Making a Christmas wreath is loads of fun, and adds a beautiful touch of natural charm to your holiday decor.
But they’re also time consuming to create. Plus, you need to practice your technique first before you’ll get a symmetrical shape suitable for display.
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So if you don’t have the spare time for extensive craft sessions, try a swag instead. Loosely structured with a free form, a swag can be completed in well under 30 minutes!
In this guide I am going to walk you through creating a fun and festive swag that you can hang on a door.
Here’s what’s ahead:
How to Make a Festive Swag
Here’s what you’ll need for the swag in our photos:
Step 1 – Get Organized
First up you’ll need to make sure you’ve got all your supplies. Here’s my list:
- A variety of fresh evergreen boughs, with or without pinecones attached – pine, spruce, cedar, yew, hemlock, fir, and so on.
- Fresh accent pieces with seasonal interest such as cotoneaster, heavenly bamboo berries (Nandina domestica), or common holly.
- Fake berries and fruit work too – due to this summer’s drought and watering restrictions, the berries on our holly bush are sparse, so I’ve gone synthetic this year!
- A selection of pinecones.
- Baubles, bells, and other ornaments.
- Two five-foot sections of two-inch-wide ribbon, organza or stiffened with wire at the edges.
- A wreath hanger, or one more five-foot section of ribbon.
- Light to medium-sized paddle wire, around 20 gauge.
- Light florist’s wire, about 30 gauge.
- Pliers with a wire cutter.
- Pruning shears.
When you’ve gathered what you need, it’s time to get started!
Step 2 – Choose Your Arrangement
With your pruning shears, cut a selection of evergreen boughs and accent pieces.
Trim off any dead or brown bits from the boughs, and shape lightly if needed.
Use any shape you like – but teardrop, oblong, and rectangular are more visually appealing for a standard door than short, boxy arrangements.
Lay out the boughs on your work surface and arrange the pieces until you find an attractive pattern.
Starting with the bottom layer, use a long bough with a flat form, such as cedar, cypress, hemlock, or Grand fir.
Add another layer of slightly shorter boughs with a fuller form, like Fraser or Noble fir.
Add a third top layer of decorative branches such as rosemary, bay laurel, holly, or salal (Gaultheria shallon).
Step 3 – Fasten the Boughs
Evenly align the top cut edges of the boughs, and cut a length of paddle wire, like this one from Amazon, about 24 inches.
Start at the back of your bough bundle and wrap the wire tightly three or four times around all the stems, finishing at the back.
Form a loop about two inches long, then twist the two ends together. Cut away any excess wire, then bend the cut edge down and in towards the stems.
Step 4 – Add the Accents
A smaller gauge of green wire is perfect for adding attractive accent pieces.
Using the smaller florist’s wire, arrange and attach the pinecones, sprigs of berries, and any decorative pieces you want to use.
Step 5 – Tie a Big Bow
Using the two five-foot lengths of stiff ribbon, wrap the tops of the boughs a couple of times, hiding the wire but leaving the loop exposed.
Tie a big generous bow and arrange the loops, then weave the ribbon tails in and out of the greenery so that it peeks out here and there.
Step 6 – Hang and Display
Slip the third length of ribbon through the loop.
Hang from a wreath hanger, or place the ribbon over the top edge of your door and secure on the inside with a hanger.
Or, tape to the top of the door with strong tape, such as duct tape.
Take A Bough
That’s it – you’re done!
Remember to start with a flat bough for the bottom layer so your swag rests flat against your door. And make sure to use a stiff ribbon so the bow will hold its shape.
Add shorter branches, then your decorative pieces, and finish off with an elegant bow and your holiday door will look gorgeous for the entire holiday season.
If you like, a string of lights also makes a nice touch at night.
If you have a lot of surplus material when you’re finished, make another swag or two for your yard, or arrange evergreen bits in vases or containers around the home – the fragrance is heavenly!
These also make nice gifts for friends and neighbors.
What holiday decorating ideas do you have? Let us know in the comments section below and drop us a line if you have any questions.
And for more information about home and garden design, check out these guides next:
