Wreath-making is a great way to encourage a connection to nature during the winter.

It is so much more difficult to encourage kids to go outside when it’s cold!  Lately, my daughter always says “no” when I ask “do you want to go outside?”  My son, who has become the poster toddler for the “terrible two’s” refuses to take one step into the snow.  I really can’t blame him.  For someone with very little experience with the cold, wet and (now) crunchy stuff, it is hard to deal with.  He wants me to carry him everywhere we walk in the yard.  This doesn’t go over well with me, so he stands on the deck and watches us while complaining the entire time.  I just chuckle to myself knowing that next year, I won’t be able to pull him away.

Last weekend, determined to get my daughter outside and helping to prepare for Christmas, I encouraged her to help me make the wreath for the front door.  We walked around the yard
collecting natural items that could be used to augment the plain balsam wreath I already had on the door.  Without knowing what to expect, we liked how it turned out!  We used clippings from a white pine, a beech tree and a viburnum bush.  Then we added a few branches that had red berries and a little artificial cardinal I had in our Christmas decorations.
Here’s the result of our creation:

If you would like to make a wreath for your door, you will need the following materials:

• One 22″ wreath (you can buy it a the local garden center)
• Sharp scissors to use for clipping
• Clippings from your yard – use your imagination!  You can collect anything such as bare or pine branches, even branches with dried leaves or berries, feathers (washed and disinfected), leaves from evergreen vines, trees and bushes, pine cones or anything that looks pretty or interesting.
• Green craft wire
• Ribbon to make a bow

Once you have everything collected, bring it inside and arrange it all on a large table or work area.  Begin placing the clippings in the wreath by pushing them one-by-one into the wire that was used to hold together the wreath.  Arrange the clippings any way you find appealing.  For pine cones and the like you will need to use the craft wire to attach them to the wreath.  You can either wrap the wire around the item and wire it to the wreath, or drill holes into the item (such as acorns) and go from there.  Finally, add the finishing touch by adding a bow using the craft wire.

You will find that you enjoy this project. You might even finding yourself signing carols! During this time of hustle and bustle, it really helped me get into the holiday spirit.  As for my daughter, she feels proud that the wreath on our front door was created with her help and your children will, too.

Lastly, to all my readers, thank you for your support!!  I really enjoyed writing for you this year.  As you know, I only do this part time (and often only when I have some spare time), and I thank you for continuing to follow my blog even during the slow periods.  I am planning some great new features for 2010, so please stay tuned.  I wish you all the best for a wonderful and happy holiday season.  I also pass on to you a nice verse in a card I received from friends which says,