How to Make a Christmas Candy Wreath

Small Christmas wreaths made with hard candies are a lot of fun. Along with displaying one near your door, they also make wonderful hostess gifts as you attend parties throughout the season. Best of all, they are inexpensive and only require a few basic materials to make several wreaths.

In the way of supplies, you will need a hot glue gun, sturdy cardboard, wrapping paper, plenty of individually wrapped hard candies, ribbon and bows, and a few paper clips. Also have a mixture of equal parts water and white glue on hand. For a little extra fun, purchase a few pairs of children's scissors.

First, make your wreath form. This can be accomplished by cutting a doughnut shape from the cardboard, Sturdy cardboard, like that harvested from a corrugated shipping box, is ideal for this purpose. As to size, this wreath design is best for smaller wreaths, roughly the size of a standard magazine, or maybe a little smaller.

With the cardboard wreath form ready, cut a piece of wrapping paper to cover the form itself. Don't spend time trying to get the angles just right. Instead, cut the paper to size, then wad it into a ball. Unfold the paper, then immerse it in the water/glue mixture for a couple of seconds, just long enough to saturate the paper. Apply the paper to the form, and let it dry. The rougher texture will help give the form a finished look, as well as add a little more strength to the form itself.

Once the form is dry, you can start gluing the individually wrapped pieces of hard candy to the form. Starting at the outside rim of the form, drop a small amount of hot glue on the wreath, then apply one end of the wrapping on the candy directly to the glue. Press the wrapping to create a solid seal. Repeat this process until you've made a complete circle around the perimeter of the form.

Continue adding lines of candies to the wreath form, slowly working your way to the inside rim of the form. Space the candies as closely as possible; this will give the wreath a fuller look.

Once all the candies are firmly in position, use the ribbon to make a bow for the top center area of the wreath. The bow can be a large or small as you like, and can be embellished with a small sprig of artificial pine if you like. Attach with a drop of hot glue.

Along the back, bend a paper clip outward to form a hanger. Secure the hanger in place with hot glue and allow it to harden.

For a finishing touch, attach a pair of the scissors to the wreath. This makes it possible to hang the wreath near your front door before a party. As guests leave, they can clip off a piece of candy to enjoy on the way home.

Have fun with the choice of hard candies. You can go for all red and white mints, mix them with green and white mints, or include other hard candies like butterscotch or cinnamon. Your choice of candies can be based on the colors you use for Christmas, or the types of hard candies you and your loved ones enjoy.