To figure out how much popcorn you’ll need for your garland, keep in mind that 1 cup typically covers 3 to 4 feet of thread. If you pop the corn in pan, you’ll need to add a little oil to the bottom to help the corn cook. To prevent it from becoming soggy, place the corn on a paper towel-lined plate or dish when you remove it from the pan, so some of the oil will be absorbed. When you’re in a hurry, you can use microwave popcorn or a pre-popped bag. Just make sure that it has no salt or butter.
For a more festive look, you may want to color your popcorn after it’s sat for a couple of days. Powdered food coloring works well to give the kernels a bright tint of color. You can go with the traditional Christmas colors, red and green, or custom color the popcorn to match the theme of your tree.
If you don’t have any thread or fishing line on hand, you can even use dental floss to string your popcorn. In fact, using a waxed variety can make the task even easier because the kernels will easily slide along the floss. [5] X Research source If you’re using thread for your garland, consider using red, green, or a shade that matches the decorating scheme for the rest of the tree in case it shows in any gaps between the popcorn.
Get creative with your garlands by mixing the popcorn with other items, such as fresh cranberries, dried orange, lemon, or lime slices, and cinnamon sticks. You can create striking patterns by alternating the other items with the popcorn. Fresh cranberries start to go bad after a couple of days, though, so you’ll want to spray the garland with shellac before putting it on the tree. You can also dress up your garland by dotting the popcorn kernels with craft glue and sprinkling colorful glitter across them. Allow the glue to dry fully before placing the popcorn string on your tree. [9] X Research source
If you plan to connect several shorter garlands, make sure that there is enough thread at the end of each so you can tie them together. If you’re making a long garland and left the thread attached to the spool, you’ll need to cut it when you finish the string. Then just tie off the end with a knot as you would with a shorter garland to secure it.
For a formal look, make sure to drape your popcorn strings in even, uniform loops. For a more casual look, allow the popcorn strings to drape unevenly. If you want your popcorn garland to stand out on your tree, consider doubling up the strings and draping them together over the branches.
