4 Creative, Eco-Friendly DIY Christmas Wreath Ideas

Have a green Christmas when you make these eco-friendly wreaths from reusable materials you probably have lying around the house.

Men’s Neck Tie Wreath

Turn Dad’s old ties into door decor. You’ll need a 14-inch wire wreath form from a crafts shop and 19 ties. Cut all ties but one into 15-inch lengths. Position the narrow end of first cut tie, front side up, on a section of the wreath. Wrap tie around form until pointed end is positioned as shown, hiding the rolled tie; secure with pins. Repeat, overlapping ties slightly. Flip wreath over; sew rolled-up ties to the backs of points. Pin on the uncut, bowed tie.

Recycled Cards Wreath

Recycle holiday greeting cards into holly leaves for this one-of-a-kind decoration. Using a holly leaf stencil, trace onto old cards and cut out holly shapes. With a glue gun, glue a toothpick onto the backside of each of the leaves to form a 1-inch pick at the “bottom” of each leaf. Take a 10-inch Styrofoam wreath and insert these leaf picks around the shape until it is completely covered, fanning and overlapping them as shown. Cut out more holly leaves as needed to cover the wreath with regifted greetings.

Mixed Greens

This woodsy design, studded with fruit and plants, blends faux and real. From the crafts store, purchase a 16-inch grapevine wreath and artificial Granny Smith apples. Use a hot glue gun to affix the apples, spacing them equally around the ring. Select an assortment of seasonal flora from the florist or the forest — pinecones, fragrant eucalyptus, and juniper — and weave them into the grapevine, filling in the areas between the apples.

Pop Out the Cork

Add pop to a dining room with wine corks wired to tiny red jingle bells. Take about 22 corks of the same size and 22 small (3/8 of an inch) red bells bought from a crafts store. Drill a small hole (just big enough to fit your wire through) 1/4 of an inch from the top of each cork and another 1/4 of an inch from the bottom. It is very important to make sure all the drilled holes at the top line up with the holes at the bottom. Using long, green floral wire, push the wire though all the bottom holes of the corks. Leave enough wire at both ends when finished for tying closed later. Cut another long piece of floral wire to string the tops of the corks together, alternating with the bells. Tie ends of wire at the top and bottom, twisting to close and make a wreath shape. Hang with length of ribbon.