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A Christmas wreath does more for a house than any other single decoration. It is the first thing a guest sees, and the one piece the whole street gets to enjoy.
The ones that look best are rarely the busiest. One material, one ribbon and a door color that suits it will beat a wreath loaded with everything.
So these 16 Christmas wreath ideas are whole doorways, not just wreaths: the ribbon, the hanger, the mat or the lanterns that finish each one.
There is classic fir with a red bow, magnolia, boxwood, real eucalyptus and fresh olive. There is one DIY Christmas wreath with dried oranges, and a few that light up after dark.
Most are faux and come back next year. I’ve said plainly which ones need a covered or sheltered door, because most front door Christmas decor ideas skip that part.
1. Classic Fir Wreath With a Red Velvet Bow on a Black Door
Black paint, green fir and one red bow is the whole look, and it needs nothing else.
At 24 inches the wreath covers two thirds of a standard 36 inch door. It comes pre-lit, so put in fresh batteries, set the timer and tuck the battery box out of the rain.
A wide bow beats a small tidy one.
Shop this room: National Tree Company 24in Pre-Lit Norwood Fir Artificial Christmas Wreath on Amazon, 6 PCS Large Christmas Bows, 9 x 12 Inches, Red Velvet on Amazon and Slim Over The Door Wreath Hanger for Front Door, 15″ Brass on Amazon.
Check National Tree Company 24inCheck 6 PCS Large ChristmasCheck Slim Over The Door
2. Preserved Eucalyptus and Cedar Wreath With a Linen Sash
Real preserved eucalyptus has a matte, silvery green that faux leaves rarely get right. Mixed with cedar and pinecones at 22 inches, it covers a bit under two thirds of a standard door.
It is real, so it dries and sheds over the season. A fair trade.
Keep it on a covered or sheltered door. Sage green paint is its best background.
Shop this room: Preserved Eucalyptus and Pinecone Wreath at Lulu and Georgia and Linen Wreath Sash at McGee & Co.
3. Magnolia Leaf Wreath With White Velvet Ribbon and Black Lanterns
Magnolia is the most architectural wreath here: big glossy leaves, one color, no berries. This faux one is green on both sides of each leaf and 24 inches wide.
Hang it on a long white velvet ribbon and stand two black lanterns on the step.
Keep it on a covered or sheltered door. Green, white and black is all a white door needs.
Shop this room: 24″ Magnolia Wreath at McGee & Co, MAYREEL White Crushed Velvet Ribbon Wired 2.5 Inch 10 Yards on Amazon and HPC Decor 22” 19” Decorative Lanterns with Flickering Timer Candles, Black Metal, Set of 2 on Amazon.
Check MAYREEL White Crushed VelvetCheck HPC Decor 22” 19”
4. Boxwood Wreath With a Mulberry Striped Bow on a Navy Door
Boxwood is the neatest wreath you can hang, a clean green ring with no loose ends. This 24 inch one is listed as UV protected for outdoor use.
The bow is where I’d break the rules: mulberry and blush stripes instead of red.
Keep the cotton bow and the jute mat under a porch roof. One odd stripe looks collected, not themed.
Shop this room: Pure Garden Large Boxwood Wreath for Front Door, Green 24″ on Amazon, Talcott Striped Wreath Bow at Lulu and Georgia and Belson Handwoven Jute Doormat at Lulu and Georgia.
Check Pure Garden Large Boxwood
5. Flocked Pine Wreath With a Pair of Tall Black Lanterns
A flocked wreath is busy already. This 24 inch one comes pre-lit with pinecones, red berries and snowflakes, so add only a pair of 20 inch lanterns.
White flocking against charcoal paint is the contrast that makes it work.
It is for a covered door. Use fresh batteries and the timer, and buy candles separately, as the lanterns come empty. That is a finished porch.
Shop this room: National Tree Company 24in Pre-Lit Wintry Pine Flocked Christmas Wreath on Amazon and Bdor 20 Inch Outdoor Indoor Lantern, Set of 2 Black Metal Candle Lanterns on Amazon.
Check National Tree Company 24inCheck Bdor 20 Inch Outdoor
6. Frosted Pinecone Wreath With a Buffalo Check Bow
Pinecones on bare wood is brown on brown, and better for it. The cones are real, with a light frosted finish.
At 18 inches it is small for a standard door, so it suits a narrow cabin door on a deep covered porch.
Add a black and white check bow and a knotted coir mat, then stop.
Shop this room: Frosted Pinecones with Faux Greenery and Ribbon Wreath at World Market, Natural Coir Rope Knot Doormat at World Market and Morex Ribbon Cambridge 2.5″ x 10 yd Wired Ribbon, Black and White Buffalo Check on Amazon.
