of holiday decor to our stockings to really elevate them.

Everyone’s will be a bit different, if your stockings are very ornate already, simple green clippings from your yard (bundled together with florist wire or tape), might be enough. 

But if your stockings are more on the plain side, you can really experiment with some creative ideas and different colors.

If you change your holiday color scheme from last year? Neutral stockings can easily transition to a new look just by the styling you add.

Have fun with this and let your personal style show.

Or you can go all out with berries, baubles and bows. 

Maybe tuck in a small wrapped box as a teaser of what’s to come.

Take cues from your whole Christmas stocking display, for ideas to include in the stockings. Perhaps greenery picks that complement a garland or wreath. 

Pinecones are easy accents for a nature or rustic themed display. 

Perhaps stuffed stars and snowmen made from an old sweater.

And don’t forget the name tags and their style too!

Or in other words, you want a focal point and then some  supporting characters with a cohesive look, but also contrast for interest.

Start with the back layer, typically, the tallest of your filler.

Here I used 2 small green picks.

Then for a second layer, I added a bit of color and shine with some beaded picks.

Next is the focal point — or statement piece.

In this case I dry-brushed the tips of a couple of pinecones with a bit of metallic gold paint and tucked them in front.

Don’t forget a name tag!

All done!

Great! Let’s work through it together — in five steps, in five days!

Now back to a sampler of stocking styling ideas.

Go with the tradition of candy canes peeking out of the top of the stocking, but make them big, fat peppermint sticks and tie your stockings with big, fat satin ribbon. 

Sooooo many options and here is just a small sampler to get your creative juices flowing: