Day 3 - Wreath Making

Day 3 - 12 Presents of Christmas

The tradition of wreaths dates back to ancient Rome, where they were made using laurel or olive branches and were given out at events such as the Olympic Games. The idea of advent wreaths was likely to have been adopted in the 16th century in Germany. However, the first record is from 1833 when a clergyman lit a candle in a wreath every Sunday to tell the nativity story.

During the 19th century is when wreaths were made to hang on the front door, also known as ‘welcome rings’. They usually consisted of holly, ivy, pine cones and ribbons.

Wreath making is a great activity for all ages, as well as families. You can makes wreaths at home, or even attend a workshop. There are a host of wreath making workshops in and around Sheffield.

You can either buy a wreath with the foliage already attached or you can buy the wire frame and foliage separately to create one completely from scratch. You then have the choice to use artificial or real branches, of which you can choose different types of foliage such as pine or fir branches.

To create the wreath from scratch, take the wire frame, the foliage of your choice, reel wire and scissors/secateurs.

Take a bunch of the branches and wrap the wire around the branches and the wire frame. Repeat this around the whole of the frame until it is no longer visible. You can also take some additional leaves, such as eucalyptus to add different shades of green and textures.

Once the base of the wreath is complete, this is where you can get creative and add what you want! Pinecones, dried fruit slices, berries, cinnamon sticks, and even lights or baubles are common additions.

For attaching sliced dried fruit to the wreath, use the wire to pierce through two slices and twist the end over to secure it. Use the excess wire on the end to attach it to the wreath.

To attach pinecones, take the wire and wrap it around the base of the pinecone between the open scales. Then secure again by twisting the end. Leave some excess wire for attaching to the wreath. Do the same for most other decorations you want to add, and ensure to distribute them evenly across the wreath.

Make sure to cut off the excess wire from your additions, and add a ribbon behind the wreath for hanging. You can also add a large bow to finish!