This might be the week that you’re going to be breaking out the holiday boxes and rifling through the tinsel and baubles, happily up to your elbows in ribbons and bows. (Or maybe you’ve already Christmas-ized your home with a ho-ho-ho?)
Whether your indoors is looking like a fantasy holiday village, or you’re still in the planning stages for an epic seasonal reveal, you can’t forget about the outside of your home for Christmas! (After all, that is what the neighbourhood will all be looking at as they drive by).
Christmas lights on your home are beautiful...but only at night. A holiday wreath on the front door says “Merry Christmas” like nothing else throughout history. It’s a tradition that sparks the seasonal spirit and turns your home into a holiday beacon during a long cold winter.
The best part about decorating your door is how personal and unique you can get! Sure, there are traditional wreaths that you can pick up from the market, with fresh greens and a few pinecones.
But why not get creative and make a wreath as unique as your home? Here we are going to share some of our favourite wreath embellishments that you can add onto your homemade, or storebought wreath base.
The Start of Any Great Wreath
To begin you need a base wreath, whether that's one you make yourself from gathered winter greenery, or one you purchase ready-made like a blank canvas. We're fond of wreaths that incorporate more than one kind of greenery, such as mixing Juniper and Fir together with touches of Cedar.
Make sure you measure your door first, if you're looking for a large wreath. You still have to get in and out of the house, after all! Larger oversized wreaths are perfect for the railing of a patio, garage door, or entrance fence area. Don't forget to pick up a door wreath hanger while you're out.
Gathering the Trimmings for Your Wreaths
The next step is to gather your trimmings! This can mean foraging through the yard for berries, branches and pinecones. Or it may take you to a garden centre where you can pick up a few branches of foliage and berries that you don't have in your garden. Take a look at our ideas below:
Pinecones, wooden shape accents, berries, sliced branches, Juniper berries, Seeded Eucalyptus, winter green variations.
Holly leaves and berries, Ilex, Magnolia leaves, Cedar branches, Rose Hips.
Various Eucalyptus accents and seed pods.
Other ideas that we love include faux succulents, cinnamon sticks, rustic twine, bells, ribbons & bows, faux birds or mushrooms, burlap and shiny Christmas ornaments.
Creating Your Masterpiece
To attach all of your accents to your wreath you need florist wire, in green or silver. It's a great idea to layout your accents around your wreath to see where you want to place them. Creating 'bunches' of accents (such as a Eucalyptus bunch), which can be attached to the wreath with wire, really helps to create a festive design that still shows off your winter greenery.
To create a wreath with accents throughout, alternate your bunches on the inner and outer areas of your wreath. Try to balance your coloured accents (such as berries) so that one side isn't red and the other only green. Tuck in branches of alternative greens such as Eucalyptus or Magnolia to add interest throughout.
If you want an asymmetrical wreath that has a large area of interest only on one side, then you can gather your accents together into bunches and wire them closely together. Sticking with only a few different types of accents will create more of an eye-catching design.
A ribbon, tied or wired onto the wreath, can be a finishing touch and add colour or sparkle. Of course, don't forget some battery operated twinkle lights to really make your wreath shine. These mini lights can be turned off and on, to preserve your batteries, and come in outdoor varieties.
Enjoy making your Christmas wreaths this year and decking those doors! Don't forget to have fun and experiment, you never know what will happen! Ho, ho, ho. (You can also take a look at our collection of wreath ideas on our pinterest board.) SaveSaveSaveSave
