Wreath Making

Making my own Christmas Wreath

There’s something special about making your own Christmas wreath. The process allows you to add personal touches, creativity, and Christmas spirit into a timeless tradition. This year, I decided to spend a cozy day crafting my very own Christmas wreath, and it turned out to be really easy!. Here’s a look at how I created my wreath from scratch using real spruce tree branches, a wicker hoop, and a selection of really inexpensive decorations.

The first step in the wreath making process was gathering all the materials. I chose real cut spruce tree branches, I’m not fortunate enough to have a large enough tree in my garden to cut from, but the local supermarket sold real cut Christmas trees for only £15! and it was enough to do about 6 wreaths. I also had an old wicker hoop that would serve as the base for my wreath. You can use a wire or straw hoop for this, whichever you prefer. Also, if you want to add even more greenery and foliage to your wreath, check your local woodlands guidelines as most allow you to go foraging and take cuttings for personal use!

For the decorations, I went with a mix of dried orange slices, berries, and pine cones. The orange slices add a lovely pop of colour and a citrusy fragrance, (they’re dried but can sometimes rehydrate when outdoors). I also made sure to have some floral wire on hand to wrap everything securely, along with scissors and pruners for cutting and shaping the branches. I would also advise to wear gloves as the branches can sometime scratch a little!

Building the wreath

I cut multiple sized branches from my tree, don’t discard all the little pieces they come in very handy! When I had plenty to get me going I began laying them one at a time on the hoop, in a clockwise direction. Each branch I laid down I then tightly wrapped with floral wire (you can also use string).  When youve done a complete circle, go around again with a second layer to fill out the wreath, clipping off any areas that appear slightly misshaped or sticking out too far. This part of the process is what takes the most time, I also used a few zip ties to keep some of the larger branches in place. Once I was then happy with the overall look, I started evenly placing out my dried orange, berries and pinecones. Again, using floral wire, I twisted and attached these into place and secured tightly. If you do have any additional foliage such as holly, mistletoe,  feathers or cinnamon then now would be a good time to add it. I finished my wreath off using my trusty bow maker and picked a colour that complemented our green front door. A real wreath should last well into January and sometimes you can even get away with making them last until spring where you can save it as a base layer for all you spring foliage and flowers.

Happy wreath making! David xx 🙂