Where to hang stockings without a mantel – 6 spots home stylists think are better

Of all the Christmas traditions, hanging a stocking on the mantlepiece feels like one of those childhood moments we get to relive time and time again, waiting for Santa to come and fill them up with gifts. But what if you don't have a mantle?

Luckily, you don't have to miss out on all the fun. There are plenty of other ways to integrate your stockings into other elements of your decor. That way, they'll look perfectly natural and can even become a focal point in their own right, way before Christmas Eve.

Here, some of our favorite home stylists offer their tips for hanging stockings without a mantelpiece so you can still enjoy this festive Christmas tradition.

Where to hang stockings without a mantel

'Whether made by an artisan or passed down through the generations, a beautiful handmade stocking can be a wonderful addition to your Christmas decor and there's no need to limit them to the mantelpiece,' says Pippa Blenkinsop, home stylist and Homes & Gardens contributor.

'They look beautiful hung as wall art or along the stairs, alternatively why not pop one on the corner of a guest bed or maybe bring a festive touch to the back of a powder room door?'

1. Hang stockings on bed frames 

The idea of hanging stockings on the end of a bed frame is just as old as hanging them on a mantelpiece, making it the perfect alternative if you are a stickler for tradition. What's more, they are the perfect cozy Christmas bedroom decor idea that will make waking up that much more special.

'Each member of my family has chosen their own stocking and, as a result, their style is very typical of the decor of their bedrooms,' says Jo Bailey, home stylist and print editor of Homes & Gardens and stylist. 'It's a small detail, but it makes hanging them pleasingly pretty.'

2. Use stockings for wall decor 

One of the wonderful things about Christmas stockings is that they are as beautiful as Christmas wall decors as they are functional. The result is that your stockings can be hung on walls as if they were an ornament, or even used to simply spruce up your Christmas entryway decor.

'If you have nowhere obvious to hang stockings then a peg rail wall shelf would be a great investment for year-round use but especially at Christmas,' suggests Simon Temprell, interior design manager at Neptune.

3. Decorate a stocking stand

If you don't fancy risking your wall paint, or want something more sturdy to help display stockings holding heavier gifts, consider investing in a stocking stand. These are readily available at places such as Amazon and offer a compact yet stylish way to keep stockings on display without risking the gifts inside.

4. Adding stockings to stair rails 

Your entryway is the perfect spot to hang stockings if you don't have a mantel. An entryway staircase already offers a multitude of opportunities for Christmas decorating, with space for Christmas garlands on handrails, string lights on stair railings, and stockings. They can, we think, be added to take your Christmas stair decor ideas to another level.

Simon Temprell continues, 'Stockings can be hung in many places around the home, it doesn’t always have to be the traditional mantel or bedstead. If you have a banister rail, try hanging stockings along that, and complete the look with some greenery twisted around the handrail.'

5. Use door handles to display stockings

Perhaps a slightly less practical location, hanging Christmas stockings on the handle of a door that isn't used very often (or even just on the back of the door itself) adds a wonderfully festive touch to your entry points.

'Hanging stockings on doors is a great alternative to Christmas wreath ideas for Christmas door decor,' says Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens content director. 'I think they look pretty enough to go up with the rest of your decorations in early December, too.'

6. Create a stocking ladder

If you have a blanket ladder in your home, give it a festive touch by swapping out the blankets for your Christmas stockings.

Using heavy-duty 'S' hooks will help to hand stockings from the varying rungs, creating a bit of visual interest with varying heights while keeping younger family members' stockings close to the ground so they can be easily reached (or high up, so no one opens gifts early).

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7. Hang family stockings around the dinner table

Christmas table gift ideas are a great way to make dinner start with a swing, but what about breakfast? One of the finest finishing touches to setting a Christmas table for friends and family is to adorn the dining chairs with a stocking for every diner. Hanging family stockings can act as a beautiful and thoughtful place card alternative to save a spot for each guest.

'You could even hang mini ones on the backs of dining chairs and pop little treats inside for dinner guests as an alternative to a table gift,' stylist Pippa Blenkinsop adds.

8. Hang stockings in windows

Christmas window decor ideas need reinvention in your home? Consider making a focal point of your Christmas stockings, using window ledges to suspend stockings, and find a new purpose for weighted mantel hooks.

'Windowsills can be useful surfaces for a weighted stocking hook, and the stockings could be supplemented with wrapped gifts and decorations across the sill,' offers Simon Temprell, designer.

Finding alternative places to hang Christmas stockings is just for those of us without fireplaces. Hanging stockings over a live fireplace that we use regularly is one of the most common fire risks in your home. More often than not it is better to display them elsewhere to protect your property over the festive season.