Creative Christmas Wreaths

Green-and-red apples on this unusual Christmas wreath make it pop with color. Cover a 9-inch foam circle with green sheet moss (available at crafts stores) using hot glue to secure the moss. Hot-glue pinecones around the perimeter, then add one in the center of the foam circle. Push wooden florist's picks into the base of six to seven small apples. Insert the apples into the foam around the center pinecone, securing with hot glue. Repeat this step with 14-15 larger apples inside the outer circle of pinecones. Fill the leftover space with hazelnuts, and cover any gaps with moss.

This festive wreath looks fresh and smells fragrant thanks to pears, berries, eucalyptus, and evergreen boxwood. Insert a 5-inch wooden skewer into the bottom of each pear. Place hot glue on the skewers and push them into a 9-inch square boxwood wreath. Insert springs of seeded eucalyptus and faux berries around pears, securing with hot glue.

Give your front door a nature-inspired look for the holidays with this woodsy wreath. Decorate a basic twig wreath with berry branches, a burlap ribbon bow, live greens, and a faux animal feather for a natural Christmas wreath.

Transform a plain Christmas wreath into an icy winter wonder with spray-on flocking, available at most crafts stores, and shimmering pastel ornaments tied to the wreath with thin wire.

This nut-studded star wreath will add a punch of holiday cheer to your front door. Wrap an 18-inch wire star wreath form with ribbon and hot-glue in place. Glue mixed nuts to the entire form in a random pattern, and glue fresh bay leaves around the perimeter of the wreath behind the nuts.

This elegant Christmas wreath can be made with fresh or dried materials; either way, it will give your front door a sweet, fruit-inspired holiday welcome. Cut apples on one side for a flat surface and adhere to a heart-shape foam wreath using hot glue. Cover the empty spots with hypericum berries and fir branches wired to picks and pressed into the foam.

Editor's Tip: If you use fresh apples, the wreath will last approximately two weeks -- we used plastic apples so our wreath will last year after year.

Dried lotus pods become fun holiday baubles on this natural Christmas wreath. Hot-glue moss to a 9-inch wreath form, covering it completely, then add lotus pods in a random pattern to the wreath. Finish by adhering fresh or faux leaves and arborvitae sprigs to the moss around the lotus pods.

White crafts sticks and wooden shapes come together to make a giant snowflake for this cool Christmas wreath. Fresh evergreen branches add a touch of seasonal color and the scent of pine. A light blue ribbon hanging loop completes the winter wonderland look.

For a festive, nontraditional Christmas wreath, use an elaborate ceiling medallion from a hardware store. Spray-paint the medallion black and let dry, then paint it with your favorite shade of green, allowing the crevices to remain dark. When it's dry, hang the wreath with a 3-inch-wide ribbon in a complementary color.

This festive wreath made from pinecones and ribbon has a fun star shape that will enhance natural Christmas decorations either inside your home or out. To make the wreath, cut cardboard into a star shape for the base. Hot-glue pinecones around the edges, then fill in the center. Tie a trio of ribbons into a large bow, leaving long tails, and accent the bow with clusters of berries. Hot-glue the clusters to the star's center to make a focal point, and shape the ribbon tails into spirals for the finishing touch.

Decorate a wreath with candy canes for a sweet twist on the classic wreath. The iconic holiday confection looks great with little red balls and a red-and-white bow.

The rich chartreuse beauty of moss shines when displayed on a nontraditional square wreath. Glimmering red and copper baubles add sparkling touches to the gorgeous green backdrop.

Have a jolly Christmas with a jingle bell wreath. The ensemble of bells will ring every time you open and shut the door, ushering in the sounds of Christmas.

Turn dried oranges and lemons into a circle of refreshing color. For a different visual pop, try a mix of lemons and limes. Garnish with evergreen, ribbon, and baubles for a fancy flourish.

Using a variety of yarns, make pom-poms of different sizes to cover an 18-inch wooden wreath form. You can buy pom-pom-making kits at crafts stores. Adhere the pom-poms using hot glue.

Greet guests with an outpouring of Christmas wishes. Write greetings on premade gift tags (available at crafts stores), place them on lengths of ribbon, and tie them to a wreath. Weave extra ribbon, light evergreen sprigs, and berry bunches to the wreath.

Branch out to greenery of another variety by using Aspidistra leaves to form an unusual Christmas wreath. Aspidistras (also called cast-iron plants) are common houseplants and might be available at your local greenhouse or florist.

Upgrade a twig wreath by adding berry picks in a loose and wild design. Hot-glue the berry picks to the wreath in a whimsical fashion. Finish the design by looping berry garland around the twigs (securing with hot glue as needed) and adding white ornament picks.

A no-fuss grapevine wreath provides a textural backdrop for feathered friends. Spray-paint three artificial bird nests gold and four artificial birds red. Let the paint dry, then cover with spray adhesive and sprinkle with fuchsia glitter. Use florist's wire to attach the nests, and hot-glue moss around them. Add the birds, small ornaments, and artificial leaves to the wreath, securing with hot glue. Affix a gold bow to the wreath, trailing the edges through the grapevines.

Galyx leaves and gold ornaments mix in happy collaboration on a rectangular wreath. The gold ribbon hanger repeats the color and adds style.

Sparkle and shine this holiday season with a snowflake wreath. Snowflake die cuts are attached to the wreath form and dusted with glitter. The dazzling result will retain its impressive appearance all winter long.

Enhance Christmas greenery and pinecones with layers of faux lemon leaves, deep red poinsettia petals, and copper magnolia leaves for a lasting splash of seasonal color.

Create a wreath in any size or color using inexpensive ornaments. Start with a basic wreath form and hot-glue ornaments to the surface. Try to vary the ornaments to include both shiny and matte finishes.

Twine-wrapped wooden letters spell "Happy Holidays" for a warm winter welcome. Choose your own Christmas message with different letters using the same technique.

Show your holiday best with a wreath featuring costume jewelry and a luxurious satin bow. Inexpensive pearls and faux jewels from the crafts store would work well, too.

Handmade wreaths are fun to make, but you also can decorate with purchased wreaths that celebrate the holiday in style. Herald the season with a whiff of cinnamon mixed with cedar.

Float white ornaments on a frothy sea of turquoise ribbon for a fresh take on a traditional Christmas wreath. See the link below for project instructions.

Usually reserved for fall decorating, grapevine wreaths have Christmas mettle, too. For holiday sparkle, hot-glue sequins around a twiggy wreath, add a faux cardinal, and hang from red ribbon. Tie the ribbon in a bow and let the tails wind around the wreath.

Create a dazzling wreath that boasts dramatic holiday style, starting with a round mirror in a square wood frame. Wrap 10-gauge wire around the handle of a broomstick to make loops. Nail or staple the looped wire to the frame. Attach small bouquets of silver and clear plastic balls. Finish by adding crystal drops.