How to Make a Holiday Wreath

Evergreen wreaths have been a symbol of holiday celebrations for centuries. The wholesome vision of a ribbon-tied wreath hanging on the front door, welcoming Christmas visitors, is symbolic of traditional holiday decoration. The image of the wreath, seen in everything from wrapping paper and Christmas cards to sugar cookies and ornaments, is an icon of good will and celebration.

There are so many options available in decorative hanging wreaths. The best, by far, is a genuine wreath made out of real evergreen branches. You can buy wreaths from any number of places, but pre-made wreaths tend to be rather generic and over priced. Once you find out how easy and rewarding it is to make on yourself, creating a custom Christmas wreath will become a yearly holiday tradition for you.

There are two methods to create a wreath. The first is a frameless method using thicker branches to form the structure of the wreath. The second method is using a pre-made frame and covering it with smaller branches and cuttings. Both methods produce great looking wreaths. The size and type of materials you have available will dictate which method you should use.

You can get fresh evergreen branches and cuttings in the same places that sell live Christmas trees. Quality tree lots will trim and shape the trees to match the buyer's requirements, producing a pile of left-over branches and material you can use. Material can also be acquired when you trim you own tree, from your neighbors, pruning yard trees, or from landscaping services. Spruce, pine, hemlock, and even holly can be used to create festive evergreen wreaths. Small cuttings and twigs are not too small to use if you use the frame method.

The key to the frame method is making sure the frame does not show. The best way to achieve this is by using a very thin, easily camouflaged frame. Craft stores sell thick Styrofoam and wooden frames you can buy, but it is very difficult to conceal these frames completely, resulting in an amateurish and clumsy looking wreath. A better, and cheaper, frame can be made using two wire coat hangers and some thin floral utility wire sold at hardware and department stores.

First, open up one of the coat hangers to form a large, round loop, keeping the hook intact. Next, bend the second hanger to form a circle two or three inches smaller than the first hanger, making the excess wire into a short stem below the hook. Using pliers, twist this stem around a few times so the loop will retain its shape. Center the smaller looped hanger inside the larger one, and twist the hook of the smaller hanger around the base of the hook of the larger hanger. Connect them together with three inch long pieces of wire spaced every six inches along the perimeter of the loops. Maintain a consistent gap between the two loops.

The frame is now complete. The spaced loops and connecting wires provide a lattice structure that you can attach the evergreen clippings and decorations onto and the coat hanger hook will be used to hang up the wreath. Start attaching the clippings at the top, below the hook. Work downward in each direction, being sure to overlap the twigs so the stems do not show. Completely cover the framework, and build up the twigs in overlapping layers. The easiest way to attach them is with Christmas tree ornament hangers made out of thin, green vinyl-coated wire. These hangers are very cheap and are easily shaped with the hands. Using these hooks instead of a spool of floral wire will save you a lot of time constantly cutting wires.

The other method of creating a wreath is to use larger branches in place of a separate frame. This method is also used when you want a larger wreath than it is possible to make with a hanger frame. Begin by looking at the branches. You will notice that most are slightly curved, and that often on side of the needles are darker than the other. Select the thickest branch for the top, since it will have a hanger attached to it and support the weight of the rest. Now is the best time to make a loop out of a thick piece of wire to be used as a hanger, and wrap it securely around the thick branch.

Working with the natural shape of the branch, bend it to match the intended size of the wreath. Trim out any braches that are too thick to bench or that will stick out. Lay the branch down on a large table, dark side up, with the stem to the left and end of the twigs to the right. Repeat this process with the other branches, laying them don on top of the first in counter-clockwise order so that the twigs overlap and cover the stems.

Continue until the entire wreath is laid out, adjusting and adding branches as needed. Wrap ornament hanger wires around the stems of the branches where they cross. This connects them all together and creates the structure of the wreath, so attached them in many places, being sure that the twisted wire is on the rear side of the wreath. The loose end of the twigs will cover the hangers.

Once the evergreen material completed, it is time to decorate. Tie a wide ribbon around the base of hanger hook. This covers up the hanger hook and ends of the stems, and also will hang down into the center of the wreath. A decorative dove or silver bell from a craft store could be attached in place of the bow.

The next step of decorating the wreath is what makes it unique, personal and better than a store bought wreath. Almost anything can be used to decorate the wreath and make it your own creation with true meaning. You can match the style of your Christmas tree with ornaments or give it a different theme. Beads, cranberries, bits of Christmas cards, cinnamon sticks, broaches, silk flowers, gingerbread men, tiny toys, stockings, pictures in lockets, tied ribbons and even Christmas tree lights can all be used.

There is no correct way to decorate your wreath. You can look in magazines for inspiration, but make it your own and reflective of your family. When the wreath is complete, hang it up and enjoy it throughout the season. An evergreen wreath will remain fresh and beautiful for months. You can hang it on the outside of your front door, but it would be even better inside where you can enjoy it more. A special bonus of having a real evergreen wreath inside your home is that it will fill the room with the wonderful and nostalgic scent of real pine or spruce. This is especially nice if your use an artificial Christmas tree, since the evergreen smell is so evocative and memorable and connected with tradition holiday joy!