Making and Selling Fresh Holiday Wreaths From Your Own Yard

Fresh evergreen wreaths are one of the season’s simple pleasures, and many people buy one for the front door each year. If you have evergreens in your yard and enjoy working with your hands, making a small batch of wreaths could bring in a little extra money between Thanksgiving and Christmas, perhaps enough to help with a holiday-season bill. How much you sell depends on your area and your prices, so think of it as a modest seasonal project.

Gather greens the right way

Use greens from your own yard, or from a friend’s with their permission. University of Illinois Extension suggests cutting after a hard frost, taking no more than about a quarter of any plant, spreading your cuts out and making clean cuts above a bud or side branch so the plant stays healthy.

Collecting boughs on public land is different. National forests generally require a permit above small amounts, so ask the local ranger district first.

What you’ll need

• Pruning shears and wire cutters.
• A wire wreath frame. Iowa State University Extension says 16 inches suits most people.
• Florist’s “paddle” wire.
• Fresh greens such as fir, pine, spruce, cedar or holly, plus pine cones and a bow.

How to make one

1. Cover your table with cardboard to catch sap.
2. Cut greens into pieces 4 to 8 inches long and gather them into small bundles of three or four.
3. Wire each bundle to the frame, overlapping the cut ends of the one before.
4. Keep the bundles about the same size so the wreath stays round.
5. Tuck the last bundle under the first, then wire on cones, a bow and a hanger.

Keep them fresh, and be honest with buyers

Iowa State notes that a fresh wreath can last outdoors from late November into early January in cool weather, but only about 7 to 10 days indoors near heat. Tell buyers that, and keep finished wreaths somewhere cool, like the garage, until pickup. One caution from the same source: if you use boxwood, tell buyers not to compost it, because of boxwood blight.

Where and how to sell

Holiday craft fairs, church bazaars, a table at a friend’s shop, and word of mouth among neighbors all work well. Price each wreath to cover your frame, wire, ribbon and time; our pricing guide shows how. Some towns have rules about selling from your home, so check locally first.

A few practical notes

Wear gloves, since sap and prickly holly are hard on hands. Use a sturdy step stool, not a ladder, for cutting high branches, or ask for help.

Money from wreath sales is generally taxable, and the IRS says self-employment tax applies once net earnings reach $400 in a year. If you are under full retirement age and get Social Security, earnings over a yearly limit can reduce benefits for a time; side income can also affect SSI, Medicaid or housing help. Check your own situation at the official links below.

More on Replace a Bill

• Pricing Your Handmade Crafts So Your Time and Materials Are Covered
• Selling Houseplant Babies: A Small Income From Cuttings and Offsets

Sources

• Iowa State University Extension: How to create a holiday wreath
• University of Illinois Extension: Harvesting evergreens for holiday decorations
• USDA Forest Service: Bough permits (Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest)
• IRS: Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)
• SSA: Receiving benefits while working