How to Choose the Best Christmas Wreaths and Christmas Garlands

One of my very favourite times of year is when the days get shorter and we start getting the Christmas decorations out.  Decorating our homes for the Holidays is a time for all the family to come together and help to create something beautiful for the festive season.  It is a time for special memories when those hand-made decorations, tinsel and baubles that have been treasured down the years are taken out and hung around the house.  But some of the decorations that really bring the holiday spirit into the house are the Christmas wreaths and garlands. If you choose fresh wreaths and garlands you also get to enjoy that wonderful fresh scent of fir and evergreens in your home over the holidays.  If you prefer artificial wreaths that you can keep and use again for Christmases in the future, you can find some very attractive ones and you can even get artificial ones that are pre-lit and decorated for you. One of the best places to find a wide selection is online, so if you are thinking about your Christmas decorations for this year why not check out the great range available on Amazon today.

History of Christmas Wreaths and Garlands

People have been bringing evergreens into their homes in the darkest part of the year since ancient times. In ancient Persia, Greece and Rome wreaths were given for achieving victory in war or in the games, and were made from laurels, evergreens, flowers and branches.  Before Christianity arrived in Europe, in December every year the Germanic tribes used to bring wreaths and garlands of evergreens into their homes and light fires to remind themselves that the spring and the sunshine would eventually return. These traditions were retained when Christianity spread through Europe, and the wreaths and garlands were hung during Advent to symbolise that the birth of Jesus was imminent and that light would be returned to the world. Traditionally in Germany the wreaths would be made of evergreens with four candles set in it, with a fifth candle placed in the middle.  A candle would be lit each week during Advent, with the fifth middle candle being lit on Christmas Eve. In more modern times, wreaths began to be hung on front doors as a festive welcome, and garlands of fir and evergreens are hung from mantelpieces and around banisters.

Fresh Christmas Wreaths

If you really love to have your home scented with the fresh, outdoor smell of evergreens and firs during the Holidays, you might be surprised to find out that you can choose them online.  There is a fantastic range available and there are fresh Christmas wreaths in many different sizes and made of lots of different evergreens.  These beautiful decorations are usually circular in shape and can contain cedar, pine, balsam, berried juniper and other fragrant evergreens.  You can choose a simple, undecorated fresh one if you are looking for festive simplicity or use one to add your own decorations and create your own look. Of course, there are also many pre-decorated ones to choose from and the most popular decorations are festive red bows, pine cones, red berries, and flowers.  There are even pre-lit fresh wreaths, if you like the idea of twinkling of lights in your festive evergreens. If you need one, you can also buy fresh ones that come complete with a wreath hanger.

Artificial Christmas Wreaths

If you want to be able to enjoy your wreath for more than one Holiday season, then an artificial one is for you.  There is a huge variety of artificial wreaths that you can choose online, and one of the first things that you have to decide on is what colour do you want your wreath to be. You can buy in the traditional evergreen, and also in white, gold, silver and red.  Select a simple, undecorated artificial one to be able to add your own decorations and colour scheme.

However, there are many decorated artificial Christmas wreaths that you can buy. Favourite decorations are scarlet bows, glass balls, fruit, berries, pine cones and artificial snow.  Twinkling lights are always a welcome sight during the Christmas season, and there are also many lighted artificial Christmas wreaths to choose from, with either plain white lights or lovely coloured lights. One of the joys of an artificial wreath is that they are very durable and can withstand the elements, and so are perfect for hanging on your front door as a festive welcome to your home.

Christmas Garlands

If you have got a fireplace or banisters in your house, what could be more beautiful than hanging them with festive garlands during the holiday season? As with the wreaths you can opt for fresh evergreens in your holiday garland to enjoy that wonderful smell of fresh pine and mountain air.  There is also a great range of artificial Christmas garlands available online, with a huge choice of decoration and pre-lit garlands.  There are also more unusual ones that you can buy, such as garlands composed of poinsettia, tinsel, berries and pine cones. Whatever theme that you are using for your decorations this festive seasons, there will be Christmas garlands online that match it.

So look online today to find your perfect Christmas wreath and garlands to hang on your front door and decorate your home.  Amazon has a great range, with a huge amount of choice, and ordering today will ensure that your home is decorated to perfection for the upcoming festive season.

Christmas Wreath image Richard Croft Wikimedia Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 2.0 Generic