With Christmas fast approaching, our December salary is in imminent peril. If you’re desperately seeking a cheap present idea for Secret Santa, you can’t go wrong with a Christmas wreath. Costing up to £75.00 in the shops, you can knock one up for less than a tenner. And it can all be done in your lunchbreak. Read on to find out more.
What is the meaning of hanging a wreath on your door?
Christmas wreaths have been around for a while but where did they come from? A wreath is a symbol of hospitality and celebration. Furthermore, the evergreens which form the base of the wreath represent the enduring cycle of life and nature. Originally the crowns for victors in Ancient Rome, they’re now a symbol of eternal life and protection from evil spirits.
How I discovered Christmas wreath making
I first discovered how to make Christmas wreaths as a volunteer with Horatio’s Garden during COVID. We made the wreaths as a lucrative way of generating much needed funds for the charity. Not being a crafty type, I was blown away by how easy, cheap and fun they are to make.
How to make a Christmas wreath – step one
The first step in making your wreath is to decide on the components. If you want a purely natural look, most items can be found on your doorstep. All you need is a handy pair of secateurs and a beady eye. Fir tree branches make a solid, evergreen base while the cones make a great finishing touch. Ivy is also in abundance in the UK and provides good, leafy bulk to the wreath. And while prickly, holly and holly berries provide a satisfying pop of colour to finish off your wreath. Finally, you don’t need to haul half your local woodland back with you either. A few branches and sprigs are all that’s needed.
What else do you need to make a wreath?
The essential items you’ll need to purchase are florist twine, available on Amazon for less than a fiver and a bit of ribbon to hang the wreath on the door. That’s it. If you prefer, you can also buy additional ornamentation such as cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, (which can also make at home), dried berries and fir cones. You can even add a felt animal if you so desire! If you don’t want to make the base yourself, you can buy one from Amazon or other online floristry stockists for around £6.00.
The wreath base – to create or not?
The wreath base is probably the trickiest part of the whole proceedings. You need to find willow branches which have the pliability to bend into the requisite shape. You need to start by carefully weaving together two branches as tightly as you can to create a loose circular shape. Once you have the first two branches done, you need to weave in more branches until the base becomes solid enough to withhold the ornamentation. If like me, you’re not particularly nimble-fingered, you can secure the branches with gardening twine instead. This part of the proceedings can take up to an hour.
If you haven’t got time to create a base from scratch, you can purchase a ready-made one from Amazon for as little as £6.00.
How make a Christmas wreath – step two
Once the base’s in place, the fun begins. Start with the fir branches weave them into the base with the garden twine. Secure the branches as tightly as you can and make sure the twine is bound within the base of the wreath. Next add a layer of ivy to further bulk out the wreath. At this stage, you may need to grab the secateurs and do a tad more pruning or you may wish to leave it fairly wild like mine. Wreaths come in all shapes and sizes so you can let the creative juices run wild.
Once the base layers are in place, you can then add the final ornamentation. Use more gardening twine to add the final touches which can include the pine cones, holly berries, orange slices and cinnamon sticks. I decided against the fir cones in the end as they were a bit too fiddly to attach. The final stage is to attach the ribbon to the top of the wreath to create a loop to hang the wreath on.
How long will the wreath last?
Depending on the components, your wreath should last four to six weeks. If you’re making it for a friend, hang it outside as exposure to the outdoors will keep it fresh longer. If this isn’t possible, spritz the leaves daily to keep the foliage fresh. Once Christmas is over, dispose of the natural elements but hang on to the twine and base for next year. That way, you can create a whole new wreath for free next year.
If you’ve never tried making a Christmas wreath before, now’s the time to have a go. It gets you out into nature and away from your screen for two precious hours. Christmas is about being creative about saving that hard-earned salary for much-needed mini breaks abroad next year!