History of the Wreath

    The making of wreaths is an ancient and honored art that began about a thousand years before the birth of Christ.  The Christmas Wreath symbolizes the strength of life overcoming the forces of winter.  In ancient Rome, people used decorative wreaths as a sign of victory and celebration.  the custom of hanging a wreath on the front door of your home probably came from this practice.  At Christmas, the wreath is symbolic of Christian immortality.  the circle and the sphere are symbols of immortality.  The use of evergreens and wreaths as symbols of life was also an ancient custom of the Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews among other people.

    The use of evergreens for Christmas wreaths and other decorations probably arose in northern Europe, Itally and Spain in the early 19th century.  The traditional colors of Christmas are green and red.  Green represents the continuance of life through the winter and the Christian belief in eternal life through Christ.  Red symbolizes the blood that Jesus shed at his crucifixion.  but for most of the 20th century, the word "wreath" conjured up visions of rings of evergreens with red ribbons hung on doors at Christmas.  The traditional Christmas wreath is hung anytime from right after Thanksgiving to mid-December and left hanging through the winter months.  Here in Maine, we threaten to send out the "Wreath Police" if your Christmas wreath is still hanging after Easter.