The Origin of the Christmas Wreath

There's no more beautiful mark to the beginning of the festive season, than by hanging a beautiful Christmas wreath on your door!

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In times gone by, Christmas wreaths imitated the northern hemisphere Christmas style, designed with wintry foliages like spruce and berries. But these days there are so many different styles of wreaths around, reflecting our summer season and lifestyle!!

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My favourite kind, the everlasting wreaths, are made with beautiful flowers, often Australian natives, that dry out and can last forever.

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The wreath itself has a VERY long tradition around the world, and in the past there have been lots of different uses for wreaths, from the wreaths they used Ancient Greece at the Olympic Games to congratulate champions, made with olive, pine and laurel, and also in Greece, young lovers hung wreaths on their lovers’ doorways as a sign of affection. Further down the track in Victorian England, a floral wreath sometimes surrounded the chair of the guest of honour at a banquet.

But the wreaths I'm more interested in, are the ones we hang on our doors for Christmas!!

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Upon serious investigation, I've found out that, particularly in Christian tradition, with their circular shape wreaths symbolise everlasting life. The more traditional wreath with the red berries and holly foliage symbolised Jesus' crown of thorns, and in Northern Europe, Christmas wreaths marked the winter solstice, and symbolised nature and the promise of new life.

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Well, if you ask me, Christmas wreaths are basically a beautiful, festive way to decorate your home, beginning right at the front door.

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We have some beautiful Christmas Wreaths available on our online store. If you'd like to make you're own, our book Wreaths by Katie Smyth and Terri Chandler is a great guide!