DIY Pagan

Today I’m making a big wreath to hang on the front of our house for Yule.  First of all, I want to complain a little about my husband B teasing me for often saying “reef” because my Arizona drawl comes out now and then.  He’s just a butt.

Anyhow, not content with a normal, store bought wreath, I went a bit wild and collected all kinds of plants, dried fruits, and spices for this project.  I’ll go into the spiritual meanings behind all these supplies, and show you how to make your own!  Feel free to jump ahead if you want to get right to the crafting

Many of these items I found online, often on Etsy.  Some from local craft stores.  A few things, like fresh fir boughs, I could get from my local garden shop (Branches in Federal Way), or my own backyard.  The fruit I dried myself.   I did pick up some fake red holly berries and some dried lavender, but I ended up not using them.

Juniper has been part of a purification incense for homes in preparation for Beltane.  It is an herb of health and healing, a ward against disease and negative energies.

Fir is a sacred tree of life and can grant access to great wisdom.

Another tree of life is Cedar, which has been used to scent sacrifices and fumigate temples.  It is connected to Odin and sanctifies magical objects.  It is said to attract fortune and drive away negativity.

Lemon leaves (and rind) are often used in love spells; particularly of a sort to help people get over a past relationship and find new love.  The leaves are noted for reflecting back the evil eye.

Boxwood (or Box) is particularly powerful for animal magic.  Adding this herb extends your spell’s workings to include any pets and livestock.

Magnolia has a special affinity for the Wheel of Fortune tarot card.  The scent of magnolia flowers or oil can help one when studying that particular card.  The leaves are a symbol of lasting health and permanence.

The lotus is associated with The Hanged Man tarot card, and is sacred to beings that move between the worlds.  It protects, it purifies, and consecrates any place it is set, especially as incense.  It is well revered throughout the Middle and Far East.

Pomegranates have a sacred magical history of both Hebrew and pagan origins.  It is considered a symbol of fertility in the Far East, particularly feminine.  You can find them on the High Priestess and Empress tarot cards, and they are also associated with the Judgement card.  As a gift, they are a wish for abundance and creative fertility.  Opened and eaten, it connects you to the feminine goddesses, and may open you to contemplation of the more profound and deep mysteries. Drying whole pomegranates takes time and a dry space to leave them be while they do so.

I talked about oranges in my last post about garlands, mentioning that they were “made using an electric dehydrator, though you can also use an oven at a very low temp with the door cracked open. They are a fruit of love and fertility, and a just reward for victories. They strengthen seekers of quests.”

I also mentioned cinnamon, “a symbol of love, and tied to The Lovers tarot card, as well as being a visionary and purifying substance.  It has been used as incense in temples even in ancient China.  Wearing cinnamon can inspire good fortune, concentration, and correct mindset for ritual work.”

Star Anise is “also used as a temple incense.  It is excellent for invoking your chosen deities while dispelling negative energies.  It is connected to the tarot card of The Fool, in his joyous trust of the now.  This can even bring peace to those nearing death.”

So let’s get started finally!

I used a 24″ metal wreath form I bought at Michael’s (<$5), but you aren’t limited to that.  Grapevine wreaths are great for an all natural look, or there are foam circles, but I find them a bit cumbersome, though you can wrap them in ribbon and it can look very pretty.  You may be able to find a base wreath to use at thrift shops, though you may have to remove the glitzy decorations to “Paganize” it.  Your call!

Begin by gathering your materials and trimming them into usable small-medium branches, and stacking them in as tidy of piles as you can.  Having everything prepped ahead of time helps a lot, but if you want to dive right in, just expect lots of pausing to cut.

For the base I’m using fir, cedar, boxwood, and lemon leaves.

Take your form, and attach some floral wire sturdily (I used a thin gauge for ease of movement).  There’s no special art or technique to this.  You will be placing small bundles on the form, wrapping wire around it, then moving to the next overlapping bundle.  The wire doesn’t get cut till the very end.  It’s a pretty streamlined process.

So gather up your first artistic bundle.  As you can see, my arrangement is not overly large for the size of my form, but will cover it.  Don’t worry about being too big, as you can trim it later.  Here I have layered fir branches with juniper and cedar.

Wrap the wire a couple times around for security, tucking underneath the bit you want above the wire to hide it, then on to the next bundle.  My next bundle adds the lemon leaves.  There isn’t a special method, you really just go with what appeals to you and feel balanced.

You can choose to make each bundle identical, or mix up the pattern in a way that pleases you aesthetically.  I plan on making an asymmetrical arrangement, with the pomegranates, oranges, and lotus pods clustered to one side.

You can always go back and add more after you’ve completed the circle, if you think an area is lacking.

Connecting the ends together is easier than it looks, and by the time you’ve reached it, you will have a good sense of how to tuck the ends under the first bundle neatly.  Cut the wire leaving a few inches, and secure it well.

Take the time now to tidy up your workstation.  Put away the plants you are done with, clean up the space, and then bring out the decorations.  In my case, I am using pomegranates, oranges, lotus pods, magnolia leaves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.

You will want a hot glue gun to attach your decorations.  Again, you may be entirely symmetrical, you can go minimalist, load it up wildly, or do something asymmetrical (my choice).  It’s your darn wreath and you get to do whatever appeals to your aesthetic!

Don’t glue right away.  Lay them out in their places, take a picture, study it a bit and rearrange to your taste before you heat up the glue gun.

The magnolia leaves (dark green and waxy) get tucked in here and there to add fullness, and fill in any gaps.  It’s easier to use the smaller ones, cause they get really big.  I have a bunch of large ones left over, so we’re going to have to do some spellwork or something with those!

Finally, I added some star anise in random spots that felt a little unadorned and bare, as well as the center of the most prominent orange slice.

If you make a wreath, please show me!  I’d love to see what other people come up with.