Story: Wreath Envy

by Designing Mom Jenn

Wikipedia has this to say about Wreaths:

Wreaths are usually made from leafs, evergreens as a symbol for the strength of life, with these plants overcoming even the harshest winters. Such wreaths often use Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) and can be categorized as laurel wreaths. Other components of a wreath can be pine, hollyor yew, symbolizing immortality, and cedar, symbolizing strength and healing. The Greekgod Apollo is often associated with wreaths, and was a god of life and health. This inspired the Greek to use the symbol as crowns of victory at the Pythian Games, a forerunner to today's Olympic Games. The circularity of wreaths can be used to symbolize eternity or immortality.

But this is what I have to say about wreaths:

I love'em! Wreaths are festive! Wreaths signify the holidays are upon us and ignite the holiday cheer! They decorate doors, and in some cases perfume the air. They can be real or fake, green or brown, or just about anything else... and I really do love them!

Now, let me be clear - I shouldn't have this love affair with wreaths! I'm Jewish, and we're not exactly wreath-making and wreath-loving people... but I call myself "The Jew Who Loves Christmas" and somehow I've managed to get away with my love for all things Christmas; wreaths and Christmas music top the list!!

The first wreath I ever really saw and fell in love with was a popcorn wreath, in the window of a fancy furniture store on Union Street in San Francisco. When I first moved to San Francisco back in 1999 I saw this huge, oversized wreath in the window of this store, and every year thereafter, I would get reinvigorated by the popcorn wreath's appearance. While there was no snow on the ground to tell me it was winter, the wreath helped enforce the idea and made me want spiced apple cider or hot chocolate (despite that it wasn't even cold enough for a hat yet!) I can't find a photo of this wreath but I'm pretty sure that I took one every single year!!

This year, having just moved to the 'burbs, we have a house with a door that's just begging for a wreath... but I've got 34 years of wreath-ideas and wreath-envy and don't know how to filter my wreath "wants" and "needs" into one actual wreath.

Martha Stewart Living (December issue) has some pretty amazing wreath ideas, but the one that stood out the most to me was a wreath made out of small white jewelry boxes, each wrapped with a ribbon and tied in a bow, and adhered to a circular frame. It was so elegant and unusual. I've also seen some great wreath concepts online - wreaths made out of buttons, fake flowers, doilies, twigs, pine cones, ribbons, etc.

Trader Joe's is selling your basic, lovely evergreen wreath for super cheap... but I feel like I'm cheating if I start with that as my base! I'm very black-or-white about this kind of stuff, being a designer and all!

Seeing as how it's December already, and being that my doctor has just put me on partial bedrest for the duration of my pregnancy, I have a feeling that I'm not going to get to have my glorious wreath debut this year. Perhaps this year I'll just have to collect some photos, make a "wreath file" of ideas and plan for next year... and enjoy the wreath that my 20mos old daughter Grace made at daycare a few weeks ago, and proudly brought home at Thanksgiving! Funny... I seem to have a zillion photos of this one!!