Create a beautiful winter wreath using your Christmas greenery and a few simple add-ins. This quick, budget-friendly project brings fresh life to your home after the holidays and is easy to customize with the greens, pinecones, and textures you already have on hand.
WINTER | Published January 4, 2026
WINTER | Published January 4, 2026
Wreaths adorned with greens and pinecones aren't just for the holiday.
The simple combination can hang on your front door or over a mantel bringing life to your home long after the Christmas decorations come down and your house starts to feel a little bare.
One of the biggest benefits of crafting a winter wreath in January? Use some seasonally appropriate décor you already have or shop the after Christmas sales at craft stores to get supplies for next to nothing. Thrift stores often have a lot of excess holiday merchandise as people are trying to clean out what they no longer want.
In about 15 minutes of crafting time, you can have a high quality piece to dress your home throughout the winter months without spending much, if anything at all.
Read on for suggestions about what to gather, how to mix and match your supplies, and simple step-by-step instructions to build your own custom wreath that feels right at home through the whole winter season.
Before You Start Crafting...
Step One: Gather Inspiration
Maybe you are a crafter who knows exactly what you want to do with your supplies. But for most of us, we need a little visual guidance before getting started.
Do a quick internet search for winter wreath ideas and take note of the shapes, layouts and color palettes that you’re drawn to. You may even want to do a quick sketch to visualize your finished creation.
I've gathered together a collection full of pretty winter wreath options that may inspire your own project, if you'd like to have a peek.
Step Two: Gather Supplies
Take an inventory of the supplies you have to work with and decide if there is anything you're missing that can be found without too much trouble or if you can substitute a different supply.
The goal is not to spend money, because you've likely done enough of that over the Christmas holiday!
Play around with different combinations of greens, florals, pinecones, etc., that you already have if possible. Part of the fun is experimenting to see what you can come up with.
After winter is over, the wreath can be taken apart and you'll have your Christmas décor back, no damage done. This allows you to really create a premium wreath with nice greens, without breaking the bank.
A few tips to keep in mind:
- The best winter wreaths tend to look collected and foraged with a bit of this and a little of that. Perfection isn't necessary.
- Stick to a simple color palette for the most sophisticated wreath. For winter, I tend to focus more on whites, steel-y blues (like juniper berries), and the various shades of green.
- Mix it up with a variety of different greenery options like using both evergreens and eucalyptus. Vary the shades and textures for added interest. Pull out some everyday greens like magnolia leaves or lamb's ear for contrast. See the list below a few ideas about what you can include.
- Select embellishments and fillers like pinecones, berries, blue thistle or a faux bird for personality.
Supplies and Tools You'll Need to Make a Winter Wreath
- Wreath - We used a grapevine wreath, but you can also use a greenery wreath or metal wreath form depending on your style.
- Winter greens in a variety of shades and textures
- Add-ins like pinecones or berries
- Floral wire - also known as paddle wire
- Wire cutters - to cut the floral wire and thick flower stems (optional if you are wanting to keep your greens as is for next year's decorating.)
How to Make a Winter Grapevine Wreath
STEP 1: Lay your wreath on an even work surface and gather your supplies.
STEP 2: Slide the stem ends of your greens into the grapevine at an angle so they will be secure. Layer as much or as little as you'd like. Adjust so everything is blended together and doesn’t look like you just placed one green on top of the other.
STEP 3: Tuck in your embellishments. You may want to wire together small clusters of accents to attach in bundles.
STEP 4: Secure everything to the wreath form using floral wire wherever necessary.
STEP 5: Attach a ribbon or create a simple hanger with wire, and your wreath is ready to display.
For my wreath, I used one large magnolia branch, a willowy faux branch covered with snow, three cedar branches, two pine branches, a juniper spray, and three picks of faux pinecones.
You can observe how I laid everything out below. All of the branches were bent and tucked into the wreath. Nothing was cut.
Wreath Making Tips
Here are a few suggestions to help you make the most of your crafting experience.
HAVE A FOCAL POINT: Whether it is a special greenery, clusters of juniper, or large pinecones, decide on the one thing that you want to catch people's eye first and build around that to keep things looking planned and professional.
USE A MIX OF GREENS: Choosing different shades and textures adds interest to your wreath and elevates it beyond a basic craft project.
DIMENSION IS KEY: You don't want your wreath to look flat. The greens should cover not just the top, but the inner and outer edges of the wreath form for a fuller look. You want things like berries or thin branches to extend out and away from the greens. Bend and shape your greenery to give it a more natural look.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE WREATH: An average front door is about 36 inches, so a wreath that is 20-24 inches is ideal. If you use something smaller, be sure that the greenery extends well away from the wreath base.
LAYOUT YOUR PIECES FIRST: Do a quick layout of what your planning on top of the grapevine wreath so that you are sure that you like the combination and shape. It is frustrating to undo the wire if you don't like it.
USE THE SAME WREATH BASE AGAIN AND AGAIN: The goal with this project is to create a quick, budget friendly piece of winter décor that looks expensive. I reuse the same grapevine wreath for all different seasons by attaching the supplies I have with wire and then removing it at the end of the season to create something new.
When the house starts to feel a little bare after the holidays, pulling together a winter wreath is such an easy way to bring some life back in. A few leftover greens, a handful of pinecones, maybe a sprig of juniper you tucked away. It all comes together quicker than you’d think.
So go ahead and gather what you have on hand. Spread everything out on the table, play a little, and see what comes together. Winter decorating doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive; it just needs to feel good.
And who knows. You might find that this simple wreath is exactly what your home was missing in the quiet weeks of January. Allow yourself to enjoy the process, and let the season inspire you!
More Winter Posts to Inspire You This Season
- How to Keep Snowy Boots From Melting All Over Your Floors
- Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix - Just add water for a cozy winter drink!
- Felt Snowflake Craft - A cozy winter project with lots of texture inspired by the art of paper quilling.
- Rustic Woodland Tablescape - A pretty table isn't just for Christmas entertaining.
- Decorating for Winter - Tips for Your Seasonal Home