Check Morex Ribbon Cambridge 2.5″
7. Dried Orange Pine Wreath With an Orange Garland
This is the one DIY Christmas wreath here. Tie real dried orange slices onto a plain 24 inch draping pine wreath with their own hemp cord.
Cluster the slices on one side. Evenly spaced oranges look like polka dots.
Swag a faux orange garland over the frame, on a covered or sheltered door only. Orange and deep green is the warmest pairing I know.
Shop this room: Draping Real Touch Norfolk Pine Wreath at Quince, 6′ Faux Dried Oranges Garland at McGee & Co and 30 Pcs Dried Orange Slices with 30 Pcs Hemp Rope, Christmas Wreath Making Supplies on Amazon.
8. Brass Bell Cedar Wreath on a Burgundy Door
Bells belong in the middle of a wreath, where they can move. Loop five brass-finish bells through a slim 22 inch cedar wreath so they hang dead center.
Tie burgundy ribbon at the top, the same color as the door, so the brass is all that stands out.
Keep it on a covered or sheltered door. Brass on burgundy looks old in the best way.
Shop this room: Green Soft Touch Faux Cedar Wreath at World Market, Gold Metal Bell Cluster Hanging Decor at World Market and Royal Imports Burgundy Wired Ribbon 2.5″ 50 Yards Waterproof Christmas Ribbon on Amazon.
Check Royal Imports Burgundy Wired
9. Eucalyptus Hoop Wreath With a Strand of Gold Bells
A hoop wreath is mostly air, which is why it looks modern. This 15 inch ring, under half a standard door’s width, carries faux eucalyptus on one side.
Eucalyptus is year-round, so the Christmas comes from gold bells hung in the open half.
Hang it from a slim black over-door hanger on a covered or sheltered door. Small and deliberate beats big and ordinary.
Shop this room: idyllic Eucalyptus Leaves Wreath, Metal Hoop, 15 Inches on Amazon, Black Iron Over The Door Wreath Hanger at World Market and Hanging Bells with Velvet Ribbon at McGee & Co.
Check idyllic Eucalyptus Leaves Wreath
10. Fresh Olive Branch Wreath With a Jute Ribbon
Where winters are mild, fir looks borrowed from another climate. Olive is silvery, loose and quiet on a terracotta door.
This 20 inch wreath is real and fresh-cut, so order it in late November, not now.
The listing rates it for outdoor use, but it dries in place and sheds as the weeks go on. A dried olive wreath still beats most faux ones.
Shop this room: Fresh Handmade Olive Leaf Wreath at Lulu and Georgia and Burlap Ribbon 2 inch x 10 Yard Natural Linen Wired Ribbon on Amazon.
11. Red Berry Wreath on a White Door With Sidelights
On a white door, let a solid red berry wreath be the only color on the house.
At 18 inches it is small for a standard door, but sidelights add width, so it holds its place. Hang it under cover.
A wide black and natural striped mat ties the door to its sidelights.
One color, used once, is plenty.
Shop this room: Sggvecsy 18 Inch Artificial Christmas Wreath, Red Berry Wreath with Bowknot on Amazon and Shatto Doormat at Lulu and Georgia.
Check Sggvecsy 18 Inch Artificial
12. All-Green Wreath With a Green Ribbon and a Pine Garland
No red at all. Green wreath, green ribbon, green garland and a dark green door is the calmest Christmas I know.
Tone on tone only works at scale: this wreath is 28 inches, over three quarters of a standard door’s width.
Allow two or three six foot garlands for the frame, on a covered or sheltered entry. Brass hardware is the only accent it needs.
Shop this room: 28″ Real Touch Mixed Greenery Faux Wreath at McGee & Co, Green Soft Touch Mixed Faux Pine Garland at World Market and Royal Imports Green Wired Ribbon 2.5″ 50 Yards Waterproof Christmas Ribbon on Amazon.
Check Royal Imports Green Wired
13. Pre-Lit Cedar Wreath With a Lit Porch Garland
By mid December the door is dark before dinner, and an unlit wreath disappears.
This 24 inch cedar has 100 warm white lights on a battery timer, so no cord crosses the porch. A lit garland on the rail repeats the glow.
Use fresh batteries, set both timers once, and keep the battery boxes out of the rain.
Warm white only, never cool.
Shop this room: Classic Outdoor Cedar Pre-Lit Faux Wreath at McGee & Co and 9 FT Christmas Garland Pre-lit 70 LED Lights with Battery Operated Timer on Amazon.
14. Matching Pine and Berry Wreaths on Double Doors
Double doors want two wreaths, one centered on each door at the same height. One wreath on one side looks like a mistake.
