Homemade Advent wreath: Here's how

They are available in every variant: very simple, just fir branches, four red candles and it's good. Or tied from various branches, decorated with velvet, satin and plenty of glittering jewelry, also with an unusual motto – Advent wreaths are not only the symbol for the pre-Christmas season, but also an expression of individuality.

What better way to do justice to this than to reach for secateurs, wire and a hot glue gun and create your own work of art? For all those who are not yet practiced in tying or are just looking for new ideas, we have obtained tips and advice from the professionals in terms of wreath design. Master florist Sophie Raudaschl von Lederleitner has created a wonderful piece of work and walked through it with us step by step.

The basis of all wreaths is always a blank that can be tied from various sticks such as blue fir and cypress. “I also like to use other branches such as eucalyptus or olive,” reveals the expert.

By the way: If you don't feel comfortable tying it, but would still like to design it yourself, you can buy a finished green wreath and then concentrate on decorating with all your might.

The main thing is to bring a lot of imagination and your own taste into it. You can orientate yourself in terms of color to the interior design or create a desired contrast, you can create a brightly colored work together with your children or conjure up an image from a design catalog.

Sophie Raudaschl: “Depending on the type, you can simply improvise or make a sketch beforehand and use it as a guide”.

You can collect or buy the decoration yourself in nature. “If you go out into nature, there is a lot that can be used for decorating – whether leaves, feathers or snail shells,” advises Raudaschl. Old Christmas tree decorations or disused chess figures also find a second existence here as unusual wreath decorations.

Those who enjoy handicrafts can also try other wreaths. There are numerous possibilities, from salt dough creations to nailed wood variants. The advantage: You not only have a lot of fun while working, but also the next four weeks.

We make an advent wreath

Step by step: Lederleitner shows us how it's done

The best way to tie an Advent wreath is to use a blank made of straw or styrofoam. These are the most stable and can hold heavy candles well. They can also be used again next year. They are also available in different sizes. Alternatives are rings made of wire.

You can choose the sticks for binding according to your taste – fir, spruce, conifer or box.

Moss, gently lifted from the ground, is also good for this. Twigs are cut so that they are pretty much the same size and bundled into tufts – depending on how close you want the wreath to be.

Master florist Sophie Raudaschl von Lederleitner recommends working counterclockwise. Tuft after tuft is wrapped twice with wire. Towards the end, use small twigs to get a good finish.