Can you feel it? Change is in the air. We’ve turned our clocks back, welcomed in brighter mornings and earlier nightfall, temperatures are steadily dropping, and the occasional holiday song can be heard drifting from shop doorways and passing cars. Depending on where you call home, you may have even spotted a snowflake or two. Yes, the holiday season is upon us, and with it, all the delights of this cozy time of year.
With Thanksgiving drawing closer and the gift-giving holidays not far off, perhaps you’ve even started decorating! While it can be tempting to indulge in all the glitter and glitz of store bought holiday decor, allow us to make the argument for something far more simple, homemade, and natural looking: making your own DIY holiday decor.
Not only is DIY decor fun to make — especially if you get the whole family involved, whether that’s your roommates, kids or friends — it’s also far more friendly for the planet and often less expensive. Take this DIY dried citrus garland for instance. Using a couple of fresh oranges, some baker’s twine (which also makes the perfect hanger for ornaments, BTW), and a little patience during drying time, you can make a gorgeous garland that not only looks stunning, but smells pretty incredible as well. What’s more, this garland will last you the entire holiday season and when you’re done, simply unstring the fruit and add it to your compost. It’s that easy! Ready to dress your house for holiday success? Read on for the directions:
DIY Dried Citrus Garland
Active time: 30 minutes, baking time: 3 hours
Materials:
- Fresh navel oranges (we used two for a 3-foot garland)
- Baker’s twine
- Fresh cranberries
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
How to:
- Preheat your oven to 250°F and line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Use a sharp knife to slice each orange into 1/8” rounds and arrange on the cookie sheet. Place into the oven and bake for 3 hours, checking every 20 minutes or so and flipping the slices halfway through to ensure they dry flat. When the oranges are stiff and dehydrated, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- To make the garland, cut the desired length of baker’s twine and make a loop at one end. Thread the tapestry needle on the opposite end of twine and thread on a cranberry. Next, thread the needle through the top of an orange slice, poking needle through the front to back of the orange, then back to front.
- Continue alternating orange slices and cranberries, being sure to evenly space the fruit, until you’ve reached the desired length of garland. When you’re done, finish with a cranberry and make another loop with the end of the twine.
Now your garland is ready to display! Hang it from a mantel, from your banister, or around a doorway to hit the perfect note of holiday cheer!
How do you use nature to decorate for the holidays? Share with our community by tagging us on social with @AvocadoMattress and #AvocadoGreenMagazine
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