Four weeks before Christmas, the pleasant wait for Christmas Eve begins. So that you don't have to think for long about which creation to brighten up your Advent season this year, we'll show you three alternative and magical versions of the classic Advent wreath with fir branches. Do-it-yourself at home is easy with our step-by-step instructions.

Have fun crafting and decorating!

1. Make an Advent wreath out of dried flowers

Oh, dried flowers! They have long since managed the balancing act from an entertaining trend to a permanent interior favorite. They owe this to their easy handling, their longevity and the numerous options in terms of color, shape and style. They have already conquered every room in the home and tell their stories there.

The final interior crowning touch is an Advent wreath in a delicate boho look. You're sure to get ohs and ahs with this little masterpiece.

What you need:

• Floral foam ring
• Scissors (Secateurs are ideal.)
• Dried flowers and grasses of your choice (We chose white and light beige colors.)
• 4 candles ( Note:  Due to the increased risk of fire, you should preferably use LED candles.)
• 4 candle plates (of course without the mandrel for the LED candles)
• Thread or thin wire for tying
• Coffee or tea for a little creative breather

INSTRUCTIONS step-by-step:

1. Shorten your selected dried flowers and grasses to a length of approx. 10 cm.
2. Now tie small bouquets from the flowers and grasses you have. Make sure to keep your selection of bouquets as similar as possible so that you end up with an even wreath. Use thread or thin wire to hold the individual bundles together.
3. Now treat yourself to your coffee or warming tea - you'll need a bit of patience for the next steps.
4. Then stick the bouquet by bouquet piece by piece along the ring into the floral foam. The arrangements hold best if you stick the flowers and grasses into the foam on the side.
5. Finished decorating? Then put the candle plates into the wreath.
6. Finally, distribute the candles. Since dried flowers quickly catch fire, you should use safe LED candles.

Tips:

• Use plump grasses such as pampas grass as a base to optimally cover the floral foam ring. Also, don't forget to cover the edges of the ring too.
• It helps to think about the layout of the flowers and grasses in advance and to maintain this order for a harmonious picture of your Advent wreath.
• Individual flowers, such as B. daisies and flax, can be distributed evenly here and there afterwards.
• Would you like it to be a little more Christmassy and would you like to add small balls, ribbons or other decorative objects? Then wrap strips of felt around the floral foam ring in the places where you want the pieces to be attached. You can then attach these to it using a hot glue gun.

2. Simple elegance in natural tones

Lovers of the reduced furnishing style remain true to their minimalism when it comes to Advent wreaths and set hygge accents with simple colors and sparingly used decorations.

Soft tones such as white, cream and sage green create a celebratory feeling in a pleasant, reserved way and look wonderfully refreshing in combination with natural materials such as light spruce. All around, accents in dark wood or black provide a good counterpart so that the look doesn't become too sweet and Scandinavian cool comes through.

What you need:

• 4 pillar candles (in white or cream)
• Decorative tray (silver goes particularly well here.)
• Eucalyptus branches (Fresh eucalyptus exudes an intoxicating scent. Artificial ones always make a fresh impression.)
• Printed adhesive tape (masking tape)
• Wintery-Christmas decoration (most harmoniously made of wood)

INSTRUCTIONS step-by-step:

1. Decorate the candles with the masking tape and place them in the middle of a large tray.
2. Place the eucalyptus branches around the candles. Let them think a little “outside the box” – this ensures naturalness.
3. Drape a few selected wooden decorative objects, such as: E.g. fir trees, stars or cones. The following applies here: Less is more in order to keep the overall picture harmonious.

Tips:

• It doesn't matter whether the candles are at the same height or at different heights. For a clean Advent wreath, the uniform version is preferable.
• In the printed adhesive tape, fine and graphic motifs skilfully reflect the Scandi style and create elegant eye-catchers.
• The eucalyptus can be replaced once in the four weeks leading up to the festival, as it loses its freshness and firmness after a while.

3. Rustic bottle wreath

An Advent wreath with a rustic look goes well with a more rural interior style and looks nice and cozy. Green and red are in the foreground in this variant. The wreath also works just as well in colors such as beige or brown.

Four medium-sized glass swing-top bottles serve as candle holders. If you like, you can fill the bottles with cinnamon sticks, berries or small twigs beforehand. Labeled cardboard tags are tied around the bottle necks with a cord: 1, 2, 3 and 4. To ensure the look is harmonious, use simple tags and label them by hand.

What you need:

• 4 medium size flip-top bottles
• 4 stick candles (in the colors fir green or red)
• Mistletoe and berry branches (fresh or artificial)
• Wooden disc or plate
• Fairy lights (preferably a very thin one made of wire, which hides between the greenery and provides a slight sparkle in the evening.)
• 4 tags made of paper or cardboard

INSTRUCTIONS step-by-step:

1. In some cases, the taper candles need to be thinned out a little at the bottom with scissors or a knife so that they fit into the bottle opening. It's better to cut off less first than to remove too much of the wax in the first swing.
2. Now simply press the candles into the openings and twist them a little tight so that they don't wobble.
3. Place the bottles on the plate so that there is enough space between them for the branches. How to create an original look for your Advent wreath.
4. Finally, place the wire between the branches.

Tips:

• If you've had enough of the traditional wreath shape, a rectangular wooden tray is also suitable instead of a round base.
• Support your “wild” Advent wreath with tea lights or small wooden decorative pieces. So that they don't get lost in the branches, place the accents next to your wreath.
• You can replace real branches during Advent if necessary if the leaves and berries lose their freshness.
• As an alternative to swing-top bottles, large preserving or storage jars with pillar candles are also available.

4. Short facts for a classic Advent wreath to make yourself

What do you need for an Advent wreath?

• Fir green
• wire
• Wreath blank
• Candle picks (preferably with a plate)
• Candles
• Optionally other plants such as eucalyptus, ivy or moss
• Floral wire (preferably green)
• Decoration according to your taste

How much fir green is needed for an Advent wreath?

A whole lot! This also explains the high prices for a finished Advent wreath made of fir branches. Depending on the size of your blank, you will need at least three, and possibly up to five, hand bundles of fir green.

What should you consider when attaching the candles?

Ideally, you should use so-called candle plates for your candles, which have a large spike at both the top and bottom. So you can be sure that the candle holders are firmly and stably anchored in the Advent wreath. If you want to be on the safe side, use LED candles.

How does my Advent wreath last longer?

• Spray with cold water.
• Do not place on heat sources such as heaters or ovens.
• Alternatively, you can place the wreath in a shallow bowl of water.
• Remove dry branches, especially if using real candles. Danger of fire!
• Store in a cool place overnight.

We wish you magical Advent days with many contemplative moments and a peaceful Christmas!