Do It Yourself: Outside Christmas Wreath Decoration

Homemade wreaths add holiday cheer to doors and windows.

Making your own outdoor Christmas wreath decorations can save money and ensure that your home or apartment has a holiday look that is all its own. Designing and creating outdoor decorations can also be a fun project for a holiday family gathering.

Things You'll Need

• Wire wreath form
• Evergreen branches
• Hand branch trimmer
• Red velvet ribbon. 2 inches wide. 10 feet in length or longer depending on size of bow desired.
• Wire ties
• Scissors

Instructions

Evergreen Wreath

1. 

   Pine boughs make decorative, fresh-smelling wreaths.

   Cut enough pine boughs to cover your wire wreath form plus enough extra boughs for layering to add fullness. Cut each bough about one and a half feet long. Wear gloves and use a hand branch trimmer to cut each branch. For an extra decorative touch, include branches that have pine cones attached.

2. 

   Use pine boughs with long or short needles.

   Place a wire wreath form on a table. Cover the form with pine boughs. Place the first bough on the form and add a second bough four inches to the left. Continue adding boughs, each one four inches to the left of the branch before it. Continue the pattern until the form is covered and your wreath has the fullness you desire. Close the medal arms on the form. Make sure all stray nipped ends are tucked into the other boughs.

3. 

   Making your own bows is fun and saves money.

   Make a large bow. Cut red ribbon into a 10-foot length. Leave a 1-foot tail hanging. At the 1-foot mark gather the ribbon in your hand going back and forth creating 7-inch overlaps. If a larger bow is desired, make overlaps at least 1 foot each in length, and use a piece of ribbon that is 12 feet in length or longer. Do 10 overlaps. Leave a second one-foot tail of ribbon hanging. Take a wire tie and wrap it around the middle of the lapped ribbons, securing it tightly. Start pulling each side of the ribbon loops up and out to form a bow. Use the two 1-foot tail pieces you created at the start to attach the ribbon to the wreath.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear gloves because pine resin is really hard to get off your hands.

• Have an adult handle the hand limb trimmer to cut the pine boughs. They are very sharp.

References

• Tip Deck: How to make outdoor Christmas decorations