Garlands

They were brought to the New World by the European settlers and have been used to bring in the spirit of Christmas, becoming a central part of the Christmas celebrations. Many years ago in Europe after harvest season farmers found themselves with not much to do so they strung ropes of evergreen garlands of cedar, pine and spruce and sold them for extra money.

They also made garlands of orange peels, cornhusks, mosses and dried fruit.

In the 1900’s there was a scarcity of natural foliage and in order to cater to the demands of the market artificial evergreens and holly garlands were substituted using plastic or silk. Eventually in the 1960s PVC became the material of choice for the manufacture of garlands. Today garlands can be made from and decorated with many types of materials for use in both the interior and exterior and are sold in 9-foot lengths and 6-8 inch diameters.

Here are a few uses for garlands:

• Garlands are roped around the Christmas tree and are made of lights, PVC, silk, tinsel, fruits and so on.

• They can be wrapped around or draped along the side of bannisters.

• Windows, doors and doorways can be framed like trim with garlands, which creates a great visual for transitioning from one room to room.

• In the kitchen garlands can have rosemary woven into an evergreen garland with bold ornaments.

• String garlands on porches and railings on the exterior of the building.

There are many ways to decorate garlands: • Pine garlands are obviously made from pinecones. This is a very versatile material that is used for Christmas decorating. Furthermore they coordinate well with all design styles, traditional, rustic, coastal or modern. Use them to make garlands in their natural state, painted or lit. Add berries, twigs and holiday greens to the pinecone garland to welcome your guests.

• Beaded garlands are available in several shapes, sizes and colours. They are also available in a variety of materials like glass, acrylic or plastic. String them together or alone to make a statement or add other materials for an eye popping accent.

• Artificial berry garlands are very common and similarly to beaded garlands they can be strung alone or as an accent. Artificial berries if properly maintained look like they were freshly picked. In a traditional or rustic setting combine the berries with pinecones.

• Flocked garlands are garlands that are covered in an artificial snow substance. These garlands are great for use in a white monochromatic scheme. For a winter accent, decorate the flocked garland with artificial snowflakes.

• Coastal garlands can be created in several ways by including ocean trinkets. One way is to string hemp rope with mercury glass and clamshell ornaments. Or add ocean elements like starfishes or sand dollars to an evergreen garland.

• Stringing together oranges, limes, apples and berries either by themselves or added to an evergreen garland, creates fruity garlands.

• Other popular garlands can be made from burlap, green and gold baubles, pompoms, gold leaf pinecones and bows.