The More, The Merrier!
everything you need to shop for garland and wreathes
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I know its only October, but please don’t roll your eyes at me quite yet for talking about holiday decorating. I believe in finding the best quality for the best prices, and sometimes the early bird does get the worm! While we don’t fully decorate our home for the holidays until after Thanksgiving, I like to prepare as much as possible because once December hits, it’s full steam ahead through the end of the year!
I’ve been gradually adding a few staple pieces to my collection as the years have passed, and I feel like I’m almost to the place where I have all that I need, or at least know where the best places to find key holiday decor pieces are. Finding where I store them all in my house is a different story… we’ll have to talk more about storage later!
As each year passes, I am learning more and more about which pieces to invest in, and which pieces can truly be seasonal. There are so many different styles for this time of year, and while I absolutely love seeing people take risks and pull out those blue trees, I am a traditional Christmas girl through and through. Give me all the red, white, evergreen, and nutcracker my shelves can hold. I want my house to feel like it’s straight out of Home Alone, and I think most would agree judging by how quickly that style sells out!
I’ve put together some of my tested and tried holiday staples for you to shop early and enjoy December’s weeks when they make their joyful debut.
Holiday GarlandWhen it comes to choosing a garland, there are a few things that I look for. I almost always opt to go the faux route. With two dogs, two kids, our house already holds a lot of potential allergy producers — I get the faux and give myself the evergreen smell through a great candle (or three). I also want it to last longer than just two weeks as fresh garland only stays fresh for a few days before the leaves wither. But, just because it’s faux doesn’t mean it looks it. This has been my research baby, and I’m super happy to share the garlands I’ve discovered.
Mixed Green Garlands
1.) Pine Garlands - This pine garland is an investment piece, but has a sophisticated look that is sure to endure for years to come! It is the realest looking “pine” I have ever seen!
2.) Pre-Lit Garlands -These garlands will need to be fluffed out a bit upon opening them from the box, but they don’t shed little leaves all over your house. The pre-lit wiring saves you an extra step!
3.) Mixed Green - Pine and Eucalyptus - This mixed green garland comes in six feet increments. It has a lovely realistic texture!
4.) Pre-Lit Eucalyptus Garland - This eucalyptus garland comes in two different lengths — both 5 foot and 10 foot lengths, which are perfect for a dining table or staircase. Their lights give a beautiful soft glow!
5.) Hemlock Garland - This garland is battery-operated and controlled by a remote.
CEDAR GARLANDS
It took me a little bit longer to find a cedar garland that I liked, just because I feel like a lot look more plasticy. Not sure if plasticy is a word, but it’s what I see! The cedar garlands I like the most are simple in texture and length. I like to add dimension with ribbons or ornaments.
1.) Long Needle Juniper Garland - This garland has gorgeous soft tone juniper berries and has been a hit already this season. It' has a super affordable price point, so I would grab a few of these for a long, full garland.
2.) Needle Pine Garland - This is a great garland to mix in with other garland strands. If you are a super simple decor lover, than this garland is also a great stand alone!
3.) Heavy Garland - This garland is one of the fullest on the list. There is a variety in the green tones which really helps it feel realistic.
PRESERVED GARLANDS
Preserved garlands are not talked about often because most will come from smaller retailers or business owners, but I thought they were fun to include with the mix because you still get an authentic smell and feel. You’ll need to be a bit more careful when storing these because they can lose their needles, but I found that long flat plastic boxes or garland bags work great!
1.) Boxwood Garland - This garland is from Target, but it is made with real boxwood! This is a super rare find to me, and I think it would work well for all seasons. It comes in six foot strands.
2.) Bayleaf Garland - This bayleaf garland would be a beautiful statement piece over your front door. It has pretty natural looking red berries that give it an intentional feel.
3.) Preserved Eucalyptus Garland - This is a custom made garland. It is absolutely beautiful. It has minimal upkeep in terms of spritzing it down a couple times a week, but is so full and really is a fun piece for a mantle!
Pro Tip: You can add fresh pinecones from outside and adhere with evergreen zip ties. Pinecones to me can make or break how real a garland looks. Shiny plastic? No thank you.
make a great first impression
So much to say, so little space. Shopping for holiday wreathes really is subjective as everyone has a different taste or style! But, I can share a couple tips on finding one that is sure to last (a faux one that is). If you’re looking for a real wreath, I recommend checking out your local plant store instead of a larger home improvement store just because the wreathes normally are taken better care of in processing, so they will still be full and healthy upon purchase! I like simple pine needle wreaths the best!
Holiday WreathesHere are a few of the steps I take when shopping for a wreath. It’s a bit harder when ordering online, but I still do this when I pull a wreath out of its packaging. Since there are so many choices out there, I want to be sure I love what I’m seeing!
1.) Do the shake test. When you’re in the store, shake the wreath out. Does it lose needles? Does it fluff out? Does it keep its shape? I try to make sure it checks all those boxes before purchasing.
2.) Look at how it’s constructed in terms of wiring. Does it look like it will be friendly to adding things on like ornaments, ribbon, or pinecones? I try to find wreathes with a really strong internal structure, so that I can attach anything I want with simple zip ties or floral wiring.
3.) Look at its hanging possibilities. Does it look like you are going to need an over the wreath hanger, or does it have the ability to be hung with a nail?
4.) Look at the greenery itself. If there are white spaces, it’s safe to assume that the coloring will chip off, so maybe move along to another choice.
Wreathes are fantastic hung in windows, over cabinets, or mixed in with your mantle decor. Try to think outside the box, or even go with a box wreath for a fun shape!
Deck the Wreath Adding fun touches to your wreath can be a great way to change up your classic touches. I’ve always wanted to have a wreath decorating party where everyone brings their own wreath and then we each bring an item to decorate with. I think it would be a unique way to begin the season. Holiday bubbly included!
1.) Ribbon - The simplest way to decorate a wreath is by adding ribbon. You can loop all the way through your wreath, or you can just add it in bow form. I try to find ribbon with a wiring as I think it holds up better and is easier to maneuver where you want it.
2.) Natural Elements - Add pinecones, dried oranges, artificial berries, feathers, etc. The sky is the limit! Secure those with zip ties.
3.) Lights- If your wreath is not pre-lit, I recommend wiring these fairy lights through. Wire from behind to give your wreath a soft glow.
