Holiday wreaths: Spread some cheer at your doorstep
Wreaths are about as symbolic of the holiday season as twinkling fairy lights and an inflatable Santa in the driveway. In ancient times, they were hung on the doors of Roman homes to symbolize triumph and status and given to victors of Grecian games. For Christmas, they usually assume a somewhat generic aesthetic: twisted evergreen branches, pine cones, a red bow.
But not necessarily. Those who would like to nod to tradition by way of a holiday wreath hung on a front door can find them done with an elevated design sensibility. There are DIY kits and classes for those so inclined. Flower bar Fleurish offers wreath-making classes at its Brentwood and Woodland Hills locations but will also ship out a finished product. Online flower marketplace BloomNation represents floral designers around the country, many of whom offer fresh floral wreaths for the season.
Here are some of this year’s intriguing options.
Wreaths made with succulents, which thrive in dry environments, are a worthwhile and beautiful option. Annie’s Garden and Patio in Riverside carries this 20-inch wreath made with varieties such as jade plant and Crassula Burgundy, the latter of which has a rich bordeaux color that lends festive charm to the piece. Company founder Annie Fitzgerald adds traditional ornaments to one of the versions; pull them out after the holidays and the wreath can be used year-round. $165 at anniesgardenandpatio.com
The exuberant Flying High wreath from lifestyle brand Beekman 1802 is packed with vintage collectibles, such as an Italian blown-glass ski jumper circa 1955, glass balls from Poland and a white and silver starburst from Japan. The lavish piece is about 20 inches in diameter. $500 at beekman1802.com
From designer Matthew Mead comes this streamlined collection of unshelled nuts, right, glued onto an 8-inch wreath form and spray-painted in autumnal metallic shades. $125 at the Matthew Mead Vintage shop on Etsy.
Chatsworth flower boutique Joan’s Flower Shop makes this updated classic called the Majestic Wreath: gold-toned glass ornaments are interspersed with fragrant noble fir, cedar and Colorado blue spruce and live succulents, and accented with gilded pine cones and sprigs of seeds coated with glitter. $95 at BloomNation
This festive faux wreath is embedded with 30 clear lights to add sparkle to the interwoven silver-and-red ornaments, snow-flocked needles, juniper berries and pine cones. $49.99 at Orchard Supply Hardware stores
Los Angeles florist the Petal Workshop offers the show-stopping You Had Me at Your Door wreath: multiple layers of fresh, fragrant princess pine and wood from boxwood trees studded with holiday berries, whole walnuts, baby crab apples, acorns and tiny pomegranates and accented by a jaunty red bow and a smattering of snow. $200, at BloomNation
For those who’d like to make their own, DIY flower bar Fleurish offers a wreath kit, a seat at the table and an expert to help the process along. Their wreaths feature all the classics: cinnamon sticks, bows, sprigs of juniper berries and small glass ornaments. $74.95, youfleurish.com