How do you feel about Christmas wreaths

[HeeeeyDuggee]

My mum always said we weren’t allowed a wreath growing up because she associated them with death and funerals.

I really want to get one and every year I think about it but then chicken out because I remember how severe she was about it!

If you buy one do you get a read one or artificial ?

No need to worry about wreaths, they date back to pre-Roman history and are in fact pagan in origin, but the display of evergreens at winter festivals was adopted by early Christians. The pagans believed that a wreath was symbolic of the circle of life, and was protective if displayed inside or outside a home.

What does make me shudder is bouquets of those big, white lilies. To me they will be forever associated with funerals. No other flowers, just lilies

To be fair, I’m sure I’d balk if anyone tried to put a garish red and white arrangement encased in a plastic dome on my door. Those were the funeral flowers of choice in my childhood 😂

To me, funeral wreaths and Christmas wreaths are two different things - the ones at funerals don't make me think of Christmas, and vice versa.

Our garden has a few different types of ivy, and I'll go scrumping for holly late December to make a wreath for our door.

I like wreaths. It wouldn't occur to me that they are connected with death, but in any case I don't get superstitious or creeped out by things.

We used to have a lovely 'fake' wreath, but it eventually got a bit battered. These days we make our own every year.

We always get a wreath for the front door. I would love a real tree as never had one growing up but not sure I would cope with the needles dropping to a natural wreath on the front door has the smell of Christmas for me now.

I have them for each time of year. Easter autumn, Christmas (not actually found a nice summer one yet though).

I bought a lovely one from not on the high street this year. It’s painted pink cones and has some pink (I think) heather in it. Can’t wait to put it on my new door when we move soon.

I love them, I have 2 fake ones that light up.

@girlywhirly

No need to worry about wreaths, they date back to pre-Roman history and are in fact pagan in origin, but the display of evergreens at winter festivals was adopted by early Christians. The pagans believed that a wreath was symbolic of the circle of life, and was protective if displayed inside or outside a home.

Hurrah !!! thanks for this info @girlywhirly

I like a Christmas wreath.
When my dd was Christened we had folk back to the house (only 10 of them so not as grand as it sounds). It was Christmas time and I had a wreath on the front door. I'd found a pretty white feather circle in the sale and I put that in the room where we had tea and cake and put a pic of my dd inside it. As I looked at it, it did strike me it looked a bit funereal. No one said anything but I wondered if they were thinking that too. She is 13, and all is well so far but I am glad to hear this story about them actually being about the circle of life / protective.

I love wreaths.

I've been to three different 'make your own Christmas door wreath' workshops now - they're honestly not that hard, once you've got the knack. You just make 8-10 small bunches of pine, then wire them around the base in overlapping chunks, and stick extra stuff on top.

I re-use the rings from previous years, and then buy a bag of moss and a reel of wire (florists will sell them) for the base, chop the bottom couple of branches off the Christmas tree for the bunches, and wire in some cheap baubles/pine cones/feathers/mistletoe for interest. Makes for a lovely festive afternoon, and gives you 100% Valerie Singleton feelz.

That said, I'm really tempted by the dried flower ones at Great British Florist

I have a half made homemade one. Perhaps this will be the year I buy some wire to add the decorations.

I love a wreath. More pagan greenery the better although I love the fancy ones that look like they should be on a swanky house in New York.

What I don’t like are those workshops that every garden centre has. £40 ours wants...£40! More money than sense some people.

It’s not Christmas until the wreath is on the door.

And yes I do associate them with funerals but only in a positive way, as the symbol of rebirth/eternal life. I mean, that’s exactly what winter festivals are about, so it would be strange without it!

I've never heard anyone say this. Totally bonkers! Go for a real wreath every time. But I always have a real tree.

We always have a fresh green wreath on the front door - usually with a big red ribbon added. But not before 1st December at the earliest, so it’ll last.
I don’t care for artificial wreaths or trees.

If you don’t feel comfortable with a circular wreath, how about a foliage swag? pin.it/7eQMfqC

We've never had one as my husband thinks wreaths = death. I've always thought it was his unique and odd way of thinking but I stand corrected.

I get a real one for the front door. Smells amazing, makes me happy every time I look at the front door (so once or more every day!)

I love a wreath!

Never had them growing up, not sure why, my parents weren't superstitious. But I love hanging the wreath on my front door every year, we make a bit of a deal of it, it's truly the start of Christmas .

DCs have also made one to hang indoors for the last few years. We get wrapped up and go on a long winter walk collecting greenery/cones and holly/berries from the garden.

Can honestly say they've never made me think of funerals /death.

I’ve never associated them with death. I love a wreath and like the fashion for seasonal wreaths in spring and summer too, but I can’t get organised enough to do those!

I love the half wreath style and will be attempting one this year with eucalyptus, silvered pine cones and silver ribbon.

I don’t have one because I am too mean and don’t want to spend money on decorations that go outside and I wouldn’t get to see much

To me, funeral wreaths and Christmas wreaths are two different things - the ones at funerals don't make me think of Christmas, and vice versa

That’s a valid point, I’ve never seen a funeral wreath and thought well that’s very Christmassy, and I’ve never seen a Christmas wreath and thought that’s a bit funereal. Because they are just very different.

The same as I don’t look at fresh flowers in someone’s house and think gosh they look like they should be graveside.

Oh this is the thread for me - I've thought about nothing but wreaths for days

I don't associate them with death, as someone else said, no more than flowers which are used to mark weddings, funerals and everything in between. My Gran taught flower arranging and always had a beautiful wreath on the door of her cottage, so that's my Christmas association. I also connect wreaths to armistice commemoration and I really value that, so that's another 'positive' connection for me.

I got a nice one from M&S a few years ago but fancy another. If anyone has any suggestion of where to buy really top quality fake ones I'd appreciate it, I've been wondering whether to buy one from QVC the last few days, that's how bad my wreath fixation has got

I love a wreath, so much so that as well as a Christmas one I also have ones for Winter, Spring, Easter, Summer, Autumn and Halloween . Seeing one on my front door always makes me smile.

@MarmaladeTeepee

A friend of mine has seasonal wreaths, I think it's a lovely idea & one that I'll adopt 👍🏻