Everything you need to know about Christmas wreaths

The Christmas wreath is a popular Christmas decoration. It is hung on the door or above the fireplace, and is also used instead of a candlestick. To decorate your home with such an accessory, you do not have to spend a lot of money on it. After all, almost everyone can make an original wreath with their own hands.

The tradition of using Christmas wreaths to decorate homes was founded by a German pastor in 1839. The first such accessory was created from a simple wooden wheel decorated with candles. Over time, instead of heavy and bulky crafts, people began to use lighter wreaths. They were made from materials that were always at hand. Ordinary spruce branches or willow twigs were most often used to create decorations.

The classic Christmas wreath is decorated with four candles. They announce the birth of Jesus and illuminate the world with their glow. These candles begin to be lit four weeks before the holiday. On the first Sunday, only one candle is used, but before the holiday all four are already lit.

Each of them has its own name and meaning.

• Candle of Prophecy. It lights up first. This candle testifies to the imminent coming of Jesus Christ.
• Bethlehem... From the moment it is lit, people begin to prepare to meet Jesus.
• Candle of the Shepherds. By lighting it, people share their faith with others, like the shepherds who told the whole world the story of the birth of Christ.
• Angelic Candle. She lights up last and fills the world with her light and warmth.

Modern Christmas wreaths for decorating a room come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The frame of such a craft can be made of metal wire, vines or cardboard. These materials hold their shape perfectly. You can attach decorative elements to them using the same wire or hot glue.

The base of the craft is usually round. Oval wreaths are a little less common. Fans of original accessories should pay attention to wreaths in the form of snowflakes, stars or hearts.

A blank made of branches or wire is most often decorated with spruce branches and cones. But instead of them, you can use other materials at hand.

• Christmas balls. To create such a craft, you can use toys of different colors and sizes. Most often, craftsmen choose traditional New Year's combinations. For example, white and red, blue and silver, or green and gold. Compositions of monochromatic toys look no less beautiful. Ball wreaths look bright and impressive.

• Marshmallow... This sweet wreath of small marshmallows will appeal to children of any age. To create it, a round foam base and sweets are used, which are attached to it with toothpicks. They are located very close to each other. This decoration can be used at a children's party. It will definitely be appreciated by all guests.

• Bows... The wreath, decorated with a large number of bright bows, also looks interesting. This Christmas craft can also be made with your child. All you need to create it is a thick cardboard base and a set of colored ribbons.

• Candies... Another craft that the baby's parents will love is a lollipop wreath. To create it, you can use both long and thin candies and wrapped sweets. Free gaps are complemented with bows, spruce branches and balls. This is done to make the wreath look more voluminous and more beautiful.

• Balls of thread. You can use miniature balls of yarn to create cozy and cute crafts. They are attached to a base wrapped in colored threads. This craft can be used to decorate a creative workshop or living room.

• Branches... If the decision to make an original accessory for a house or apartment arose spontaneously, the craft can be decorated with improvised means. For example, pieces of dry twigs and sticks that can be found at any time of the year. Any of these crafts looks interesting in their own way.

Having finished with the base of the wreath, you need to decide on the choice of materials that will decorate the Christmas craft. Different countries have their own peculiarities of decorating such accessories.

• France... It is customary to decorate Provence-style wreaths with compositions of dried flowers. This decor, fixed on a rattan ring, looks unusual and very sophisticated.

• Italy... Decorations in the Venetian style are decorated with a lot of red details. Very often, a poinsettia plant is attached on the basis of a wreath. The flower with bright red leaves is especially loved by Italians, because in its shape it resembles the Star of Bethlehem.

• Scotland... Scots often use ribbons made of classic plaid to decorate wreaths.

• Scandinavia... In northern European countries, a large number of natural materials are used to decorate such crafts, for example, cones. Local wreaths are also decorated with thin ribbons and small bells.

• USA... American wreaths are decorated with small red bows and holly. This plant, according to legends, is able to drive away evil spirits.

In order to create a beautiful wreath at home, you need to prepare all the necessary materials in advance and choose a suitable master class for yourself.

For beginners, the easiest way is to make a wreath of bright tinsel... As a frame for such a craft, you can use a ring made of wire, cardboard or foam. Such a blank should keep its shape well.

