DIY Christmastime Door Decoration - Mississippi Farm Country

DIY Christmastime Door Decoration

This instructional guide will walk you through the steps to make a creative and decorative door decoration for Christmas.

This holiday season, consider decorating your door or mantel with a cluster of fresh evergreens gathered from the great outdoors. A festive focal point will welcome your holiday guests or even the odd Christmas caroler.

Photo credit: istock.com/darrya

To create this design, assemble:

  • Evergreens of your choice
  • Floral wire, heavy-duty rubber bands or string/twine
  • Berries, pine cones, other natural decorations
  • Fresh floral foam (optional)
  • Hanging device

Tip: You can find fresh evergreens anywhere from your very own landscaping to the local woods. Keep an eye out for boxwood, cedar, holly, eucalyptus, magnolia, pine or southern wax myrtle. Most narrow-leaved or broad-leaved evergreens will work for this project. Make sure you vary the textures and patterns of foliage you cut and collect.

To create your festive design, also known as “swags,” here’s what you need to do:

  1. Bind the stems together, fashioning a broom-like shape. You can use floral wire, but other materials such as multiple heavy-duty rubber bands or string/twine will also work well. These bindings can be covered with more decorative materials, such as raffia or ribbon.
  2. When binding the stems, add a loop of wire so the design can be hung. To keep your piece secure during winter storms, tape this loop to the nail, hook or commercial mounting device of your choice. The design’s back should lay flat against the door or wall to keep it stable. 
  3. Attach a few natural elements – such as berries or pinecones – for some extra interest and color.

In order to extend the life of your creation, you may want to use fresh floral foam, which provides a water source for fresh stems. This foam can extend the display time by several days or a few weeks, depending on environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. This is much more effective than other sprays and dips on the market, which only extend the display time by hours. Part of this design’s beauty comes from its natural materials that can be composted.

Tip: Your arrangement will last longer if displayed in a cool, moist area as opposed to someplace warm and dry. If the threat of a warm Southern winter has you concerned about the life of your design, feel free to make a few backups to store in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Your evergreens will keep in cold storage for weeks to months. Just be sure to punch holes in the plastic to allow excess moisture to escape, lowering the chance of mold growth.

Swag designs can also be used to decorate churches, gravesites or given to others who would appreciate some Christmas cheer.

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