16 of Our Best Holiday Wreaths

It's that time of year when everything comes full circle: We travel back to our hometowns, where old memories and traditions give way to new ones. And as guests arrive knocking on your front door, there's one beautiful way to welcome them: a wreath. Ancient civilizations used wreaths, symbols of unbroken time, to celebrate special occasions. They were creative in their materials—using myrtle, ivy, even celery—and there is no reason you shouldn't be as well. These days, wreaths can live throughout the year, bringing welcoming cheer to any decorated entrance hall or mantel, doorways and garden gates.

The wreaths crafted by our editors are made of evergreens, ribbons, sequined appliqués, and crystals, but any material with small, lightweight pieces will work well (miniature plants are particularly suited for use in living wreaths). Even a few embellishments can easily elevate a store-bought wreath into a custom creation. They are beautiful to hang indoors or out, and most of them are nonperishable, so you can save them for display again next year.

Having the correct frames, as well as good pins and hangers, makes crafting wreaths more enjoyable and the resulting products more lovely and professional. Not skimping on embellishments is also essential. Everything appears more lavish and luxe if "more" is central to the design: more bows instead of fewer, more crystal instead of less. Don't be afraid to pack them on: You will be happy with the outcome. If you wish to hang a wreath without making holes, there are options in ribbon ties, pull-off adhesives, hooks, and magnetic strips.

Create a new tradition this year by crafting one of our favorite holiday wreaths—you'll enjoy it for seasons to come.

A sparkly wreath instantly spreads the spirit of the season—and adds a touch of glamour, too. It may look painstakingly beaded, but the embellishments are actually silver-floral appliqués glued onto a silver-painted wooden wreath frame. (Wires sandwiched between a few of the appliqués and the fabric create dimension.) We hung ours over a multifaceted oval mirror for a radiant effect.

Shop Now: Jewel Mirror, in Large, $679, rhbabyandchild.com. Floral Craft Ring, 18", $6.39, michaels.com. Beacon Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive, $11, michaels.com. Flowers with Silver Sequins and Beads Appliqué, 6 1/2" by 3 1/2", $5, sequinappliques.com. Panacea Floral Wire, 22 gauge, $2.59 for 190', michaels.com.

A modern take on a traditional ornament-filled wreath, this asymmetrical number looks positively stylish on any front door. 

Celebrate being home for the holidays. Escape into this tiny winter wonderland inhabited by tiny cardboard houses (also known as putz houses), frosted bottlebrush trees, miniature deer, and skiers all atop drifts of cotton snow. This wreath inspired one of our editors who saw a similar one in a trip to Christmasworld, the holiday-theme trade show in Frankfurt, Germany.

Candy canes are the hallmark treats of the Christmas season. With this decorating idea, the holiday doesn't get any sweeter than this: Create a trio of wreaths with peppermint candy canes, waxed twine, and bright red ribbon. We used different sized candy canes to shape them into hearts for one delicious display.

A delicate-looking wreath that creates the magical effect of candles flickering in the snow. It's easy to make and surprisingly sturdy: First, the rounded wire frame is strung with twinkling lights that are nestled in frothy, doily-like paper bouquet holders known as "Biedermeiermanschetten," which is a traditional German craft.

Harken back to Christmas memories of the past with this retro-inspired wreath. Design a monochromatic look or a mixed palette, as pictured here. Start by scouting out your local thrift stores, flea markets, and estate sales for collectible baubles (our editor's favorites include ones from the 1940s, '50s and '60s like Shiny Brites). Then, wrap a straw wreath form in tinsel garlands, pin the ornaments into place, and place a big bow on top.

Turn fallen branches of greenery into simple yet charming mini-wreaths. Add a pop of color with cheery red ribbon and, soon, every window in your house will be dressed with one.

The beauty of poinsettias are fleeting in winter. This wreath, made of golden-hued ribbons fashioned into poinsettias, is made to last for holidays to come. Satin ribbon provides a wide range of buttery shades with which to form these beautiful facsimiles and their hardiness makes them a delightful choice for an elegant (and everlasting) indoor wreath.

Long Norway-spruce pinecones are nestled among smaller examples on a moss-covered grapevine form. This rustic wreath is even more charming when displayed outside, dusted with snow. To start, lay a 20-inch round grapevine wreath form flat, and cover it thoroughly with sheets of moss (you will need about one pound of sheet moss). Where there are gaps in the grapevine, pad the form with more moss to even it out. Cover only the front and sides of the wreath. Secure the moss to the form by wrapping it with monofilament or nylon thread. Tie ends of thread to a vine on the back of the form. Hot-glue 18 Norway-spruce pinecone halves onto the moss, laying cones to follow the circle. Fill in the spaces between the big cones with 60 smaller pinecones (such as those from Scotch pine, red pine, or jack pine); glue so their tops face out. Hang the wreath from a nail or hook (no need to add a hanger; the openwork of the grapevine wreath will work for hanging). If hung outdoors, let the wreath dry completely before storing.

