A real wreath costs $60-100 at a florist. You can make one yourself for under $20 that looks just as good. The only specialty supply you need is a wire frame — everything else is either foraged or cheap from a craft store. Here's how to do it.
What You Need
- A wire wreath frame (12 or 14 inch, about $3-5 at a craft store)
- Floral wire (about $4 for a spool)
- Wire cutters or heavy scissors
- Greens — see below
- Optional: ribbon, dried oranges, pinecones, cinnamon sticks
That's it. The frame and wire are the only things you have to buy. Everything else can be foraged or scavenged.
Getting Your Greens
You don't have to buy branches. Go forage them.
Good options:
- Pine, fir, or spruce branches (from your own tree or a friendly neighbor's)
- Cedar — the flat fan-shaped branches look great
- Juniper — blue-green with little berries
- Rosemary — smells amazing and looks like mini pine
- Eucalyptus — from a florist or grocery store, about $5 for a bunch
- Holly — but watch the spikes
A mix of two or three types looks better than all one kind. You want a base of something full (pine, cedar) and then accents of something with a different texture or color.
Cut branches into 4-6 inch pieces. Strip the last inch of needles off so you have a clean stem to wire on.
Building the Wreath
This is the same method florists use. It's called a "worked wreath" and it's easier than it sounds.
Take 3-4 pieces of greenery and bundle them together. Lay the bundle on the frame at a slight angle. Wrap floral wire around the stems and the frame 3-4 times to secure. Don't cut the wire — keep it on the spool.
Make a second bundle. Lay it on the frame so it overlaps the first, covering the stems. Wire it on. Keep going around the frame, each bundle covering the stems of the last one.
When you get all the way around, lift the first bundle and tuck the last bundle's stems under it. Wire it. Now cut the wire and tie it off on the frame.
Go back and fluff the branches so they look full. Tuck in any stray stems. You can add more wire where things feel loose.
The whole process takes about 20-30 minutes once you have your materials.
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Adding Decorations
A plain green wreath is beautiful. If you want to add more, less is more.
A bow: a velvet ribbon tied at the bottom or top. 2-3 yards of ribbon, tied in a simple bow with long tails. Wire it to the frame. The bow is the most traditional addition.
Dried oranges: slice oranges thin, bake at 200°F for 2-3 hours until dry. Wire 3-4 slices onto the wreath in a cluster. They look great and smell good.
Pinecones: wire small ones directly to the frame. Use a piece of wire wrapped around the base of the cone and twist it onto the frame.
Cinnamon sticks: tie 3-4 together with wire in a bundle and attach to the wreath. They smell good and add a warm color.
Don't add all of these. Pick one or two accents. The greenery is the star.
How to Keep It Alive
A real wreath will dry out. To keep it looking good for 3-4 weeks:
Mist it with water every few days. Don't soak it — just a light spray.
Keep it out of direct sun if possible. A covered porch is better than a south-facing door.
Don't put it between a screen door and the main door — it'll get crushed.
If it dries out and starts dropping needles, it's done. Take it down before it looks sad. A dried wreath isn't a good look.
Variations to Try
A boxwood wreath: all boxwood, tight and clean. Very modern and simple.
A eucalyptus wreath: all eucalyptus, silver-green. Dries beautifully and keeps its shape. It'll last months.
A kitchen wreath: use rosemary, bay, and dried chilies. It's a wreath you can cook with. Fun and unusual.
A dried flower wreath: use strawflowers, yarrow, and dried statice. It lasts all winter. A little hippie but pretty.
The thing about a DIY wreath is that even the ugly ones look handmade and good. Don't aim for perfection. Aim for full and a little wild.
