Festive wreaths

Harbingers of holidays, wreaths appear immediately following the season's first frost. Their origins, however, go far deeper than mere decoration. Pre-Christians used evergreen to symbolize the power of nature to overcome the forces of winter, and ancient Egyptians placed rings of foliage in burial pyramids, in order to secure the occupant eternal life. On that theme, our wreaths will outlast the holidays and bring cheer all season long.

1. True colours
This welcoming wreath will sustain you until spring flowers begin to bloom. The blend of blue, green and cream with a hint of rust are far from the average holiday palette. "Stretch your imagination. Use more than gold, silver, red and green when you decorate for the holidays," advises Amber. How to: Insert dried or fresh hydrangea and blue steel berries in among a ready-made pine wreath's branches, securing them with florist wire. Pine wreaths are short-lived, but they'll last longer if they're kept in the cold, so use this wreath to adorn a front or back door.

2. Round trip
Like nature, a wreath needn't be perfectly uniform. Such is the case with this circle of silver fir and its free-form halo of hop vine. "It's casual, put together in a really natural sense," says Amber, and it's perfect for cheering up a bare fence post in a blanket of wintry white. How to: Loop dried hop vine loosely through a ready-made fir wreath form, then tie with raffia to secure. Tuck in sprays of red berries for a splash of colour.


3. Kitchen comforts
Utilitarian objects and garden herbs decorate this pine wreath and conjure up images of a cozy country kitchen. This wreath makes a great hostess gift. Hung in a window, the silver ornaments twinkle like lights. How to: Raid your cupboard for vintage utensils and cookie cutters, or pick some up at an antique store. Attach them to a wreath using florist wire or garden twine. "Add a favourite herb, such as rosemary or thyme, to complete the country kitchen feel," says Amber.