Welcome the festive season by hosting a wreath-making party!
Wreath on door
You’re not properly decorated for the holiday until you have a wreath hanging on your door to welcome your guests. But you don’t have to go out and buy one. You can make on at home and, better yet, have fun doing it by hosting a wreath-making party for friends.
Brunch is an excellent time of day to meet, eat, drink and make wreaths. Breakfast casseroles can be prepared prior to the party and heated up before the guests arrive. Poinsettias are a fun and festive beverage: sparkling wine, a splash of triple sec and cranberry juice, then add some frozen cranberries as a garnish.
For a successful wreath-making party you’ll need plenty of materials, and that means divvying up responsibility around the group. Visit a craft store prior to the party to secure straw wreath forms (be sure to get a variety of size), florist pins and wire, ribbon, pine cones, spay glitter, glue gun glue, and any other fun accessories that catch your attention. Onm the morning of the party, send a few friends to the Christmas tree lots for the all-important evergreen trimmings. These are the sturdy staples of the Christmas wreath so there’s no such thing as too much. Another group will need to find magnolia branches and a variey of “speciality” greenery such as spruce, cedar, nandina, hollies and pyracantha. (Important! Make sure to ask permission prior to cutting any greens!)
After everyone arrives and has a plate and beverage have them choose a wreath form. Each guest will need to take a piece of floral wire and wrap it around their form to create a hanger for the wreath. Next use the floral pins to atttach magnolia leaves; this will create a nice smooth back for the guest’s creations. Now is the time for the trimmings from the tree lots: have your guests wrap the trimmings around thier forms, securing them with the floral pins until there is no straw showing. This can be a little tricky, so use pruning shears to trim the trimmings to manageable sizes.
Once the forms are covered it is time for creativity! Have your guests add the “speciality” greens, pine cones and other accessories. A bow is a nice a touch that can be made to order. The final touch is to spay the wreaths with glitter. Make sure to complete this step outside or in a well-ventilated area.
Finally, the perfect party favor would be a wreath hanger, so your guests can head home, hang their wreath and begin the holiday season with a festive door.
