Make your own Christmas wreath with a step by step guide from our Victorian Christmas experts
Activities: Make Your Own Victorian Wreath
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The tradition of the wreath pre-dates the Victorians by centuries, but it was a tradition they embraced and made their own. Victorian wreaths were elaborate and made with all types of evergreen foliage, such as holly, ivy and yew. To decorate they would use fruit and pine cones.
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- Topic: Decorations
- Difficulty: Medium
- Time: 45 mins
Items Needed
- Wire, hazel or other thin cane
- Florist's wire
- Greenery - mistletoe, ivy, holly, yew
- Ribbon, string or raffia
- Items to decorate
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Create the structure using wood or wire
Make the wire structure
To create the wreath's structure, take pieces of hazel or wire, bend them around into a circle and secure with string. If you are using hazel you'll need to build the circle up by using several pieces.
Step 2: Cover the frame with greenery
Add foliage
Once the basic structure of the frame is made, gather some greenery to cover it. Holly was favoured by the Victorians, as well as yew and bay.
Step 3: Tie raffia onto the wreath for hanging
Attach raffia
Attach a piece of raffia, ribbon or string to the top of wreath, so it will be ready to hang when you are finished.
Step 4: Add decorations like fresh fruit and pine cones
Attach fruit and pine cones
Add some colour to the wreath, using pine cones, holly berries, or fruit like apples. Skewer the apples with pieces of florist wire and use the wire to tie them to the wreath.
Step 5: Hang on the door
Hang your wreath
Hang the wreath on your door!
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Please can you tell me what evidence you have for Victorians hanging wreaths on their doors? I have not discovered any hard facts that they did this. I thought it came to the UK from the USA in the early 20th century. Small wreaths were hung indoors here but outside? Please let me know as we've been searching for evidence everywhere!Thank you.
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Victorians were extremely fond of using evergreens to decorate their homes at Christmas, wreaths were a popular way of using the festive foliage in an ordered display. Victorians certainly were influenced by their American cousins when it came to decorating their homes at Christmas. There are varying thoughts on the origins of the wreath; one thought is that the Victorians borrowed it from the Pagans – who used them in their winter solstice celebrations – The Victorians of course, removed the spiritual significance the Pagans placed on the wreath.
Numerous articles can be found in magazines of the time informing the reader how one should decorate the home at Christmas. ‘Cassell’s Family Magazine’ was one of the popular lifestyle magazines of the time. We found several articles on wreaths, how to make one and where it should be placed, they suggested in doorways and archways. Ruth in this instance decided to place her’s in a doorway outside.
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