12 DIY Christmas wreath ideas – easy to make and unique to boot

These Christmas wreath ideas will give your door or mantel a unique upgrade. Lovely festive looks to make yourself for more festive fun – without a big spend – whether you're into foliage or not.

Christmas wreath ideas homemade colorful wreath on a blue wall above a mantel with colorful candlesticks
(Image credit: @nia_does_diy)

We've compiled these Christmas wreath ideas so you can make a personal and unique festive display. Naturally, Christmastime is so full of hustle and bustle, so it's actually a great idea to take some time out solo or with family and friends to do a little seasonal crafting. And what better way to do that than by blasting a little Mariah, making yourself a mulled wine and creating your very own bespoke Christmas wreath?

The outside of your house really should look just as good as the inside, so this year we're taking our outdoor Christmas decor ideas to the max, and of course, the wreath is the pièce de résistance. Make yours using a kit that comes with everything you need, find simple wreath ideas that you can recreate with ease or, buy a ready to hang wreath and get creative with how you display it... It's time to up your Christmas game. 

1. Frame your mirror with dried foliage 

Neutrally decorated home dressed for Christmas with a large dried flower wreath around the mirror


(Image credit: Future © Chris Snook)

Sometimes, bigger is just better, and that is certainly the case in style guru Justin Coakley's @design_at_nineteen amazing festive home. While this wreath masterpiece was created by a professional, the look is easy to recreate. Simply buy a wreath hoop that's big enough to fit around your round mirror, create several bouquets of dried flowers and foliage, and attach the bouquets to the hoop with twine, one by one, all facing in the same direction. This over sized design brings so much texture and warmth to the space. 

2. Create a centerpiece with decorative biscuits 

a dining table wreath made out of snowflake biscuits with three candles in the centre

(Image credit: Biscuiteers)

If you've made (or bought) some pretty-looking festive biscuits this year, don't hide them away in a cupboard! Turn them into a Christmas dining table centerpiece by positioning and layering them up into a circular shape like this. Complete the look with three central candles of varying heights and you're good to go! These beautiful biscuits are from Biscuiteers and they are a real treat. 

3. Learn a new skill with this origami design 

green origami paper wreath with festive patterned papers

(Image credit: Little B)

There's something so relaxing about origami, and this origami wreath kit by Little B is the perfect Christmas craft activity to make you slow down and focus on yourself. The kit comes with everything you need, including the papers, clear instructions and even the velvet ribbon.

4. Upcycle popsicle sticks for this quirky feature 

grey fireplace with colourful pom pom galrlands, candle sticks, a lolipop wreath and dark blue walls

(Image credit: @nia_does_diy)

This is one that you can do together as a family. This idea by @nia_does_diy is simple and really inexpensive. All you need to do is, ahem, eat lots of popsicles and collect all the sticks (or you can buy them separately) , tape up one end of each stick and paint the other end in a color of your choice. Then do the same on the other half. Get a wire wreath  from Amazon, HobbLobby or Hobbycraft if you're in the UK and use a glue gun to attach them all the way around. And you're done! These pretty colors mean you could leave it up all year long, which is such a bonus. 

5. Go pretty with pastel shades

DIY dried flower Christmas wreath

(Image credit: Happy Blossoms)

This DIY dried flower baked blossom wreath kit in pastel from The Happy Blossoms is one of the prettiest we ever did see. Pastel Christmas colors are having a moment this year, so this kit is the perfect gift for any trend-follower that's got an eye for craft. The kit comes with everything you need, including instructions, but be sure to keep your flowers look their best by keeping them away from the elements. 

6. DIY a simple wreath from found foliage 

Cotswold Christmas house

(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies)

Sometimes it's best to keep things simple, so if you're after a more rugged feel, look to mother nature. Get outdoors and go foraging in your local parks for fallen holly, ivy, fir, mistletoe or rosehip, and even pine cones too. Use twine to attach these to a wreath ring – no need to be neat or precise here – and you're rustic-Christmas ready.

