The Front Door Wreath

It is what remains after the Christmas tree is taken down and the lights are unplugged, the front door wreath. Some consider it a symbol dating back to ancient times; perhaps. To me, it is a beautiful decoration, identifying the entrance to our sacred place, our home. It may give reference to a season or a holiday or a sign of welcome. It is a gesture by its hanger that it adorns a loved space, an added touch to enhance the beauty of the door, like adding that final brush of blush as you glance in the mirror, happy that you are putting on your best self before you head out to face the world. Perhaps I am way overthinking the wreath, perhaps.

One of my favorite things to do is drive around and look at houses. Whether I am driving to grab groceries or out on a road trip, I am constantly looking around. I love to see how people show off their homes…and the wreath is one way. It outlasts all the other decorations of the holiday. Many are traditional with red bows, some are simple, some are lit, some have extravagant bows. This year, I made mine from some of the roses I was given in the past year. I tend to dry my roses in a bowl and save them indefinitely. They were the basis for my Christmas wreath this year, along with some clementines that I dried in the oven. When I open my door, I think of my son who gave me the roses on my last birthday, warming my heart and uniting me to good memories. This wreath will last until spring.

I meant to write about decorating for Christmas back when I was actually filling the pots and hanging garland, but the time got away from me. Now that the greens are browning and it is time to undo and lay bare and the wreath remains, I thought it timely to write now, a week into the new year when we are thinking about the next season, when the thaw comes and the days are longer and warmer. A week when there is disruption in the news, and uncertainty on the horizon. I return to the wreath - a circle, unending, unified. My age reminds me of an old television commercial of people holding hands in a circle around the globe, singing “what the world needs now is love, sweet love”. So, I leave you there, encouraging you to hang a wreath on your front door, a circle of love. Happy New Year!