| Christmas wreaths are an old Christmas tradition that | | | | end of the foliage and then twist the wire around the |
| is used to decorate the outside of the house, typically | | | | wreath ring with another piece of wire. Repeat this |
| on the front door, to give Christmas time visitors a | | | | procedure an inch or two further down the stem. |
| festive greeting. | | | | During the first round of the wreath the foliage will slide |
| To make a Christmas wreath you will need a wreath | | | | around a little bit but the more you put on the more |
| ring, florist wire (you can get these cheaply from our | | | | stable it will become. Keep your work flat on a |
| local florist) and some vegetation. | | | | tabletop to prevent movement. |
| Take a walk around your local park, your garden or in | | | | Much of building the wreath is to place your foliage to |
| the countryside. Take a bag and some scissors with | | | | make something pleasing to the eye, with interest |
| you and collect interesting vegetation to make a | | | | around the whole of the wreath. |
| Christmas wreath. Under no circumstances should you | | | | However there are some general rules of the thumb. |
| pick plants from other people's gardens unless you | | | | Use the inner and outer rings as separate 'rounds' filling |
| have their permission to do so. | | | | both rings makes a full plush wreath. |
| Collect evergreens, ivy and loral leave are good. Some | | | | You will find that you can make rounds appear to |
| leaves are a silvery grey; these add a frosty feeling to | | | | have a direction. This is when the stems all lay the |
| the wreath. Conifers are popular in people's gardens. | | | | same way. Wreaths look best if a round follows the |
| Do you have a conifer in your garden? Conifers don't | | | | same direction. However, the two rings on the wreath |
| have overly interesting foliage but they make a great | | | | ring don't necessarily have to go in the same direction. |
| base to the wreath. | | | | The more you add, the better it looks. |
| Also look out for holly or other shrubs that bear | | | | Save the 'feature' or fancier pieces until last so that |
| berries. Berries add colour to the wreath. Look out for | | | | they sit on the top layer of the wreath where they |
| dried seedpods such as poppies, teasels and | | | | can be seen. |
| pinecones. Seedpods can be spray painted silver or | | | | To add pine cones, wrap some wore around the |
| gold and used to add interest to the wreath. If you do | | | | bottom layer of the cone seeds, and twist the two |
| intend to use spray paint any pieces do this well in | | | | wire stems firmly together and push the wire into the |
| advance of the day you intend to make the wreath to | | | | wreath and twist them together at the back of the |
| give the paint enough time to dry. When using spray | | | | wreath. You could also wire on Christmas baubles. |
| paint always closely follow the direction of use printed | | | | When the wreath is finished hang it on your front door |
| on the back of the tin. | | | | for all to see and appreciate. |
| To make the wreath | | | | S. Roberts writes for where Santa writes FREE |
| To attach pieces of foliage to the wreath ring you cut | | | | personalised emails and children can write and tell |
| to piece to length and wrap the wire around the lower | | | | Father Christmas their Christmas wish list. |