Christmas wreath guides

How to keep your Christmas wreath fresh throughout December

A fresh wreath does not need much, but a few small habits make a real difference by the middle of the month. Here is a simple routine from unboxing to take-down day, from a family that grows the fir its wreaths are made from.

By Finnegan Christmas WreathsPublished 3 November 20267 min read

Our Traditional wreath, handmade fresh on the farm

Quick answer

Hang your fresh wreath in a cool, shaded, sheltered spot, keep it away from heat, and mist the foliage lightly every few days, skipping hard frosts. Check it weekly for dryness, bring it in during storms, and keep any wreath you are not ready to hang somewhere cool. Take it down once the needles turn brittle.

Where: Cool and shaded
Misting: Every few days
Check: Once a week

What should you do when your wreath arrives?

Open the box soon after it arrives, even if you plan to hang the wreath later. A fresh wreath has been packed so it cannot move around, which is good for travel but not for several days in a closed, stuffy box. Lift it out carefully by the frame rather than the bow, check it over, and give it a gentle shake to loosen any needles that came adrift in transit.

For what to expect in the box and how delivery works, see our guide to fresh wreath delivery. If something is damaged on arrival, our FAQs explain how to tell us within 48 hours.

If you are not hanging it straight away, keep it somewhere cool and shaded, such as an unheated porch, a garage or a shed. Lay it flat or hang it from a hook so the bow and decorations are not crushed, and keep it away from radiators, warm kitchens and sunny windowsills. A day or two in a cool, sheltered place does it no harm.

Where is the best place to hang a fresh wreath?

Choose a spot that stays cool and out of the wind. A north or east facing door, or one under a porch roof, will usually keep a wreath fresher than a south facing door that catches the afternoon sun. For exact lifespan figures indoors and out, see our guide on how long a fresh Christmas wreath lasts.

Hang it securely so it does not swing and knock each time the door opens. A sturdy over-door hanger or hook does the job, and our guide to hanging a wreath without damaging your door covers the options.

How do you look after a wreath in cold snaps, rain, wind and sun?

A fresh wreath is made for an outdoor winter, so most British weather is fine. These are the situations worth adjusting for.

Weather	What to do
Hard frost or a cold snap	Leave it where it is. Cold slows drying. Skip misting while it is freezing, as water can freeze on the foliage and bow.
Rain	Fine for the foliage. Rain can mark a fabric bow and soften dried orange slices, so a porch or sheltered doorway helps. Shake off excess water and let it dry in the air.
Strong wind or storms	Wind pulls moisture from the needles and can knock the wreath about. Check the hanger is secure, and bring it into a cool porch or shed for a very stormy night.
Bright, sunny spell	Sun warms and dries the foliage. Mist a little more often, or move the wreath into shade for the sunniest part of the day.
Mild, dry weather	Mild spells dry foliage faster than cold ones. Check it more often and mist when it feels less supple.

Glazed porches and sunny doors. A glass porch or a south-facing door can feel mild on a bright winter day, and the sun warms the foliage even when the air is cold. If your wreath gets direct sun for part of the day, move it to a shadier spot or mist a little more often. A porch with the outer door shut can also trap warmth, so a cool, ventilated corner is better than a sealed one.

Wet spell or hard frost? In a mild, wet spell the main risk is a soggy bow and a wreath that stays damp, so shake it off and let it dry in the air. In a hard frost the foliage is fine, but leave the misting until it thaws.

Check the base. Once a week, gently part the foliage at the back and feel the moss or wire base. If it feels dry, a light mist helps, and if it feels waterlogged, hold off.

Can you keep a fresh wreath looking good indoors?

You can, but warm, dry air is the enemy. Pick the coolest spot you have, such as an internal porch door or an unheated hall, and keep it away from radiators, fires, log burners and candles. Dry foliage burns easily, so never hang a wreath above a fireplace.

Indoors it will need a little more attention than outside. Mist more often, and if the room is warm, consider hanging it outside until you want it on show.

A quick weekly routine for a fresh wreath

Hang a fresh wreath at the start of December and it can look good for most of the month with very little effort. The RHS advises keeping a wreath moist and misting it as needed. This routine takes about two minutes.

Every few days: mist lightly

Use a fine spray of plain water, front and back, from a little distance. Aim at the foliage and keep it off the bow and dried decorations. Switch off and remove any lights first, and lift the wreath off the door if water could mark the paint. Skip this in hard frost.

Once a week: check and tidy

Run your fingers over the foliage. It should feel supple and look green. Pick off any loose needles, straighten the bow gently, and check the hanger is still secure.

After storms: look it over

Wind and driving rain can shift the bow or loosen decorations. Reposition anything that has moved and let the wreath dry in the air before you mist it again.

Can you refresh a tired wreath?

A little, yes. If the foliage feels slightly dry but is still green and bending rather than snapping, move the wreath somewhere cooler and more sheltered for a day, then mist it and hang it back up. A few extra sprigs of evergreen from the garden, if you have any, tucked in among the decorations can also lift a wreath that is thinning.

No method brings back needles that have turned brittle, and it is better to be honest about that than to keep fussing over it. Once most of the foliage is crisp and dropping, it has done its job.

When is it time to take it down?

Look for the signs: brittle needles that snap rather than bend, dull or yellowing colour, needles falling when you close the door, and a faded fir scent. Dry foliage burns easily, so take it down once it reaches this stage, especially if it hangs indoors or near lights.

Remove the bow, wire and any other decorations first. The natural foliage can usually go in your garden waste. Our guide to recycling or composting a real Christmas wreath shows how to take it apart step by step. If you are wondering what date to aim for, our guide to when to put up and take down a Christmas wreath covers the traditions.

Sources and further reading

RHS: Christmas wreaths (keeping a wreath moist and misting it)
Care and delivery details: Finnegan Christmas Wreaths FAQs

Wreath care questions

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions about looking after a real wreath.

Should I bring my wreath inside when it rains?

Not usually. Rain suits the foliage. If your wreath has a fabric bow or dried orange slices, a porch or sheltered doorway protects them, and you can let it dry in the air if it gets very wet.

Can I put a fresh wreath in water?

A wreath is not a cut flower arrangement and cannot sit in a vase. Keep it cool, sheltered and lightly misted instead, and avoid soaking the bow or decorations, which do not like being wet for long.

Is it safe to mist a wreath with lights on it?

No. Switch off and unplug or remove the batteries from any lights before misting, and keep water off all electrical parts. Let everything dry fully before switching the lights on again.

What if my wreath is crushed in the box?

Open it as soon as it arrives and check it over. If it is damaged or not as described, email info@finneganchristmaswreaths.com within 48 hours with your order number and clear photos.

Are the decorations safe around children and pets?

Wreaths include small items such as pine cones, berries and wires, so hang them out of reach of small children and pets. Some people also react to fir sap or fragrance, so wash your hands after handling.

How do I dispose of a Christmas wreath?

Take off the bow, wire and decorations, then put the natural foliage in your garden waste. Keep any reusable ribbon or wire for another year if you like, and check your council’s garden waste rules.

Our family farm

Fresh from our family Christmas tree farm.

Our wreaths are handmade fresh on the Finnegan family Christmas tree farm in Clogher, County Tyrone, using Noble Fir foliage grown on the farm. Every wreath is made to order, so it starts its life on your door as fresh as we can make it.