DIY Christmas Candle Ring

I did it! I made it until after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas. This feels like a win to me. You see, I'm the type that likes to hold off on all things Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Husband, however, thinks it's perfectly acceptable for Christmas celebrations to begin in October. This is a major point of disagreement for us, and because I do love Christmastime so much, I'm always tempted to just let it slide when he sneakily changes the radio to the Christmas station on November 1. I'm proud to say I made it yet another year past Thanksgiving --even if it is only one day after. Hooray, and bring on the Christmas!

Not only is this candle ring festive, it can be made during approximately two commercial breaks of your favorite Christmas special, and it costs less than $5. Oh, and it hits on all three of what I consider to be the most essential elements of holiday decor:

1. Mood lighting - Candlelight makes everything feel 100 times cozier. I'm pretty sure this is science.
2. Greenery - From the Christmas tree to holiday wreaths, greenery makes winter feel livelier and is quite possibly the quintessential Christmas decoration.
3. Pops of red - For me, this is what separates Christmas decor from general winter decor.

Here's how you make it:

Supplies:

• 1 (6") grapevine wreath
• Large bunch of faux red berries & green leaves ( you will need at least six 4" stems of each)
• Floral wire
• Wire cutters

Step 1: Using the wire cutters, cut six 4" stems of each the red berries and the green leaves, leaving at least 1" of stem at the end of each. 

Step 2: Beginning with the greenery, insert the stem end into the grapevine wreath, and secure with the floral wire. You want the length of the stem to lay flat against the wreath. I find it easiest to wrap the wire around the entire grapevine wreath. I don't mind if the wire is visible from the underside, since no one will be seeing it! Continue with the rest of the greenery, being careful to space each stem evenly and face them all the same direction, slightly overlapping each new stem with the last one.
Here's what it should look like when you're done with this step, from the top and on the underside:

Step 3: Using the same method as in Step 2, insert the red berry stems into the grapevine wreath. Make sure they are going in the same direction as the greenery, and secure with more floral wire if you feel it is necessary (I skipped this - Mine seemed secure without additional wire!). Again, be sure to space the stems evenly and place them all going the same direction. Once everything is in place, you can bend the stems slightly to get them exactly where you want them.

Step 4: Put your candle ring wherever you want with a pillar candle placed inside. I like to keep mine on our dining room table as a simple centerpiece, but this also works well on coffee tables, as part of a holiday vignette, or anywhere you have a candle that needs just a touch more Christmas spirit!

Happy Christmassing!