DIY Christmas Wreath Gift Tags

So here's something I don't do often: a DIY! Yes, indeed, it has been months since my last DIY post, but what better month for another one than December? I haven't been as crafty as I would have liked this year. The month crept up on me and I was left feeling really unorganized with no idea where to begin. Thankfully, my family isn't very big on presents anymore, now that the majority of us are 'grown ups', so that at least allows me some slack when it comes to gift shopping. As I've grown older, I've found it harder to think of things that family members would really want anyway. I don't want gift giving to be a thoughtless exchange (buying something for the sake of buying), and so I've become more inclined to make my own gifts, including all the trimmings.

These Christmas wreath gift tags are so easy to make but so effective. You'll notice that the foliage isn't of the traditional kind one would usually associate with Christmas. I've opted for using Australian natives instead. For the majority of my childhood, I wished for a white Christmas. I wanted ivy and mistletoe, snow, wood fires, roasts and warming punch. But I have come to love and embrace the Australian Christmas, albeit the sometimes horrendous heat. The Christmas that I adore involves waking up early on a warm morning, swims in the pool. fruit platters and 'cold' puddings such as trifles and pavlova. These wreaths are just a small representation of what Christmas here really is. It's odd seeing cards and gift wrap in the shops which depict wintry scenes. While I still do one day want to experience that Christmas, I am happy that I've come to appreciate the Australian Christmas.

I have used fake foliage for these, which I found at a craft shop. I initially wanted to use the real deal, but it can get quite expensive. And while I'd love to be able to just gather some native flora from the park across my road, it is illegal to do so, and for good reason. The fake foliage, though, is quite realistic and, added bonus, could potentially be used as tree decorations.

You will need:

An assortment of foliage

Thin steel wire

Wire cutters

Scissors

Hot glue gun

Essentially, all you have to do is bend the wire into a circle of your desired size, twisting the ends around a couple of times to form a complete circle. I just used my hands, but pliers would probably make the process a lot easier. From there, it's as simple as cutting your flowers and hot gluing them onto the wire to create a gorgeous arrangement. 

I'll be using plain brown paper to wrap my presents, as it really helps to draw attention to the wreaths. Tied together with twine, it all makes for a very festive and eye catching gift.