Christmas Garland, we grew up with the traditional sparkly Christmas garland and I love a tree decked out with it, it just takes me back and its really so pretty. I may have to go out and hunt for some to add to our tree next year, or maybe my mom still has . . . I maybe just need to raid her decorations buckets! Anyway, I remember one year my cousins made a popcorn Christmas garland and had it on their tree. Well I was in LOVE with it. So here we are years later, and I have a popcorn garland on my tree!
When we moved into our farmhouse here I had the girls make it! One was 7 and the other one was 4. Gave them some instructions, a bowl of popcorn, a bowl of cranberries and let them at it. There was a lot of pin pokes and ow’s coming out, but when I asked them if they wanted to stop they did not! We still have this on our tree to date!
This is year 7 and still looks amazing. I wrap it up gently in tissue paper and tuck into a small tub and pull it out every year. It’s not perfect anymore – we used fresh cranberries (very sticky for little fingers!) and as they dried you get more room on your strand (when they shrink) and we loose popcorn every year but it’s still pretty good. And that smell when i start taking it out of the tub is so good!!
On my Christmas decoration list though that I’ve always dreamed about making, was another Christmas Garland . . . one made with dried fruits. My husband complained that the oranges in the fridge were old and getting dry so I was oooh, I know what I can do with those!
Easy DIY
So I sliced them up, pretty thin and laid them on a cooling rack on a cookie sheet and popped them into the oven.
We did oranges, grapefruits, lemons & limes. Pop them in at 200 degrees and bake for hours. Until they turn slightly brown on the outside and are dry. We took them out and flipped them about half way. Let them cool and then string them up!
Honestly, life happens and they sat in a bowl on my counter for about a week before I found string and a needle. I asked my daughter if she wanted to help, she’s 11 and she actually did it all herself – I just came in and helped move them down the sting every so often. So we did the dried fruit with fresh cranberries and I absolutely LOVE how they turned out!
We hung them with some 3M hooks on our windows in the kitchen and dinning room. No idea if the dried fruit will keep year to year but we’ll try.
I would love for you to come and hang out with me over on Instagram and Facebook! Let me know what you guys think and if you’ve ever made your own Christmas garland! I would love to see them!!
This is so pretty! I love these ideas.
What an amazing idea! And looks like it was so much fun too! Thanks for sharing!
This is so simple and yet the result is so beautiful. We love any ‘natural-looking’ decorations when we’re getting ready for Yule in our house, so this would definitely fit in with our decor! I’m going to show this to my husband as an option for next year.