Wreaths Leaves and Branches
Greek mythology tells the tale of Apollo, son of Zeus and god of life and light who fell in love with Daphne, a nymph. When she ran away, Apollo asked the river god Peneus for assistance in capturing her, so Peneus transformed Daphine into laurel tree. Apollo fashioned a crown from the laurel tree and wore it on his head. Wreaths were forever after associated with victory, achievement and status.
The use of circular bouquets dates back into antiquity. Ancient Egyptians made wreath chaplets by sewing flowers onto linen headbands and tying them onto their heads. Roman magistrates and Etruscan rulers wore golden wreaths as crowns. Wreaths were worn as adornments to signify a person's social status, rank and occupation.
Crowns of olive, pine, laurel, celery, or palm, were awarded to ancient Olympic games athletes and bestowed on poets and speakers or orators as prizes. Rome also bestowed laurel wreaths to civil officials and returning warriors to acknowledge their service.
Harvest wreaths are what we most commonly see for household decorations today most often during holiday seasons like Christmas or Chanukah when people wish to declare their holiday spirit. Wreaths can be woven from flowers, leaves, and foliage. Some artificial wreaths, when properly cared for, can beautify your home or front door for many years.
There are several different types of wreath garlands:
Advent wreath, or Advent crown: symbolizes the passage of the four weeks of Advent. This type of wreath usually lays horizontally on a table top and contains four to five candles.
Funeral and Memorial Wreaths
- The circle shape of a wreath is said to represent the circle of eternal life. Since ancient times, evergreen wreaths have been placed at burial sites to represent victory of the eternal spirit over death.
Maypole or May Day Wreaths
- Colorful poles are included in the country of England's festivities when young bachelors race to climb the maypole to capture the coronet headdress perched on top of the pole. The winner wears the wreath as a crown for the entire length of the holiday celebration.
Enhance the images by adding little bells or sprinkles of glitter and bows to create Christmas wreath ornaments for the holiday tree. String several different decorated wreaths together to make garlands and hanging holiday decorations.
Children can contribute to the holiday festivities. Print as stationery or letterhead to write messages and letters to Santa or friends and relatives. Children can make photo frames by decorating and carefully cutting out the centers to frame a photograph.
Enhance the images by adding baubles, bells and bows and sprinkles of glitter.
Applications for these patterns could include:
- Frame: Frame a favorite photo for a friend.
- Decals: Print on window decal sheets...
- Foam: Trace onto colorful foam sheets to mix and match colors and shapes.
- Cloth: Trace the designs onto tee shirts to create fun baby doll decorations with puffy paint and glitter.
- Felt: Make filled puffy cloth pillows or window ornaments
- Celluclay: Paper mache tree ornaments
- Wood: Scroll saw enthusiast's dream patterns
- trong>Magnets: Print on magnet sheets for refrigerator magnets
- Paper: Print and color with markers, crayons, water colors, chalk, colored pencil...
- Stencils: Decorating the baby's room or use as patterns for sewing projects; embroidery and needle point.