Old-Fashioned Christmas Wreath From Scratch

DIY Old-Fashioned Christmas Wreath From Scratch

‘Hang a wreath at your threshold on Christmas
In token of Love, Life and Beauty,
For like the bound circle of evergreen foliage,
They have neither end nor beginning.
And weave in bright berries and fruits, or a riband,
For Joy, Mirth, Bounty, and friendly Good Cheer.’

(Trimming The Christmas Table, 1928)

Make an all-natural, old-fashioned Christmas wreath this Christmas! This Christmas wreath is made from scratch without a straw or foam base: All you need is greenery, water shoots, red berries and cotton twine. The Christmas wreath is all-natural, made without wire and glue, so you can compost the wreath after the holiday season! The Christmas wreath from scratch is so quick to make – it takes less than half an hour!

Old-Fashioned Christmas Wreath

You’ll need:

  • water shoots – I used mirabelle plum and apple tree water shoots
  • cotton twine or cotton yarn
  • greenery – such as fir, pine, spruce, boxwood, thuja, ivy, blueberry, broom
  • twigs with red berries – rose hips or hawthorn berries
  • optional: pine cones, teasels, ribbon
  • scissors & pruning shears

How To Make A Natural Twig Wreath

DIY Twig Wreath

Fresh cut water shoots bend easily. If you want to use old, brittle twigs, soak them in warm water for some hours to make them pliable. Bend on of the water shoots into a circle. Tie the ends together with the yarn. Take another twig and wrap it around the first twig. Then wrap yarn around the twigs to keep them in place. Continue to wrap twigs and yarn around the twig wreath.

DIY Wreath From Scratch

DIY Christmas Wreath

Cut a length of yarn (about two or three arm’s length) – you can join the yarn with an overhand knot later if it’s too short. Tie an overhand knot around the DIY twig wreath. Lay a bundle of greenery (and berries) on the twig wreath. Wrap the yarn around the stems of the greenery. Add another greenery bundle so that it overlaps the first bundle by half, and wrap the yarn around the stems again. Continue till the twig wreath is covered with greenery and berries. Secure the yarn with some knots on the back side of the wreath and cut off the yarn.

Christmas Wreath History

Christmas Wreaths In The 1920s

On ‘the door hangs a jolly Christmas wreath — made of evergreen, and red and silver gray berries. […] The house next door […] displays another beautiful wreath — made of evergreens and bittersweet. Across the street, there is a house with a blue-painted door, and on it hangs a wreath made of orange-colored kumquats, against thick, glossy green
foliage. […]

Any rich green foliage that will keep fresh throughout the holiday week is satisfactory for wreaths. Of course, holly is the most prized of all Christmas greens, but it has been cut so ruthlessly, and is so slow growing, that it is becoming scarce even in the places where
it is native.

But there are lots of other greens which can be used for wreaths — hemlock, cedar, pine, spruce, balsam, and fir. Effective wreaths can also be made with laurel, ground hemlock, boxwood, smilax, the glossy foliage of citrus fruits, and dozens of other kinds of trees, shrubs, and vines.

DIY Christmas Wreath With Snow Covered Pine Cones
DIY eco-friendly snow covered pine cones

Against the green of these wreaths can be used berries, fruits, cones, and seed pods. Some of the most effective combinations are bittersweet and pine cones; red alder and silver-gray bayberries, feathery marsh rosemary, or pine cones. The little red-orange Chinese lanterns are jolly, arranged in sprays around a green wreath. The burry heads of teasels, which grow in New York State, are very decorative against a green background.

All these wreaths, made of materials not affected by wind and weather, are much better hung on the outside of doors and windows. They keep fresher, show off to better advantage, and the house is not littered. […] pliable wire is needed […] for binding the evergreen twigs to the wooden hoop, in making the wreath, and for fastening the berries, cones, or other decorations in place. […]

A wreath is a charming table decoration. The circle of candles for the center of the table can be fastened into place on heavy cardboard. Any rich green foliage that will keep fresh
throughout the holiday week will be satisfactory for wreaths. I saw a picture the other day of an oblong table, with a pretty runner on it. In the center of the table was an oblong wreath of evergreen, holly, and cones. In the center of the wreath were three tall red candles.’ (Trimming The Christmas Table, 1928)

73 thoughts on “Old-Fashioned Christmas Wreath From Scratch

  1. Thank you so much for the precise instructions on how to make this beautiful wreath! I also enjoyed reading your quote from “Trimming the Christmas Table, 1928 at the beginning of your blog!
    Merry Christmas to you! ?

  2. I really didn’t know all this about wreaths!! Such great information and helpful instructions for a lovely homemade wreath. Thanks for sharing with us at #bloggerspitstop Debbie from Debs-World.com

  3. I can smell your fresh greenery through my computer screen. Thanks for sharing this tutorial. I must check my rose bushes for Rose Hips, I had no idea. Thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best.

  4. I am a real fan of natural wreaths so this is right up my alley. And I also believe if you remove some of the red you can use it all winter long.

  5. The wreath is beautiful and the saying you shared at the beginning touched my heart. Hanging wreaths on the doors is something I love to do! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!

  6. I love that this beautiful fresh wreath is made completely from scratch Lina. Thank you for sharing it at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I’m delighted to be featuring it at tomorrow night’s party and pinning too.
    Hugs,
    Kerryanne

  7. Hi Lina,

    So pretty – I love that the wreath is handmade, it is so much more charming than the mass produced store bought versions. And the look back into history is so interesting.

    Stopping by from the Best of the Weekend Link Up. Nice to meet you!

  8. This is such a lovely post and you make it look so easy….I have a twig base already so might actually give it a go this year! I’ve shared your post on my regular feature on PainPalsBlog “Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!”

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