I found some time to assemble our Christmas wreath for the front door a few days ago. I always intend to do this at the start of December, but somehow time runs away with me. It’s the type of thing I would have baulked at in my 20’s and 30’s when time was spent in different ways and the idea of making one would have filled me with a mix of horror and concern. It’s fine to admire wreaths on other people’s doors, but to construct one myself – where would I even begin?
I take inspiration from the wreaths I see locally, and the images of the frankly superior versions you see on many front doors in the run-up to Christmas. Wreath-making seems to be a recent American import – my barometer for these things is to ask myself whether anyone I knew, including our family, did this when I was growing up. The answer is a resounding ‘no’ but I’ve gone ahead and adopted the tradition anyway because I usually like the final effect.
Learning how to do it
About 10 years ago I went to a wreath-making workshop. Whilst there, awkwardly brandishing my flower snips, the mystery finally revealed itself. With the right tools and an abundance of greenery, the technique isn’t too tricky. It’s fun to personalise a wreath and create something that hopefully lasts until the New Year, when I’ll pluck it from its hanger with a sense of relief and a purging of all things Christmas.
I bought the basic wreath frame a while back and have since added wires and wire cutters as well. The next step is to get in the car and find some moss. I don’t like taking too much moss from anywhere but it’s more ecologically friendly than using Oasis or anything plastic.
This year’s moss gathering trip was somewhat more lively than usual. I drove to a local spot where I know of some very mossy banks right next to a secluded path. It’s the kind of place you don’t expect to meet anyone for hours, days, if ever. So imagine my surprise, as I bent down with the trowel and the trug, to nearly bump into a runner emerging from the path at high speed. The near collision was peppered with, let’s say, some choice language on both sides. He definitely started it, your Honour. I’ll be charitable and say we were both taken by surprise. Once my heart rate had calmed down and he’d run on in a cascade of sweat, I focussed on returning to the spirit of Christmas and gathered my moss and some greenery before retreating to the car as fast as I could before anyone else could jump out.
Assembling the wreath
Then it’s important to bring all the elements together as soon as you can. The moss should be sprayed with water to keep it damp and pliable – the stems of the greenery will hold to it much better if you do this. Group the greenery into small bunches, secure them with wires and attach them to the wreath in a clockwise pattern. Then insert more wires into dried oranges, apples, decorations, pine cones etc. It all gets tied together with a ribbon at the bottom and another ribbon to fix it at the top of the door (or however you want to do this).
Ours is now in place, hanging over the door knocker, and obscuring the small window in the front door, so it just needs a haircut and it will all be ready to go.
Happy wreathing!
So pretty! You’ve inspired me to give it a try next year.