Shop Now: Ashland Grapevine Wreath, 18", $5, michaels.com. SuperMoss Preserved Sheet Moss, $11, jamaligarden.com. Norway Spruce Pinecones, $20 for 100, pineconesandpodz.com.

At this time of year, everything seems to gleam. Echo this holiday luster at home with decorations like this wreath bedecked with tinsel and glitter. First, the berry branches are coated with spray paint. Then, working on five-inch sections at a time, a paintbrush is used to coat with glue and sprinkled with spoonfuls of powder glitter.

Shop Now: Icy Red Berry Stem Branch, $17, crateandbarrel.com. Martha Stewart Crafts Super Fine Glitter, in Amethyst and Sterling Silver, $7, michaels.com.

Decorate a cedar-and-juniper wreath with icicle ornaments and let it greet your guests all winter long. Wrap floral wire through the ornament's hole and around the greenery, and be sure to place more of the shiny spikes along the upper arc so they look like Jack Frost's real handiwork.

Shop Now: Factory Direct Craft Clear Acrylic Icicle Ornaments, $3.49 for 5, factorydirectcraft.com.

Unwrap a new wreath idea this year. Cover small containers, such as old jewelry boxes, with weatherproof paper, which will hold up outdoors, unlike wrapping paper; seal with all-weather tape. Add decorative bands in contrasting colors, if desired, and tie with ribbon. Attach to a flat wooden wreath form (ours is 18 inches) using a hot-glue gun. Affix a satin bow.

Shop Now: Ready To Decorate Floral & Craft Ring, 18", $6.39, michaels.com. Nashua All-Weather HVAC Duct Tape, in White, $9, homedepot.com.

Create this glittering decoration by trimming a noble fir wreath with silvery ornaments and sprigs of seeded eucalyptus. (We used approximately 100 ornaments of varying sizes.) To start, align each ornament's wire with a floral pick and wrap the pick wire around both to secure. Attach each eucalyptus sprig to a pick, using the same process. Insert largest ornaments at the top of wreath. Add other ornaments, varying sizes and positions as desired, using smaller ornaments down wreath sides; reserve the tiniest ornaments to dot around wreath bottom once other ornaments are inserted. Insert eucalyptus sprigs around the ornaments, using leafier stems and fuller bud sprigs at the wreath's top, tapering fullness of additions as you work down the sides.

Shop Now: Pottery Barn Live Seeded Eucalyptus Bunches, $32.50, potterybarn.com. Jamali Garden Shiny Silver Glass Ornament Balls, 3 1/8", $20 for 12, jamaligarden.com. Afloral Green Floral Picks, 2 1/2", $4.60 for 60, afloral.com. 

For a twist on the classic laurel wreath, spray-paint eucalyptus leaves silver and gold, and add them to a base of fragrant bay leaves. With bolt cutters, remove a portion of the wreath form and close off the ends with wire. Wire together five or so bay sprigs and attach to wreath form. Repeat, working from top toward bottom center. Wire together gold and silver sprigs and attach them to the wreath form at bottom center. Wire ball picks to floral picks and place in wreath. Finish with a champagne-colored satin ribbon knotted at the base and clusters of silver and gold balls wired to picks.

Shop Now: Panacea Wire Wreath Frame, 18", $4.49, joann.com. Design Master Colortool Metallic Spray, in Silver and Brilliant Gold, $9.49, michaels.com. Ribbon Bazaar Double Faced Satin, in Taupe, 2 1/4", $3.75 per yd., ribbonbazaar.com.

When suspended from the ceiling, this impressive, ornament-laden ring of greens will thrill your guests. Its wild, earthy look comes from the tangle of lichen branches and seeded eucalyptus, which are simply tucked into noble fir wreaths. The pomegranates below are brushed with edible luster dust, adding to the glow of the red-and-green tableau. To start, wire together two 36-inch noble fir wreaths with backings facing each other. Tie the wreaths together tightly with four lengths of silver cord spaced equidistantly, working them deep into the branches to hide them. Suspend silver cords from a loop of floral wire, and hang loop from a chandelier hook or an S hook drilled into a ceiling beam. Tuck aromatic eucalyptus leaves and seeded eucalyptus and lichen branches into wreaths. Hang ornaments, and drape the beaded garland, securing with floral wire if needed.

Shop Now: Tinsel Trading Silver Metallic Cord, 5/16", $8 per yd., tinseltrading.com.

Go for the gold and enrich a simple cedar wreath with tiny bells, sprigs of golden cedar, and a matching satin bow. To start, slip one five-inch length of gold wire through tops of three bells, bring ends of wire together, and twist; repeat to create 12 three-bell bundles. Wrap floral-pick wires around bell-bundle wires and golden-cedar sprig stems to secure, making 12 cedar-and-bell bundles (bottom). Insert them evenly around the wreath with additional cedar sprigs to form a circle of yellow cedar.

Shop Now: Factory Direct Craft Gold Jingle Bells, $4.75 for 30, factorydirectcraft.com. Ten or Less Bowtique Gold Double-Sided Satin Ribbon, 2 3/4", $5.35 per yard, etsy.com.