Natural Nordic Christmas Wreath DIY | Handmade Christmas
Create your own Nordic Christmas Wreath with foraged natural elements and a red ribbon to finalize the wreath. Make your own Christmas decorations with less waste with these tips and enjoy the handmade Christmas. The natural wreaths are one-of-a-kind artwork that is a beautiful handmade Natural Christmas Gift. A simple Scandinavian wreath is a perfect decoration for the front door or on a fireplace mantel for the holiday season.
FAQ
Is it cheaper to make your own Christmas wreath?
Yes, definitely! You can use the natural elements that are totally free to forage and use some thrifted ribbons and yarns or the silk ribbons you keep from last year’s Christmas presents and gifts. The wire costs about 2 euros for 30 meters (about the same in dollars), and you can make several wreaths with one ball of wire.
Should I use wire or florist wire?
You can use both wire and florist wire to make your wreath. When using hard material like spruce branches or when making a completely covered wreath I suggest using the wire that you hid when setting the next layer. The wire keeps more easily in place and it is less complicated than florist wire. If you are decorating with few items, or using more delicate branches such as flowers, I encourage you to use the florist wire. Florist wire will easily snap in two when pulling, so it is not suitable for harder branches but it is perfect for delicate more detailed decoration.
How do I decorate a Christmas wreath?
Set your imagination free and let it run wild. For Nordic style Christmas wreath keep it simple: use natural color combinations and choose up to three things to emphasize in the wreath. Choose one colored ribbon to make it stand out. Keeping the Nordic style using white, festive red or silver would be a perfect choice for a simple natural look.
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Materials and tools you need for a foraged Christmas wreath
- Twig wreath base about 25-30 cm (10-12 inches) in diameter
- Pincers
- Scissors
- Wire
- Ribbon of your choice
- Jute yarn
- Spruce branches (about one bowlful same diameter as the wreath base)
- 3 spruce corns
- 10 pine corns
- Larch cones in twigs for at least five bunches
- Twigs of berries of your choice for at least five bunches
How to make a Nordic Christmas wreath
Start with gathering all the natural elements you need. Use a readymade twig wreath base and next, we prepare the spruce branches.
How to prep the spruce branches
Prepare the spruce branches by cutting them into about 6-10 cm (2-4 inches) long pieces. Find the small “knots” in the branches and cut just in front of them to make the ends neat. It gives your Christmas wreath a finalized yet natural look. Prepare at least a bowl the same diameter as the wreath full of spruce branches to guarantee you have enough for the whole wreath.
How to choose the most beautiful spruce branches for your wreath
Always use fallen branches or buy from a florist if you do not have your own spruce tree. I normally head to the woods after a stormy day. Then for sure, I can find several fallen branches to choose from.
Small twigs and hard branches
Whenever possible, choose the tinier spruce branches that are more flexible and that will look gorgeous in your wreath over the harder parts of the branch. You can see in the photo the big visual difference between the branches.
Right and wrong side
When tying the spruce branches into the wreath notice that they have the “right side” and “wrong side”. As you can see below, on the right side the needles hide the branch, but the other side shows clearly the branch like a spine. Always use the spruce branches on their right side up to make your wreath look more beautiful.
Insider: A peak into Nordic living
Christmas wreaths have been our family tradition for as long as I can remember. All kids of the family attended the yearly Christmas wreath course at the local villa that served as a youth center that educated the young about nature. It was a day we all were waiting for. We used then always the straw to make the base of the wreath, and the whole room was filled with straw and spruce branches. And you could do as many as you wanted.
Since I started slowly to create my own family traditions for our tiny family, I noticed that we had easier access to birch branches for the forest was covered with them. My three-year-old and I, enjoy walking in the forest and she knows already which kind of branches to collect when we are gathering birch branches for the twig wreath base.
Every year the seasonal wreaths have different sizes and decorations depending on mood and natural elements on hand. I encourage you to find joy in discovering new natural elements in the forest and take them home with you. Later on, you’ll find a place for them in one of your wreaths and you have created something new and lovely with your own hands.
