Millie Bobby Brown Dresses Her Christmas Tree With This 100-Year-Old Holiday Accent – And It Instantly Elevates Any Festive Display

The actress and her husband, Jake Bongiovi, designed a festive entryway that feels effortlessly stylish today and timeless for generations to come – designers reveal the secrets behind its enduring appeal

Millie Bobby Brown attends Netflix's "Stranger Things" Season 4 New York Premiere at Netflix Brooklyn on May 14, 2022 in Brooklyn, New York
(Image credit: Getty Images / Theo Wargo / Staff)

Few Christmas traditions are as timeless as red ribbons – one said to symbolize family bonds – that have endured through decades of evolving decor trends. Red ribbons are budget-friendly, simple, and accessible, yet that hasn’t stopped the likes of Millie Bobby Brown from bringing them to the forefront of her tree.

Last year, the Stranger Things actress and her husband, Jake Bongiovi, used their Christmas tree to show that time-honored holiday traditions remain ageless, incorporating red ribbon with gold trim to add instant texture. Staying true to classic Christmas decorating ideas, the couple complemented the ribbon with red and green ornaments and white string lights, creating a Christmas color palette that has endured for years – and remains entirely relevant for 2025.

'A Christmas classic, red ribbon is a great investment as it’ll never be out of style for the festive season,' comments Samantha Picard, an ambassador at Balsam Hill. When styling red ribbon, it’s impossible to go wrong. Millie wraps the ribbon around the tree, but this year, Samantha recommends transforming ribbons into bows for Christmas.

'Ribbon is trending this year because of the popularity of bows, which shows no signs of waning: bow videos on TikTok and Instagram have been viewed more than 1 billion times,' she adds. 'I love to attach pretied bows to garlands and wreaths, as these oversized pieces add fantastic impact and drama, and the red really pops against green foliage.'

'Red ribbon offers a timeless charm for Christmas decor. It's rich hue evokes warmth and festivity; it is also a versatile choice for various settings,' according to the experts at Blooming Haus. Ribbons are one way to give your tree a modern feel – they also recommend weaving ribbon through branches for a cascading, contemporary effect.

'In the entryway or on your Christmas front door, red ribbon is often used to adorn or hang Christmas wreaths. It can serve as the main and only feature for a simple yet effective festive touch, or complement other decorations. For extra charm, choose deep crimson velvet ribbons, which can be used year after year,' they conclude.

Whether draped gracefully around a tree, tied into oversized bows, or woven through garlands and wreaths, red ribbon remains a symbol of festive tradition and enduring style. Its effortless charm, versatility, and timeless appeal ensure it will continue to elevate Christmas interiors year after year.

In 2025, as ever, the simple elegance of red ribbon proves that the most impactful decorations are often the ones that honour both heritage and modern creativity.

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Sophie Edwards
News Editor

Sophie is a writer and News Editor on the Celebrity Style team at Homes & Gardens. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly passionate about researching trends and interior history. She is an avid pop culture fan and has interviewed Martha Stewart and Hillary Duff.

In her free time, Sophie freelances on design news for Westport Magazine and Livingetc. She also has a newsletter, My Friend's Art, in which she covers music, culture, and fine art through a personal lens. Her fiction has appeared in Love & Squalor and The Isis Magazine.

Before joining Future, Sophie worked in editorial at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens brand. She has an MSc from Oxford University and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.

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