Creating a Christmas Spray

     Creating a Christmas Spray is easy and fun to do.  I actually had the privilege to take a class recently at Baltimore Woods Nature Center about making Christmas swags and sprays, and I enjoyed it so much, I thought I would share with you what we learned and some of our finished projects in hopes that you’ll be inspired to create your own Christmas Spray.

       Our class was taught by Regina Lewis-Middleton. She brought with her a wide variety of fresh evergreen branches, holly, colorful branches, and materials to create bows.  She also had all manner of branch cutters, scissors, and wire for completing our projects.

        So before you can start, you will need to take a nature walk and collect your own assortment of natural materials. Wear your garden gloves and bring along a branch snipper.

        If you have evergreens in your yard, cut off a few of the lowest branches: (ones that might hang down anyway and won’t be missed).  Some of the prettiest ones are white pine, Cyprus, arborvitae, and spruce, but that’s a matter of taste and there are many more choices available.  Try to gather as much variety as is practical. 

         If you have difficulty finding evergreen branches you might get them free from fresh Christmas tree lots, because there are always scraps of branches and twigs lying around that have broken or been cut off.  Often, if you ask, they will give you some.

         Now, look for some pretty twigs like red and yellow dogwood, or white birch, and if you can find any, pick some holly, rose hips, variegated Euonymus, or bayberry for special touches.

          Pinecones come in many shapes and sizes and make good accents when you are creating a Christmas spray, so collect a few of these, too.

Now you need to gather a few supplies.  You’ll need a couple grades of wire, burlap for bows, raffia, the snippers and your scissors.
 (Hint: Don’t use your good scissors to cut wire or sturdy branches.  That’s what the snippers are for!)

If you need to purchase ribbon for bows, the red velvet bow is timeless, but if you are creating a Christmas spray with a more natural look, look for natural materials like burlap (and not necessarily red either.)  I saw one lady use dark brown and it turned out spectacularly.

Now, that you have all your supplies, lay them out and start creating your Christmas spray.  Your biggest branch goes on the bottom and then you are going to create layers above it.

Wire a few branches together and gradually add more.  Step away and study your creation as you layer it.  If it pleases you wire it together, but keep in mind where you are going to hang your spray. If it will hang between doors, don’t make it so thick that it will interfere with the door closing properly.

Now add a few twigs, and then the holly or other berried branches.  Pinecones can be wired anywhere you find pleasing.

The next step in creating a Christmas spray is adding your ribbons.  We used very wide burlap, and many people created a very pleasing effect with just a knot, not a bow.

You can also use just raffia if you choose, or both raffia and burlap-there is no wrong way. Whatever works is right!  Use your ribbons to cover your wires.

Now make a wire loop for hanging, by wrapping the middle of a piece of wire around a couple of fingers a few times and then using the ends to attach to your spray.  Your Christmas spray is finished and ready to hang! 

Now, use your left over greens to decorate mantles or dining tables, perhaps in a container outside your door, or as a living centerpiece. Use damp florist foam if your creating a living centerpiece to keep branches fresh and green all season.

I had a lot of fun the day I spent at Baltimore Woods Nature Center in Marcellus, NY, and now I want to give a shout out to the many wonderful people, most of them volunteers, that have made Baltimore Woods a success story, and especially Regina Lewis-Middleton, our craft teacher, and Sue Jones, the office manager, for providing such a pleasant informative afternoon.

Baltimore Woods Nature Center is a not-for-profit environmental education organization located in Marcellus NY, 15 minutes outside Syracuse in central NY.  The mission is to connect people with nature, and the goal is to give people of all ages opportunities to enjoy and learn about nature first-hand.

Baltimore Woods offers year-round programs to our members and to the public, as well as school programs.

The Nature in the City programs brings nature education to urban youth. For more information contact Baltimore Woods Nature Center at: info@baltimorewoods.org. 

There are many wonderful nature centers everywhere. There might be one near where you live.  Check out their programs.  You might find a hidden gem in your own back yard. 

So that about sums it up. Perhaps you’re inspired now to create your own Christmas spray, or maybe you’re going to find out the calendar of winter events scheduled at a local nature center near you.  You might be surprised at how much they have to offer and how we can enjoy our yards and gardens-even in the cold!