How to start decorating the Nordic Christmas Wreath
Start your wreath always with the spruce shoots that are the base natural element in this wreath, Make a small bouquet of spruce twigs and attach them with one single layer of the wire around the wreath base. Attach the second bouquet of spruce twigs and ensure every time the bouquet covers the twig wreath base.
Now you can start the decoration sequence:
- Layer 1 – Bouquet of larch cone twigs and berry twigs
- Layers 2 and 3 – Spruce twig bouquet
- Layer 4 – Pine corn
- Layers 5 and 6 – Spruce twig bouquet
- Layer 7 – Pine corn
- Layers 8 and 9 – Spruce twig bouquet
How to attach bouquet layers to the wreath
All the bouquets can be attached the same way: place the bouquet on the wreath base slightly forward from the last bouquet to create a slow change between layers. Pull the wire around the wreath over the foot of the bouquet to secure it, twice, if it feels loose. Repeat with every layer.
PRO TIP: Arrange every layer alternately so that they are not in the same place but naturally overlapping to cover the wreath base smoothly. Pull the wire tightly between every layer to prevent the decorations from falling even if they decrease their size slightly when they have dried.
How to attach the pine corn to your handmade Christmas wreath
Enter the wire between the pine cone scales and tie the wire completely around it. Twist the pine cone a few times around itself to secure the wire and continue normally attaching the bouquets.
When placing the second pine cone, make sure that the first is slightly higher and the second is slightly lower to create a natural look on your wreath.
Measuring and repeating the decoration sequence
When you have done the first sequence eyeball or measure with your fingers (like I do in the photo) the length of the sequence and does it fit five times on the wreath base. You can adjust the length of the sequence by increasing or decreasing the number of spruce bouquet layers. Just remember to repeat the same in every decoration sequence to make the wreath look even.
Repeat the rest of the sequences. Notice that in the place where the first and the last sequence will meet, there will be several spruce layers in a row. This intentional space is for the ribbon bow to fit nicely in between the sequences.
Ending the wreath
End the wire on the backside of the wreath by tucking it under branches or tied wires to make a knot. If you do not yet have a loop to hang the wreath you can use the end of the wire to do so now.
Cut off or adjust the places of branches that peak out clearly form your wreath.
Tying the red bow
Cut a long enough ribbon to tie it around the wreath and make the knot slightly between the spruce branches. Use a Christmas-style Nordic red ribbon for a traditional Nordic Wreath. Tie the bow and cut the ends diagonally to give a finished look.
Attach the spruce cone bells
Add three spruce cones like bells to the wreath as follows. Cut three about 30 cm (12 inches) long jute yarns and tie them to the end of each spruce cone. Enter the yarn between the pine scales tie the yarn and do it the second time a bit higher to ensure the attachment. Cut the extra ends of the yarn.
Gather all three yarns in your hand and measure with eyes that the spruce cones are slightly in different levels and about in the middle of your wreath. Attach the yarn to the base of the wreath and cut the ends off.
For smaller wreaths, you might want to try to hang the cones down from the lower part of the wreath instead of trying to match the big cones hanging from the top to the middle of the wreath.
How to tweak your Christmas wreath
- Choose red berries instead of yellowish ones.
- Switch spruce branches into pine branches
- Add some string lights, the warm clear lights wrapped around will add a modern touch, and light up the wreath. Choose the mini lights that light up with batteries so you can place your wreath anywhere.
- Instead of spruce cone bells, add two to three beautiful metallic Christmas bells hanging or some white ornaments like angels or painted wooden stars in the middle of the wreath.
How to recycle the Nordic Christmas wreath after the holidays
If you are not planning to keep the wreath for the next season – the spruce branches most likely will not survive to the next holiday – just detach the ribbon and keep it for another DIY project. Use pincers to detach the decorations and save the wreath base for the next natural wreath you want to create. If the wire is tangled you are not able to save it for later, recycle it with other home metal waste.
What are your Christmas traditions?
Let me know in the comments if your family has a Christmas tradition that you just will not skip any year – like we have our Christmas wreath! Write me in the comments and let me know!
