Christmas stockings are an essential part of your holiday decor. Traditionally, they are hung from the mantle by stocking hooks but what if you don’t have a mantle? Here are going to show you 5 ways to hang your stockings in an aesthetically pleasing way.

1. Make a Stocking Sign

If there is someone in the family with some basic handyman skills, this is an easy afternoon project. Start with a 8-12 inch wide piece of wood. This wood is going to be hung horizontally on the wall with hooks attached to the bottom for each of the stockings you need to hang. Cut the wood to the length that you need to accommodate that number of hooks. Two to three feet is normally a perfect length.

Once the wood is cut to size, sand it well and round off the edges. Spray the entire front and sides of the board with a couple coats of a holiday-colored paint. Once that dries use vinyl letters or paint and stencils to add a holiday saying to the sign. Finish it off by attaching metal hooks to the sign and hanging it on the wall anywhere in your living room.

2. Use Decorative Stocking Hooks

Hanging stockings on the mantel is a classic and beautiful way to showcase your stockings. But instead of hammering a couple of nails into the mantel and damaging the wood, opt for decorative stocking hooks instead. These hooks are weighted to sit on top of the mantel and handle the weight of the stocking without damaging the mantel itself. These are typically metal hooks and feature decorative elements such as snowflake, snowman, or reindeer accents.

3. Hang Them From A Banister

The banister naturally draws your eye up a stairway and it is a great place to hang your stockings. Use the rungs in the banister to space out your stockings. Simply thread a decorative ribbon through the loop on the stocking and use it to tie the stocking to the banister itself. Take this decoration one step farther by wrapping a garland and strand of lights up the banister as well.

4. Frame Them in a Window

Large picture windows, especially those in the front of a house, are an ideal way to showcase your family stockings. Using decorative ribbon, hang the stockings from either the top of the window frame or from the curtain rod. The best part of this type of display is that it is decorative from both inside the home and outside the home.

5. Adhesive Hooks and Decorative Letters

Large White wooden letters are readily available at your local arts and crafts store. Choose the letter that coordinates with each child’s name. While you are there, pick up some red and green acrylic paint and paint brushes. You will also need a strong adhesive hook and some picture mounting adhesive for each of the children in your family.

Once you get home, let each of your kids paint their letter with the Christmas paint. When it dries, hang the letter on the wall using the adhesive and add the hook directly under it. You will be able to hang the stocking below the letter of the child and display it throughout the holiday season. Best of all, when the holidays are over the adhesive hooks can be removed and stored away until next year.