The December 1925 issue of Better Homes and Gardens included an article encouraging homemakers to construct their own Christmas wreaths using materials native to the areas in which they lived. Sensible advice for a live wreath expected to last the season—and perhaps even more fitting for a time when instructions on foraging felt far less suspect. Foraging in 2025 is more likely to earn you concerned looks from neighbors, if not a visit from law enforcement.
I did briefly consider making a wreath from the dried sunflower heads still lingering in our flower beds a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, it rained, they became soggy, and I simply could not bring myself to imagine a wet, pulpy wreath hanging on the door.
As I pondered alternatives, it occurred to me that the broader advice still holds. Exotic plants that don’t grow naturally in your area are harder to find and less likely to withstand the season. Much like friendships. We all have wonderful friends and family who live far away and whom we’d love to gather close during the holidays—but is that practical? Is it sustainable, year after year? Hard to say. Local friends, on the other hand, tend to be more readily available and better suited to weather daily life alongside us.
Then there is the idea of binding. Certainly, fancy ribbon or tinsel makes for a pretty wreath, but will it survive a storm? There is an obvious joke here about binding your friends with wire or zip ties, but I’ll move past it. Instead, perhaps the better binding is goodwill—shared memories, generosity, and laughter.
The article concludes with suggestions for keeping your wreath fresh and “evergreen.” While I might enjoy the idea of spritzing some of my friends with water to freshen them up after a few weeks, that seems ill-advised. Still, there may be something to be said for checking in on them periodically, just to make sure they’re doing alright.
No comments:
Post a Comment