by Jenni Girouard

Created on: May 22, 2008

When I was a young child my mom, my sister and I would make Christmas wreaths for all of the older women in our church. Most of these women were widowed and their families lived far away in other states. This tradition taught me what it meant to love others, and showed me the warmth you can get from giving. We would sit around our kitchen table and laugh together for hours. Some of my fondest childhood memories involved sitting at the kitchen table and making crafts with my family. These wreaths are versatile, easy to make, and cost effective. They are made out of an old metal hanger, a card board rectangle, and any color of yarn you want to use. After the wreath is put together you can decorate it with small Christmas decorations. The key to this wreath is to be creative.

First, you need to disassemble the metal hanger, and cut it down to the size you want with wire cutters. I usually cut mine to about twenty four inches. After you get the hanger to the appropriate length, you can begin to shape it into a circle. Next, you need to cut a piece of card board into a rectangle (I suggest 4 X 2 inches). The size of your card board rectangle determines the size of your wreath width. Now, take the yarn and wrap it around the card board (top to bottom following the four inch path) forty-five times. Cut an additional piece of yarn about three inches long. Remove the yarn from the card broad, and tie the three inch piece of yarn around the yarn you just removed from the card board (side to side following the two inch path). Repeat this cycle as many times as it takes to fill the metal hanger. You can use as many colors in this wreath as your imagination allows you to. String the yarn bundles along the metal hanger through the center of each bundle. After the hanger is full of yarn bundles connect both ends with a pair of pliers. At this point the wreath is complete and ready to be decorated with any Christmas trinkets you wish to use. For example, you can use a low heat glue gun and some plastic berries, flowers, and bells to complete this wreath.

The total cost of this wreath should be around seven dollars. This cost can go up or down depending on how extravagant you decide to decorate your wreath. This was a fun and affordable childhood family tradition that I have now passed along to my family. You can make these wreaths for friends, family, and co-workers. So, from my family to yours, have fun starting your own family traditions and be creative.

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