Okay, so you have TONS of tutorials for Christmas stockings that you could tackle between now and Christmas, but you don’t have a mantel on which to hang them. Not to worry! Santa doesn’t really care where the stockings are hung (he has an uncanny ability to find them wherever they are). What I’ve heard is that he actually LIKES to find them hanging in less prosaic places. If true, these 10 Christmas stocking hanging ideas will surely please him.
1. Hang Christmas stockings from a branch

This first example (find the tutorial over at The Merrythought) shows you exactly how to hang your stockings from a found tree branch. Different types of branches, greenery, and stockings can completely change the feel, as seen below in this more farmhouse rustic version.

2. Hang them from a bookcase

No scrounging around in the yard for this one. If you have a bookcase, you’re good to go.

3. Use a coat rack to hang your stockings

They’re already made for hanging things, right? Let your coat rack do double duty, like this one seen over at Jenna Sue Design Co., and this one below of a simple peg rack.

4. Put them on a coat tree

Don’t have a coat rack? How about a coat tree? Basically, anything with the word “coat” in it, just replace with “stocking.”
5. Hang from a ladder

A ladder provides a perfect backdrop to handmade stockings, whether folded (above) or on a lean-to (below).

6. Hang from a piano

Okay, upright pianos might be even more scarce than fireplaces, but this idea from Cherished Bliss deserves a highlight.
7. Hang from a stairwell

Better Homes & Gardens points us to this idea for those with the right staircase.
8. Hang in the window

Windows are a fun place to hang your stockings. String them from the top of the window frame, hang them from your window locks, or from weighted stocking holders. When hanging your stockings by the window, do so with care (in the hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there!).

9. Hang from the bedpost

This next idea will take some stealth to fill on Santa’s part, but how cute for the kiddo to wake up to a stocking hung on their bedpost! Less stealthy would be to hang them on the outside bedroom door knobs.
10. Hang at the foot of the bed

Of course said kiddos will probably wake you up at the crack of dawn anyway, so how about hanging them from the foot of your bed?
11. Hang from a pair of skis

Swoosh! Skis mounted to the wall make a great place to hang your socks. Or prop a pair against the wall for a similar effect.

12. Hang from a faux mantel

If you’re unhappy with trying to substitute a mantel, you may be able to create a fake one instead. The Faux Martha made hers using a board and two small bookcases. You could also draw a fireplace beneath a shelf, like this one displayed for Target.

13. Hang from wall hooks

Simply hang Christmas stocking directly onto the wall. If you’re adverse to putting more holes in your home, you could also hang them with Command hooks.

14. Hang them with greenery

Hide hooks or racks with a bit of garland.
15. Hang from a drying rack

I think the one thing to take away from this post is that if it has a hook, you can hang a Christmas stocking on it.
16. Hang from a DIY rack

If you don’t love any of the ideas on this list, start from scratch and make your own stocking rack, like this one above from Poppytalk, or this board below from Lolly Jane.

Just found this. I’ve been hanging ours (six including the cats and even seven one year) on the piano as above. I do play the piano and like to practice every day. It’s simple enough to move the few that hang down to the keys and in front of my music and then hang them back up when I am done. They look really pretty there. I’d like to find another place to hang them but this has been working for several years.
I love the ladder ideal.I have been using a child size coat rack for yrs but with the family growing I need more room.Thanks for sharing