Homemade Herbal Holiday Decorations

Inexpensive Handmade Ornaments and Gifts

Nov 13, 2009 Patrice Campbell

Herbal holiday decorations can be fashioned to fit any decor, and they make welcomed economical and personalized homemade gifts.

Dried herbs preserved from the kitchen garden can be mixed or bundled into hand crafted gifts for no additional cost. For those without an herb garden, fresh and dried herbs can be found at herb shops, health food stores and in the produce and spice aisle of the local supermarket.

Dried Flower and Herb Wreaths and Swags

While the avid herb crafter will have a large assortment of dried herbs and flowers available to create sumptuous homemade wreaths and swags, even the casual crafter will find ways to add the festive scent of herbs to the home for the holidays with a limited budget. Tucking tiny sprigs and bouquets of fresh or dried herbs to an artificial wreath or swag can add a delicate aroma to a room and enhancements with dried flowers and seeds, adorned with scraps of ribbon and spiced up with dried fruits and nuts can add an element of romantic visual whimsy to the holiday.

Nuts, rose hips and dried orange and apple slices, strings of raisins, cinnamon sticks and pinecone are easily obtainable and frugal additions to last years wreath or swag at the entry. Attached to an inexpensive new holiday wreath purchase, they make a fragrant and personalized gift.

Wrap a herb swag around a hard to wrap gift like the potted sprouting forced flower bulb to add a festive and fragrant preview of what is to come.

It doesn’t take a lot of herb to fashion a mini wreath to use as a candle wreath , hang around a bottle of wine or use as a napkin ring, any of which will brighten a family meal or holiday gathering.

Holiday Candles

Inexpensive votive candle holders adorned with herbs can enhance the warmth of the season on the hearth or dining table. The aroma of fresh or dried herb attached to the votive holder will be released as the flame heats up the glass. Bay leaf, sage and rosemary are ideal herbs for this purpose.

Trim the herb from the bottom so that the top edges barely rise above the top edge of the candle holder to ensure the flame of the tea light will not cause to herb to combust. A holiday ribbon or a simple piece of yarn or twine will hold the herbs in place and add to the theme, or serve to hold a hand crafted card if the herbal creation is intended as a gift.

Handmade Ornaments and Tree Decorations

A tree ornament of dried yarrow, basil flowers, pepper berries, rosebuds and rose hips can be tucked into the outer branches of a real or artificial Christmas tree to give it an old fashioned look. Fresh or dried sprigs of herbs like rosemary, sage and bay fashioned into mini bouquets with a ribbon or bit of lace around the stems can add a homey fragrance to an artificial tree, and the mixture of greens and grays will add an artistic element.

Pinecone, tipped with gold paint or a bit of glitter, will add sparkle and fragrance, and cranberries, on a string or hung in small clusters or even as individual drops will add splashes of contrasting color.

Source:

• Tolley, Emelie, Mead, Chris, Gifts from the Herb Garden. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1991

The copyright of the article Homemade Herbal Holiday Decorations in Crafts is owned by Patrice Campbell. Permission to republish Homemade Herbal Holiday Decorations in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Add Dried Herbs and Nuts for Holiday Decorations

Homemade Holiday Decoration Wreath

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