With natural wreaths like this, the way you care for them can go a long way in making them last longer. 'As well as your wreath being adverse to frost, bringing it inside during colder climates to a central heated home will have just as negative an impact on its freshness. If an overly frosty night is predicted, moving your wreath into a garage or shed will be best. Make sure you’re also regularly misting your wreath with water to keep it looking good as new,' says Sandra at Flying Flowers.

7. No space to hang a wreath? Embroider a mini design instead 

DIY Christmas craft embroidery hoop

(Image credit: Stitch Happy)

Struggling for space to hang a wreath inside? We here you. If your front door isn't wreath-appropriate, and your walls are already full, think miniature instead. This Wild wreath modern embroidery kit from Stitch Happy has a sweet and zesty wreath design printed onto the fabric, so you simply stitch over the top for the most relaxing and fail-safe type of embroidery. 

8. Display Christmas cards for a personal touch

An upcycled hula hoop spray painted in gold paint and used to display Christmas cards

(Image credit: Hallmark Canada)

Would you believe this pretty festive focal point used to be... a hula hoop! Simply spray paint a hula hoop in any festive shade your like, tie on some foliage and attach chunky strips of ribbon. Peg on your favorite Christmas cards and you've got yourself a two in one centre piece.

9. Traditional eucalyptus and berry wreath

making a wreath for a door with a big ribbon

(Image credit: Polly Eltes)

Once you know how to make a classic Christmas wreath with foraged foliage, moss, dried oranges and all the rest then you can get creative with the overall finished look. Add a bow, swap out the berries, spray paint pinecones in gold, it's totally customizable and super cheap to make.

'Evergreen foliage such as spruce berried holly, and ivy are perfect for wreath making and can easily be found growing in the garden or woods. The more varieties you pick, the better as it will give you plenty to work with and add texture and interest to your wreath,' says Sandra at Flying Flowers.

10. Willow wreath

natural wreath on a front door

(Image credit: Kasia Fiszer)

While it looks like a work of art, this DIY Christmas wreath is in fact deceptively simple to make. Every ingredient can easily be substituted for something easier to track down. Use whatever is in the garden and forage for ingredients where possible.

You will need:

  • 1 wire wreath frame
  • Floristry wire
  • Willow, or similar branches, which can be found in parks
  • Three or four handfuls of moss (enough to fill your particular wreath ring)
  • 10 small pine branches
  • A few stems of berried eucalyptus
  • Three or four handfuls of pink and white peppercorn branches
  • A handful of sage (to full any gaps)

1. Pack your wire wreath ring tightly with moss, secured with floristry wire. Dampen with a spritz of water (this will help keep all the ingredients fresh).

2. After cutting, weave your willow branches around the ring, securing with wire. This isn't supposed to look tidy, but shorten any overly long branches with a pair of gardening scissors or pliers.

3. Once your wreath is wrapped both in moss and willow, you can start poking in other ingredients. Snip off around 8 small pine branches and insert them evenly around the wreath (no need to secure with wire).

4. Do the same first with berried eucalyptus and then with pink and white peppercorns. 

5. Finally, fill any obvious gaps with sprigs of velvety sage. That is all you need to know for how to make a wreath from scratch

final stage of wreath making guide

(Image credit: Kasia Fiszer)

This wreath design is by Nikki Pierce of Petal and Grace floral design studio. Her low maintenance floral philosophy is to let nature itself guide the designs, highlighting the natural shape of things. Using unexpected components, such as peppercorns and herbs, her style veers away from the traditional.

11. Festive leaves wreath 

How to make an autumn wreath

(Image credit: Bloom & Wild)

Another lovely alternative to a traditional wreath is to go for warm hues using leaves, twigs and berries. The lovely folks over at Bloom & Wild have given us a hand with this super easy guide...