These 22 inch pine wreaths with red berries and pinecones are sold singly, so buy two.
Flank a covered entry with two four foot faux cedars in square grey planters. Symmetry is the decoration here.
Shop this room: Sggvecsy 22 Inch Artificial Christmas Wreath, Norfolk Pine with Red Berries and Big Pinecones on Amazon, Block Series All Weather Square Planter by Veradek at Quince and VEVOR Artificial Topiary Cedar Tree, 48 inch Tall (2 Pieces), with Pots on Amazon.
Check Sggvecsy 22 Inch ArtificialCheck VEVOR Artificial Topiary Cedar
15. Mini Cedar Wreath for an Apartment Door
An apartment door faces a hallway, so the wreath can be small. A 12 inch cedar ring, a third of the door’s width, is enough at arm’s length.
Hang it on a black over-door hanger: no nail, no adhesive, nothing to explain when you move out.
Skip the ribbon and add a plain half-size coir mat, the same thinking as any calm, pared-back apartment. In a shared hallway, less is polite.
Shop this room: 12″ Mini Cedar Wreath at McGee & Co, Metal Wreath Hanger at McGee & Co and KAF Home Coir Doormat with Non-Slip PVC Backing, 17 by 30 Inches, Solid on Amazon.
16. Weeping Pine Wreath and Sleigh Bells on a Garden Gate
If the gate is what the street sees, decorate the gate. A draping 22 inch weeping pine wreath with real pinecones suits weathered wood, on a sheltered gate.
Wire it to the top rail in two places.
The sleigh bell straps come as a pair, one red and one green. I’d keep the second for the front door.
Welcome should start at the gate.
Shop this room: Soft Touch Faux Weeping Pine with Pinecones Modern Wreath at World Market and Faux Leather Sleigh Bells Strap Hanging Decor Set of 2 at World Market.
6 Christmas Wreath Mistakes to Skip at the Front Door
Tick each one off before you call the room done.
☐ A wreath too small for the door. Aim for half to two thirds of the door’s width, which is 22 to 24 inches on a standard 36 inch door. Save anything under 18 inches for a narrow or apartment door, or for a hoop where the open space is the point.
☐ Hanging it too low. Center the wreath at eye level, roughly 57 to 60 inches up from the threshold, and center it side to side. If the door has a knocker, hang the wreath above it, not over it.
☐ An indoor wreath on an exposed door. Read the listing before you hang it. If it doesn’t state outdoor use, give the wreath a porch roof or a recessed doorway, and bring it inside for a storm.
☐ Ribbon tails cut short and blunt. Let the tails fall at least 12 inches below the wreath and cut the ends on a slant or into a V. Short square tails look like gift wrap.
☐ A battery box left out in the rain. Tuck the box behind the top of the wreath, or slip it into a small zip bag. Start December with fresh batteries and let the timer do the switching.
☐ Ordering a fresh wreath too early. Fresh-cut greenery starts drying the day it is made. Order in late November so it looks its best through Christmas week.
How to Hang a Wreath Without Putting a Nail in the Door
An over-door hanger is the simplest answer. It hooks over the top edge of the door, and a slim one still lets most doors close properly.
For a cleaner look, loop a long ribbon through the wreath, run it up and over the top of the door, and fix the ends on the inside face.
A removable adhesive hook, stuck upside down on the inside of the door, holds that ribbon without leaving a mark. On a steel door, a magnetic hook does the same job from the front.
Whichever you use, stick two small felt pads on the back of the wreath so the frame can’t scratch the paint.
Start with the door you already have. Look at its color, measure its width, and pick the one wreath that suits both.
Hang that, add a ribbon, and live with it for a few days before buying anything else.
Most doors are finished sooner than you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size Christmas wreath do I need for a front door?
A standard front door is 36 inches wide, and a 22 to 24 inch wreath suits it well. Go up to 28 or 30 inches for a wide or tall door, and down to 18 for a narrow one.
Can a faux Christmas wreath stay outside in the rain?
Only if the listing says it is made for outdoor use. Otherwise keep it on a covered or sheltered door, because rain can loosen glue and get into a battery box.
When should I hang a Christmas wreath?
A faux wreath can go up as soon as Thanksgiving is over. Fresh and preserved ones look best hung in the last days of November or the first week of December.
How do I stop a wreath from scratching the door?
Stick two or three felt pads on the back of the frame where it touches the paint. A ribbon or hanger that stops it swinging helps too.
How should I store a faux wreath after Christmas?
Take off the ribbon and remove the batteries, then store it flat or hanging in a wreath bag or lidded box somewhere cool and dry. Reshape the tips when it comes out next year.
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