Christmas Wreaths - The Tradition

Some people hang wreathes year round, with flower wreathes marking the coming of spring and circles of dried bittersweet ringing in the fall. But at Christmas, the wreath comes into its glory, adorning the grand entrances of great houses and the modest doors of city apartments. The tradition is centuries old, but every holiday season it renews itself.

Most wreathes are circular, and the circle has long been symbolic of the unbroken span of eternity, as well as the circular nature of life itself. Used in mid December at the time of the Winter Solstice, the circle symbolizes the certainty that the endless cycle of seasons will once again bring the return of light.

The act of hanging wreathes and greens was not always without controversy. In the 1500’s, Protestant reformer John Calvin condemned the frivolity that accompanied Christmas and other holiday celebrations, and his spiritual descendants, the Puritans, did the same in England and in the early colonies. But by the late 1800’s, the idea of marking the Christmas season with feasting, celebration and decoration had taken hold.

Some Christians use Advent wreathes to commemorate the meaning of Christmas. These wreathes, usually made of evergreens, are placed on a table or other horizontal surface. Four candles are affixed to the greenery to represent the four weeks of Advent, the season leading up to Christmas. Each week at a specific time family members say prayers and light an additional candle until all are alight just before Christmas.

The vast majority of Christmas wreathes are hung on doors, windows or walls, indoors and out. Traditional wreath greens include various types of fir, pine, holly, boxwood and even magnolia leaves. Modern wreathes may be made of a variety of materials for contrasts in color, texture and fragrance.

Big red bows are probably the most common wreath embellishment, but when it comes to further decoration, the sky’s the limit. Many people prefer natural or natural-looking materials like pinecones, nuts, bright berries or even fruits. Some wreath makers even decorate the entire evergreen circle with a sumptuous array of colorful fruits in the style of fifteenth century sculptor Andrea della Robbia.

Whatever the decorations, wreathes are the perfect symbol of the personal, spiritual, traditional, contemporary and, above all, festive spirit of the holidays.