How to make an autumn wreath

(Image credit: Bloom & Wild)

1. Gather your flowers. Have a look round your garden, visit the local florist or supermarket or even the local park (don't pick it, just pick it up off the ground, obvs) for some lovely autumn foliage. Branches, leaves, berries whatever takes your fancy. For the flowers, Bloom & Wild make stunning autumn bouquets that you can pinch a few stems from to give your autumn wreath even more depth. 

2. Soak your oasis first until it's full and feels heavy. Then start off by adding your foliage. Go around the circle in one direction, pushing the stems of your branches so they all mostly lie facing the same way, you can add a bit of texture by alternating it every now and then.

How to make an autumn wreath

(Image credit: Bloom & Wild)

3. Take your flower stems, trim them at an angle so they are about 8cm long and push them into your oasis. Do plan how you want it to look beforehand though to save damaging the flowers and the oasis by pulling them out – think about whether you want flowers dispersed all around the wreath or in clusters. Then all that is left to do is hang your lovely creation.

12. Decorated festive wreath

how to make a Christmas wreath


(Image credit: Dave Burton)

This traditional wreath design is then decorated with lots of different elements, including fir cones, dried flowers and orange slices. Follow the steps below by Paula Duggan who runs wreath making workshops, to find out how to make it from scratch.

You will need:

  • A basic wreath ring 
  • A pair of wire cutters
  • Florist's wire
  • Ribbon for hanging
  • Foraged greenery, including fir branches, berries, twigs, holly, ivy, laurel, moss and eucalyptus, to create the first layers
  • Decorative elements, such as dried orange slices, fir cones and dried flowers

How to make a Christmas wreath decorated

(Image credit: Dave Burton)

1. To create more depth to this Christmas wreath, start by adding a layer of moss around the ring, secured in place with wire, which creates a base cushion for the foliage

2. Arrange the greenery in small, even bunches, tied together with wire, and start by attaching the bunches to the basic frame with wire, overlapping them, to cover the stems as you work your way around the rim.

3. Check for any gaps and add more foliage as required

4. For an extra-thick wreath, turn the ring over and do the same on the other side.

How to make a christmas wreath and decorate it

(Image credit: Dave Burton)

5. Embellish the wreath with your chosen Christmas decorations, such as Christmas baubles, ribbons, pine cones, dried fruits or dried flowers, all tied on with wire.

6. Once you have completed your wreath, decide which way you want it to hang and tied the ribbon round the top. Then hang it.

What can you use as a base for a wreath?

When it comes to choosing a base for your wreath, there are several options, but the most common materials are rattan and wire. While rattan bases are the most natural looking and therefore the most aesthetically pleasing, they do tend to be more expensive than wire wreaths. Wire wreaths are very easy to work with as you can tie the twine tight around the metal. Plus, they're less bulky, meaning they'll allow your wreath to sit flush neatly on your door or wall. 

Can you make a wreath without a frame?

Yes, you can make a wreath without a frame. As this is most likely to achieve a less than perfect circular shape, we recommend this option for those who want a more rustic, country look. If you don't have a frame, or you simply want a more haphazard Christmas wreath, choose fauna and flora with strong woody stems, as this will form the base of the wreath. Attach your foliage bouquets together using twine, and then, rather than tying them onto the base, tie them onto each to form a garland. Ensure you use heavy duty twine as this will work to keep the whole wreath together. Tie the ends together to create a circular shape, and your done! We'd recommend positioning this kind of wreath on your mantel or a shelf for a little extra support. 

Amelia Smith
Content Editor

After joining Real Homes as content producer in 2016, Amelia has taken on several different roles and is now content editor. She specializes in style and decorating features and loves nothing more than finding the most beautiful new furniture, fabrics and accessories and sharing them with our readers. As a newbie London renter, Amelia’s loving exploring the big city and mooching around vintage markets to kit out her new home. 

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