A Wreath Switcheroo: Staying With a Natural Green Wreath From Now On

Welcome to the 516th Metamorphosis Monday!

A week or two ago I shared how the porch was decorated for Christmas. You may remember I wasn’t thrilled with how this ornament wreath looked against my red door. I’m using it elsewhere, it looks great out on the screened porch.

Oranment embellished garland around a front door

 

So, here’s how the porch looks now.

Christmas Porch, Lit Garland and Natural Christmas Wreath 3

 

I was a little worried at first about the performance of battery-operated lighting on the lit garland I purchased this year.

Christmas Porch, Lit Garland and Natural Christmas Wreath 4

 

I’m not sure if the batteries I used were bad or what happened, but they didn’t last very long at all. I replaced them and so far they are doing much, much better.

Christmas Porch, Lit Garland and Natural Christmas Wreath

 

From now on I’m definitely sticking with a natural, green wreath for the door. This red door was made for sporting a green wreath at Christmastime.  I’ve also come to the conclusion that I prefer natural garland around the door. I really re-made the garland to use around the columns, not around the door, but I wasn’t sure if the porch columns were going to get repainted this month, so decided it was better to hang the garland around the door. Of course, all the constant rain we had prevented the columns being painted.

I’ve decided I much prefer this lit garland around the columns, so will use it that way for next year. Sometimes you just have to try different things to learn what you really like the best.

Christmas Porch, Lit Garland and Natural Christmas Wreath 2

 

You can see the newly installed RING doorbell there on the right. I need to create a follow-up post and share the install and how it’s working. Promise to get that done really soon for those of you were asking about it.

Christmas Porch, Lit Garland and Natural Christmas Wreath 6

 

I picked up this wreath at our local Pike Nursery nearby. I didn’t even take time to shop around as I normally would because it’s been raining so much here over the last few weeks. We’ve had so many days where it literally rained the entire day and night, so I just wasn’t up for driving in the constant downpours.

Christmas Porch, Lit Garland and Natural Christmas Wreath 7

 

The center lantern is making really interesting shadows on the porch ceiling. It kinda looks like a big scary spider, doesn’t it?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you!

Christmas Porch, Lit Garland and Natural Christmas Wreath 2

 

 

Looking forward to all the fabulous Before and Afters linked for this week’s Metamorphosis Monday!

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Comments

  1. Thanks so much for hosting each week!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

  2. Your porch is a classic beauty. I completely understand the idea of trying things and then discarding, or deciding it’s a keeper. I do the same thing. Tried and true to your own style always works. Have a very Merry Christmas, Susan. Not sure when you’ll be traveling but remember to take pictures of that packed SUV!

  3. Love seeing all the changes to the front porch. Have you thought about a red plaid bow, or wrapping the wreath with ribbon and a bow?

  4. It looks beautiful Susan. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.

  5. Snowflake281 says

    I totally agree with you about using a natural wreath, however I cannot bring myself to pay the exorbitant price of them. For one as nice as yours, I’ve seen them cost as much as a natural Christmas tree. Even the nicer looking artificial wreaths can cost a pretty penny. Buying online doesn’t seem to bring any bargains either. I did manage to find a nice sized undecorated artificial one in Hobby Lobby that I’m using to encircle my Advent wreath but I am still on the lookout for a nice natural one for my front door. Enjoy yours and have a wonderful time with your son, dil & grandsons during this Christmas season.

    • Do you have a Costco nearby? Fresh wreaths are $16.99 for a beautiful one almost 28″ across,(bigger than last years, and $2 more) that is decorated with 3 large pinecones and sprigs of (fake) red berries. I save the decorations every year, and add them to the next years wreath.

  6. That’s such a gorgeous wreath, Susan; I doubt I would look any further than that one. And what is your thought process on the garland? It seems you’d want the real stuff on the columns, closer to the elements, to protect the faux ones, so curious how you decided. And the battery lights look great in the photos. (I’ll look in earlier post to see which ones you bought.) I’d say you “holidayed” up your neighborhood quite 😉

  7. Thank you Susan! Why is there always some kind of drama with holiday lights!!

  8. Beth Francell says

    I was unable to open the pictures and links for your three post about gifts for children, men, and women. The buffering circle just kept going around and around.

    • Beth, try loading the page twice and see if they show up the second time. Also, what type of device are you using and what browser. I noticed I can see them on my computer and my laptop and phone, but had trouble seeing them on my iPad unless I loaded the page twice.

  9. My absolute favorite way to decorate a natural green wreath is to buy a bunch of Baby’s Breath ($4 at the grocery store floral dept.) and break off bunches, and tuck them in all around the wreath. It’s my Florida version of “snow”. Cheap and takes about 10 minutes or less, and makes quite a difference!

