How To Make An Elegant Light Wreath For Christmas

Christmas decorations come in all shapes and sizes.

And over the years I think I've embraced them all.

Some years, I've been all about the Santas.


Other years, I've focused on the evergreens.

In between, I've picked Christmas themes that were built around bright red ornaments, all white decor, rustic cabin accents and buffalo checks.

However, no matter how I choose to decorate, the one constant has always been those delicate white lights.

I just can't resist the sparkle.

There's something about it, that just pulls me in and makes me smile from the inside.

So several weeks ago, when I was in a shop, buying a lampshade, I found myself absolutely mesmerized by three of the most spectacular wreaths I had ever seen.

The were filled with lights, and only lights, and mounted on a mirror so their glow was magnified...and they were absolutely stunning.
Unfortunately, they were also several hundred dollars each, so naturally, I left without one. Paying that much for a wreath was a hard no for this thrifty decor girl.

Of course, it didn't stop me from thinking I could make something reasonably close on my own.

And for a whole lot less.

After all, I make Christmas wreaths all the time:

• Red Hydrangea Wreath
• Dollar Tree Snowflake Wreath
• Evergreen Triple Wreath

So I knew I could handle this DIY.

Christmas  Light Wreath DIY

I also knew my wreath would be a bit different than my inspiration, since they were constructed with thousands of dainty fairy lights. The wire was metal, they were indoor/ outdoor and they plugged in.

Anything I could find that was similar, was either battery operated or big bucks. Nope, again, since that plan didn't fit my self imposed budget limit.

Plus, I didn't want to mess with batteries. They don't generally last the entire season and they're rarely bright enough.

Supplies:

• Wire Wreath Frame
• Lights
• Zip Ties
• Command Hook

THE LIGHTS I USED

Instead, I ended up with was a set of 1000 indoor/ outdoor LED, plug in lights, on a dark green wire for about $39. 

I had to really hunt for them, though, as I needed a lot of lights on a short wire. Most were much longer at 100 feet, but this one was only 84 feet and with all that winding and weight, trust me, shorter is better!

Much better.

Next, I had to build a proper wreath frame. You see, the green wire ones I found at craft stores were too skinny to support the wire weight.


They were also too thin to create a substantial wreath. 

To remedy that, I placed a small wire wreath frame inside a larger one, that measured about 16" at its widest point.

Then I used the zip ties that came with the lights to fasten them together, to form a proper frame.


I made sure that the metal bars were evenly spaced before I tightened the ties.

Using scissors, I snipped off the extra length so it wouldn't interfere with the wrapping or show once the wreath was complete.

The final part of the process was a simple one. I just needed to wrap the frame with the lights. Sounds easy enough right? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Turns out it was a little more complicated than I had anticipated.

First, I had to remove the lights from the reel they were packaged on, as that hard plastic wheel didn't fit through the center opening.

Next, I had to wind it up again so I had a ball of lights that would fit.

When that task was done, I grabbed the free end of the strand, anchored it to the wire frame with a green twist tie and started wrapping.
I didn't get very far on my own though.

It only took me about half a wrap to realize I needed help. It was almost impossible for me to hold the frame and wrap the lights around it, over it and through it, on my own.

Thankfully, Mr. Exquisitely Unremarkable was ready, willing and able to be my lovely assistant.

Once we found our groove, it was pretty quick work...which we did with the lights plugged in and on, so we could see where we needed more or less bulbs.

I think it only took us about 15 minutes of wrapping until our lighted wreath was finished.

*To hang it up I used a thin piece of gold string looped over the top of the mirror. However, now, I have it hanging on a clear Command hook that I mounted directly to the glass.

Now, to be honest, my family had very little faith that my wreath was going to look anything like the one I found in the store.

And they were right. In a direct comparison, mine was much "fluffier" for lack of a better work. A lot less structured.

I, however, knew that when I turned it on, it would be lovely. Simple, elegant and a bit more my style than the tightly wound one I fell in love with in that store.

And I wasn't wrong.


I will say that my photos do not capture the true beauty of this wreath. 

I'm no pro and try as I might to get the settings right on my camera, it was no use.

But...in real life the wire is invisible.


One thousand warm, white tiny drops of light are all you see.

Doubled by the fact that they're floating on a mirror, creating a dreamy wonderland in my hallway.

For less than a quarter of the price of the inspiration wreath.

And that sounds just about right to me.

✨✨✨

Would you make a light only wreath?

Happy Christmas Crafting, Friends!