One end of the tinsel is attached to the back of the craft. After that, the ring is wrapped in colored layers. The turns should be as close to each other as possible. The second edge of the tinsel must also be fixed with tape or glue. This is done so that the wreath does not disintegrate. Decorate the tinsel craft with New Year's toys and twinkling stars. She turns out to be very beautiful.

Fans of unusual crafts should pay attention to wreaths decorated with wine corks or pieces of wood. You need to start collecting blanks for work in advance. The corks on the surface of the wreath can be arranged in even rows or in a chaotic manner. They are attached to the frame surface with hot glue. You can decorate such a wreath with green branches, ribbons, berries or cones.

The traditional New Year's wreath is woven from the branches of a living fir tree. Step-by-step instructions for creating a classic jewelry will help you with your work.

• First, you need to make a strong frame from cardboard.
• Large spruce branches should be divided into smaller pieces.
• The blanks are attached to the frame with hot glue. Ordinary wire can also be used instead. You need to weave a wreath so that the edges of the branches and metal parts are not visible to strangers.
• The edge of the wreath can be decorated with a wide bow.

You can make a wreath made of colored threads in different ways. Talented craftswomen can knit or crochet the base of the craft. For beginners, a simpler version of the product is suitable.

The cardboard frame of the wreath is simply wrapped with yarn of a suitable color. The ends of the thread are tied or attached to the base with glue. The craft turns out to be simple and cute.... The braided wreath can be decorated with small artificial Christmas trees or pom-poms made of colored threads.

Different types of paper are also suitable for creating simple Christmas wreaths. This material can be used in many ways. So, an excellent frame will turn out from a paper vine or thick cardboard. To decorate the craft, you can use paper flowers, coniferous branches from corrugated paper or green cardboard cones. The simplest idea that is great for beginners is a wreath decorated with corrugated paper. Even a small child can create such a craft with his own hands.

To do this, a ring of a suitable size must be cut out of thick cardboard or a piece of box. Cut the corrugated paper into small squares. These blanks must be well crumpled in your hands, and then glued to the base. They should be located tightly enough.

Christmas wreaths made of colorful felt are also made in several ways. This material can be used for sewing a round base. The colored felt circle is filled with cotton wool or padding polyester. The finished craft is decorated with toys and natural materials.

There is also an easier way to create such crafts. Only leaves and flowers are cut from felt. They are attached to the frame, wrapped in a dense layer of threads. This craft looks no less solemn and beautiful.

Having finished work on the wreath, you need to immediately decide on where exactly it will be located.

Traditionally, such a decoration is hung at the door. This method is more applicable to private houses. In multi-apartment buildings, it is worth attaching a wreath to the front door only if there is confidence that no one will steal the Christmas decoration. The bright craft, decorated with branches and toys, can also be hung on the inside of the door.

Owners of private houses and cottages can also hang a Christmas wreath on the pediment. In this case, the decoration will definitely be visible from afar. For decorating the house outside, you should use bright crafts. In this case, they will be noticeable even in snowy weather.

Candle wreaths are also used to decorate the holiday table. Such an accessory is located right in the center of the table composition. The candlestick wreath looks impressive and helps to create a festive atmosphere in the house. But, choosing such a decoration for your festive table, you need to be extremely careful. Care must be taken to ensure that the candles do not fall or burn out completely.

Otherwise, the Christmas composition may catch on fire. In order not to worry about this problem, conventional candles can be replaced with electric ones. These miniature lamps are now available in many stores.

When decorating Christmas decorations, you should pay attention to ready-made crafts.

• Green and red accessory... A simple voluminous wreath of live spruce branches looks very good as a candlestick. You can use nuts and sweet tangerines to decorate it. A garland of red stars will add brightness to the wreath. It goes well with candles located in different parts of the composition. Such a wreath can be placed in the center of a festive table or in the living room.

• Decoration in golden colors. A wreath of dark pine branches can decorate any front door. To decorate it, you can use cones, flowers and beautiful beads. To make the craft look more festive, all decorative details can be treated with golden paint.

• Silver-pink wreath on the wall. Crafts made of silver tinsel will become an original decoration of a house or apartment. This accessory can be used in rooms decorated in a Scandinavian or modern style. The base of the craft is decorated with toys, stars, cones and colored beads, made in pastel colors.

For information on how to make a cute Christmas wreath with your own hands, see the next video.