  10. I like your ornament wreath but you are right, the greenery wreath is just perfect on the red door. I do love the pops of red on your garland and how they emphasize your door color. Thanks for all the visual treats you share with us throughout the year. Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

  11. Nothing says Christmas like having a fresh green wreath hanging on your door. Looks right with your door and your house. Mine too!!! Merry Christmas!

  12. Cyndi Raines says

    Your natural wreath is very lovely on your red door. I really like your garland with the pretty ornaments and it looks very nice by the door, but I agree with you that I think it has more impact swirling around your awesome columns. It is fun to change things up a bit, I did that this year. Due to a bout with food poisoning right before Thanksgiving, I just didn’t have the energy to go all out with ALL my decorations and ended up putting out only about 1/3. At first wondered if it would feel right. But honestly, I’m o.k with it. It really is a bit refreshing, with “less is more”, this year. There will be other years to go all out. Safe travels to you, dear lady, as you head north. Be sure to pack your extra warm jacket, our moderate unseasonable weather is soon to end, they are predicting temperatures to start dropping to our regular type December temps. Merry Christmas toyou and your family!

  13. So festive! The entire porch setting is beautiful. Even if the garland comes in second place it still looks pretty. Neat suggestion up above using baby’s breath in a wreath. This year I cut my own fir branches and made swags on each side of my French doors. It never occurred to me to do this since I always used the cuttings from the Christmas tree. Starting a new tradition. lol

  14. Linda S Page says

    Your front porch looks just gorgeous! I like all of the patterns cast off by the center light. The green wreath is perfect. Really sets off the red door. Where on the porch did you put the ornament wreath? We are looking at heading to Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas the end of March/first of April to visit relatives and friends……and that includes YOU!!! I am ready to set you!!

  15. I like the fresh greens wreath too. I also have one on my red front door. Some of my neighbors have large Christmas ornament wreaths on their doors. I think it is stunning on double doors and a contemporary theme, but I am a traditionalist, so the fresh greens work for me too. Thank so much for hosting, Susan and Merry Christmas!

  16. Ellicia Winkleman says

    With the benches you added to the porch, this is perfect. I am a sucker for symmetry and this is so elegant and balanced yet the lighted garland gives it a nice touch of pizzazz. I always look forward to seeing how you decorate your door each year. Merry Christmas

  17. Gorgeous! There’s nothing like a real wreath…and that garland? Dreamy! Merry Christmas, Susan. Thanks for hosting each week.

  18. I love your big green wreath, I went back to it this year too. After a few years of trying swags, hunting horns, poinsettias and such I still like evergreen and pine cones with a bit of red. Have a wonderful Christmas. If you have to deal with our famous Snowbelt, we are hoping it won’t be to bad this year!

    • I’m having new tires put on my car today, wish it was an All-Wheel drive SUV, though. lol
      Hunting horns sounds beautiful, Mary Lou…was that on a fresh, green wreath? I also miss the scent/smell when I open the front door. The fresh garland smelled so nice. Going back to that next year, for sure.

      • I found two hunting horns for a good price and just wired branches of holly to them and added big plaid bows. I loved them on the doors. I thought they would be wonderful wired to proper sized fresh wreaths but I never tried it. I can imagine one on your door. Boxwood would be nice.
        I love my All-Wheel drive Subaru Forester, great on slick roads. My daughter-in-law has the larger Outback, she can pack a lot into it. The new snow tires are very good so I’m sure you will be fine. Godspeed!

  19. Love your green wreath. Thank you for all your helpful posts and sharing your travel adventures. BTW, did you end up liking your Away suitcase that you took to Egypt?

    • I loved the suitcase but the one I purchased…the aluminum edition…was too heavy. I had to get help putting it in the overhead bin. I was afraid that would happen when I loaded it down with my laptop, DSLR camera, camera lens and the other electronics I carry with me when I travel and that I always put in my carry on bag. So I returned the aluminum one but I’m seriously thinking of getting their normal carry-on, the one they call the Bigger Carryon, size since it is supposed to weigh less than the aluminum version. I loved the charging feature…I used it once and two friends on that trip used it, as well. I was asked about it several times on the trip when folks saw me charging my phone.

    • Karle, have you see this luggage? http://bit.ly/2STMGwO
      I love how it looks so vintage, but I bet the few pieces that do roll would never roll as nicely as the Away bag did. It practically pushed itself. Wish I had an entourage to accompany me on all my trips to carry my luggage because I love the look of this beautiful luggage! 🙂

      • That is lovely. Thanks for sharing. I love the vintage look in luggage too, and if it’s lightweight and can meet tight requirements for international travel, all the better.

    • Look at this adorable vanity bag! Love it so much! Argggg!

  20. Can you tell me what color red you used for the door?

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