How to Choose the Perfect Holiday Wreath

The holidays are a time of festivity. Gatherings, lights, and decorations create a warm atmosphere for holiday celebrations. 

Holiday wreaths are popular decorations for your front door, evoking a welcoming statement and a sensory experience that connects you to the season.

With so many options for decorative wreaths, how do you choose a wreath that looks beautiful, smells divine, lasts throughout the season, and aligns with your values? Read on to see how to choose the perfect holiday wreath for your home.

The Foundation: Why Natural Materials Matter

Natural materials are the best materials for holiday wreaths. Fresh evergreen wreaths contribute to the cheery atmosphere of the holidays, impressing guests and family with crisp pine scents and unique textures and colors.

Here are our tips for creating sustainable holiday wreaths.

Evergreen Choices & Texture

Pines, firs, spruces, and cedars are common evergreen species used in wreaths, offering different textures, colors, and needle retention.

• Fresh pine wreaths feature long, thin needles that are flexible and smooth to the touch. Depending on their location, they can last up to 2 weeks indoors or 6 to 8 weeks outside.
• Spruce wreaths have stiff needles that are smooth to the touch. Typically, they last 2 to 3 weeks indoors and 4 to 8 weeks outdoors before needles start to drop.
• Fir wreaths feature soft, bendy needles with rounded ends that can last 3 weeks indoors or 6 to 8 weeks outdoors.
• Cedar wreaths have wispy, droopy needles with medium green foliage with an average lifespan of 3 to 8 weeks, depending on the location. 

Decorative accents can also have a sustainable flair. Pinecones, twigs, and berries make great accompaniments to fresh evergreen wreaths.

Sustainable Harvesting & Ethical Sourcing

Evergreen boughs are available for purchase, but if you have an evergreen tree at home, you can follow sustainable and ethical harvesting practices to reduce stress on your trees.

When harvesting evergreen boughs, wait until after a hard frost, typically from October to December, to minimize stress on the trees during the pruning process. Needle retention is also highest at this time. When pruning, trim 3 to 4 feet from the tip of the branch above a node to encourage regrowth. Avoid cutting too many branches from small trees during a single pruning session.

The goal of harvesting evergreens for your eco-friendly Christmas wreaths is to minimize the impact on your trees.

Wreaths made from sustainably harvested materials offer the beauty of an evergreen wreath while upholding eco-friendly practices that help to improve your neighborhood. 

Style as Story: Selecting a Wreath That Reflects You

Wreaths are a highly customizable holiday decoration. A base of evergreen boughs can serve as a blank canvas, allowing you to style them in any way you want. Here are some common wreath styles and what they can look like.

• Traditional Christmas Wreaths – Traditional Christmas wreaths or Victorian wreaths are known for their symmetrical, lush evergreens, ribbons, pinecones, and red berries.
• Rustic Holiday Wreaths – These wreaths feature textured, minimal adornment, twig elements, and natural shapes.
• Whimsical Wreaths – Playful wreaths are characterized by unexpected colors or focal elements, like cranberries, ornaments, or nontraditional shapes.
• Personalized Wreaths – Wreaths are a great way to incorporate small keepsakes, initials, heirlooms, or changeable accents to keep them customized.

When figuring out what size wreath for your front door, the general rule of thumb is to aim for two-thirds the width of the door, leaving about 6 inches of space on each side. 

Placement & Purpose: Beyond the Front Door with Mickman’s Holiday Wreaths

Holiday wreaths are versatile pieces that can be placed beyond your front door. Here are some placement ideas for your Mickman holiday wreath.

• Exterior windows – Smaller wreaths can be accents on exterior windows, add structure of hallways, or break up blank walls.
• Centerpieces – Mickman’s Everfrost Centerpiece is crafted from fresh noble fir boughs from the Cascade Mountains and gleams with frosted pinecones, a shimmering silver star, and snowy white accents. Accompanied by a warm, glowing LED candle at its center, this centerpiece will cast a soft and inviting light upon your table or mantle. 
• Fences – Multiple wreaths along outdoor fences boost festiveness and curb appeal.

Indoor wreaths enhance the scent and visual appeal of wreaths, allowing them to be enjoyed more deeply within living spaces, making your home feel festive both inside and out.

The Joy Factor & Emotional Connection

At the end of the day, the perfect wreath is the one that brings happiness to you and your family and feels meaningful. Wreath selection, from the materials and accessories, and placement can become a cherished holiday tradition that makes memories.

Your holiday wreath is usually the first greeting at your door, and picking the right wreath sets the tone for your home’s holiday hospitality and festivities.

ORDER YOUR HANDMADE NATURAL MATERIAL HOLIDAY WREATH AND DECOR