How to Make a Giant Wreath Out of Christmas Garland

Fresh greenery garlands or pine roping will not last as long as artificial garland, but it will provide the home with the classic smell of Christmas and evergreen plants.

Make a DIY Christmas wreath with the whole family for a new tradition.

If you're feeling crafty and would like to make a heavy-duty wreath, purchase a sheet of plywood wider than you want the large Christmas wreath to be (such as 5 feet by 5 feet, or larger for larger wreaths). Or, for a lighter wreath, purchase plastic tubing in the widest width you can find. Purchase enough tubing for the wreath size you want, such as 16 feet for a wreath 5 feet in diameter. If you'd rather not build the wreath frame yourself, purchase a wire wreath form from a craft store or even a dollar store.

Pound a nail into the center of the plywood sheet with a hammer if using plywood as the base for your garland wreath. Tie a piece of string to the nail and tie a pencil on the other end of the string. The string should be half the length of the diameter of your wreath. For example, use a 2 1/2-foot length of string is appropriate for a 5-foot wreath. Use the string and pencil like a compass to draw a giant circle on the plywood.

Once the large circle has been drawn, shorten the string by about 6 in. to allow you to draw a smaller circle within the larger one, creating a doughnut shape. You can shorten the string more or less than 6 in., depending on how you want the wreath to appear; for example, shorten more than 6 in. for a fatter wreath, and less for a skinny wreath. The two circles form the outline of the wreath.

If you are using plastic tubing instead of plywood, bend the tubing to form a circle and attach the ends with strong plastic glue or a tubing connector sleeve.

Cut out the pattern with a portable circular or keyhole saw. Paint the wood green, if you desire, with latex or acrylic paint. For a tubing or wire wreath form, the paint won't be necessary since the material won't be visible beneath the greenery swag roping or garland. For a rustic looking Christmas craft wreath, twine or burlap may be used to cover the wreath form before the greenery, garland and Christmas home decor pieces are added.

The larger the wreath DIY project, the more garland you'll need, especially if you wrap the garland in loops around the wreath frame. Ensure that you have a sufficient amount of garland to cover the entire surface of the giant wreath frame.

For a wood wreath form, staple one end of the garland near an edge on the back to secure it. A hot glue gun works well on plastic tubing, or just use floral wire on a wire wreath form. Work the garland all around the form until it has been fully covered and completely secured. If possible, wrap the garland around the frame twice to make a thicker and more impressive display. When you reach the end of the garland, carefully secure it to the frame with your chosen fastening method.

Ensure that you have a sufficient amount of garland to cover the entire surface of the giant wreath frame. Use strong glue to secure the Christmas garland onto the plywood or tubing. Work the garland all around the frame until it has been fully covered and completely secured.

Fluff out the garland and begin to decorate your holiday wreath. For a large wreath, add large-scale decorations such as candy canes, large pine cones, stars, shatterproof Christmas ornaments, snowmen, large bows or anything else you desire. Secure the decorations in place with floral wire, using wire cutters to snip the wire to length. The goal is to make a beautiful wreath, so stick with decorations that look good together and with other holiday decor in the same sight line.

Use an appropriately sized wreath hanger to display the wreath in a chosen location, such as on the front door, and make sure the hanger is strong enough to hold the wreath's weight. Enjoy your lovely homemade Christmas wreath.