Short on time?
Pin it for later!
Nordic Christmas Wreath
Create your own Nordic Christmas Wreath with foraged natural elements and a red ribbon to finalize the wreath. Make your own Christmas decorations with less waste with these tips and enjoy the handmade Christmas. The natural wreaths are one-of-a-kind artwork that is a beautiful handmade Natural Christmas Gift. A simple Scandinavian wreath is a perfect decoration for the front door or on a fireplace mantel for the holiday season.
Materials
- Twig wreath base about 25-30 cm (10-12 inches) in diameter
- Wire
- Ribbon of your choice
- Jute yarn
- Spruce branches (about one bowlful same diameter as the wreath base)
- 3 spruce corns
- 10 pine corns
- Larch cones in twigs for at least five bunches
- Twigs of berries of your choice for at least five bunches
Tools
- Pincers
- Scissors
Instructions
- Prepare the spruce branches by cutting them into about 6-10 cm (2-4 inches) long pieces. Find the small "knots" in the branches and cut just in front of them to make the ends neat. It gives your Christmas wreath a finalized yet natural look. Prepare at least a bowl the same diameter as the wreath full of spruce branches to guarantee you have enough for the whole wreath.
- Start your wreath always with the spruce shoots that are the base natural element in this wreath, Make a small bouquet of spruce twigs and attach them with one single layer of the wire around the wreath base. Attach the second bouquet of spruce twigs and ensure every time the bouquet covers the twig wreath base.
- Now you can start the decoration sequence:
Layer 1 - Bouquet of larch cone twigs and berry twigs
Layers 2 and 3 - Spruce twig bouquet
Layer 4 - Pine corn
Layers 5 and 6 - Spruce twig bouquet
Layer 7 - Pine corn
Layers 8 and 9 - Spruce twig bouquet - All the bouquets can be attached the same way: place the bouquet on the wreath base slightly forward from the last bouquet to create a slow change between layers. Pull the wire around the wreath over the foot of the bouquet to secure it, twice, if it feels loose. Repeat with every layer.
- Then attach the pine cones. Enter the wire between the pine cone scales and tie the wire completely around it. Twist the pine cone a few times around itself to secure the wire and continue normally attaching the bouquets. When placing the second pine cone, make sure that the first is slightly higher and the second is slightly lower to create a natural look on your wreath.
- When you have done the first sequence eyeball or measure with your fingers the length of the sequence and does it fit five times on the wreath base. You can adjust the length of the sequence by increasing or decreasing the number of spruce bouquet layers. Just remember to repeat the same in every decoration sequence to make the wreath look even.
- Repeat the rest of the sequences. Notice that in the place where the first and the last sequence will meet, there will be several spruce layers in a row. This intentional space is for the ribbon bow to fit nicely in between the sequences.
- End the wire on the backside of the wreath by tucking it under branches or tied wires to make a knot. If you do not yet have a loop to hang the wreath you can use the end of the wire to do so now.
- Then tie the red bow. Cut a long enough ribbon to tie it around the wreath and make the knot slightly between the spruce branches. Use a Christmas-style Nordic red ribbon for a traditional Nordic Wreath. Tie the bow and cut the ends diagonally to give a finished look.
- Next, add three spruce cones like bells to the wreath as follows. Cut three about 30 cm (12 inches) long jute yarns and tie them to the end of each spruce cone. Enter the yarn between the pine scales tie the yarn and do it the second time a bit higher to ensure the attachment. Cut the extra ends of the yarn. Gather all three yarns in your hand and measure with eyes that the spruce cones are slightly in different levels and about in the middle of your wreath. Attach the yarn to the base of the wreath and cut the ends off.
- Take a look at your wreath and make any adjustments to the decoration if needed.
Notes
- See the step-by-step photos of making the Christmas wreath in this post.
- Find more on how to prep the spruce branches for the wreath in this post.
PRO TIP: Arrange every layer alternately so that they are not in the same place but naturally overlapping to cover the wreath base smoothly. Pull the wire tightly between every layer to prevent the decorations from falling even if they decrease their size slightly when they have dried.
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