Millie Bobby Brown dresses her Christmas tree with this century-old holiday accessory – it brings instant texture against the white lights and branches

Few Christmas traditions are as timeless as red ribbons – one (said to symbolize family bonds) that has lived through decades of ever-changing decor trends. Red ribbons are budget-friendly, simple, and accessible to all, but that hasn't stopped the likes of Millie Bobby Brown from bringing them to the forefront of her tree.

The Stranger Things actress and model Jake Bongiovi used their Christmas tree as a reminder that time-honored holiday traditions are ageless for a reason – using red ribbon (with a gold trim) to bring instant texture to their tree. Staying true to more Christmas decorating traditions, the couple complemented the ribbon with red and green ornaments and white string lights – creating a color palette that has prolonged for years.

'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. Bobby Brown wraps the ribbon around the tree – but this year, Picard recommends turning ribbons into bows.

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

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

'In the entryway or on your front door, red ribbon is usually used to adorn or hang wreaths. Red ribbon is happy to be the main and only character for a simple yet effective festive touch, or it can also be complimentary to many other festive decorations. For extra charm, choose deep crimson velvet ribbons. A bonus is that you can use this year after year!'