Christmas: Wreaths

In the United States, wreaths are common decorations for front doors, but they are especially prominent at Christmastime. In fact, some people put a wreath on every outside door and window. Some even put wreaths inside their houses. Where did this practice come from?

Where did Christmas wreaths come from?

Some historians believe that the first Christmas wreaths were made when people trimmed their Christmas tree to the desired shape and size. Instead of throwing out the trimmings, they were woven into circular wreaths that were used as decorations.

Wreaths have been used in many cultures throughout history - sometimes as decoration and sometimes as attire. As Christianity spread, the religion used the wreaths to teach or remind practitioners about the principles of their faith. 

Why do we hang a wreath at Christmas?

Christmas began as a religious holiday and wreaths were used as teaching tools. Evergreens represented eternal life. Red berries reminded Christians of Jesus’ blood. The circle symbolized God’s eternal nature. These meanings remain for some Christians today.

As Christmas became more secularized, so did the things used at Christmastime. Wreaths are pretty, so they are hung even by people who are not Christians. They also are traditionally associated with Christmas and some people value tradition, regardless of its original meaning.

What are the social implications of Christmas wreaths?

Human nature is to show off what one has and to show how much more of it we have than another. This comes out in Christmas decorations. A simple wreath on the front door and a tree inside is no longer enough. Now, we decorate as much of the inside and outside of our houses as possible. Wreaths come in different sizes and can be decorated according to one’s theme. The more wreaths a person has or the more elaborate the wreath, the more money or time they’ve put into acquiring and hanging the wreath. 

Christmas wreaths are festive decorations with a religious history, but they are also markers of one’s wealth (in either time, money, or both). 

Still, when hung on the outside of a house, wreaths share Christmas cheer with any who chose to accept the offering.