Incorporate whimsey in your decor by knowing where to hang wreaths

Where to hang wreaths? Know that nothing is more inviting than a beautiful wreath hung on a door, any door — the front door, side door, back door, garage door or the barn door — because it says “Welcome.“

But don’t limit yourself to that. Hang one on your hearth, over the fireplace; hang one over your kitchen sink, on your bedroom door, over your bed or anywhere that pleases you.

Circular garlands are seasonal decorations. For autumn, buy or make one featuring fall tones — rust, greens, golds, oranges, and copper — and then change it up for Christmas inserting red, green, berries and holly leaves or whatever yuletide colors you prefer. In the spring, go pastel, and use silk tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and other flowers associated with spring.

An unusual and really eye-catching way to display a circlet is to hang in from a chandelier above your table. This requires several strands of decorative ribbon, which are looped around the wreath and tied to the overhead lamp.The open space (in the middle of the circle) faces downward, toward the table. This ingenious idea belongs to Kristin of The Hunted Interior.

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Hang them in your windows, either inside or out, using a long strand of colorful ribbon and a big bow. Velvet ribbon and bows work particularly well during the Christmas holiday.

Place a circlet on your table and put candles in the center. Always be careful when using lighted candles.

Hang a circular garland in front of a mirror, If there are lights in the garland they will sparkle doubly because of their reflection in the mirror.

Wreaths are particularly prevalent during autumn because they represent the harvest season. In fact, a harvest wreath was considered a consecrated talisman in days gone by. Wheat and other harvested plants were interwoven with white and red wool thread. The circlet hung next to the front door, rather than on the door, all year.

Different countries and cultures use circular garlands as symbols for various things. In ancient Rome and Greece, circlets were worn on the head as a crown by leaders and magistrates. To this day, brides often wear a circlet of flowers, ivy, ribbons and jewels on their wedding day.

In Poland. the wienic or harvest wreath is the crux of the annual Harvest Festival. It is constructed of fruit, grain plants and nuts. A group of people proceed to the church where the circlet is blessed by a priest. A young woman or girl leads the procession, carrying the circlet. After the blessing there is a big celebration.

Christians have long used circlets in preparing for the coming of Christ, the Advent season. An advent circlet is made of evergreens, which are associated with eternal life brought through Jesus. When using evergreen in the circlet this stands for strength because evergreen trees and bushes withstand the unforgiving winter weather. The circle itself means God, with no beginning and no end.

It is common to see circular garlands at funerals, which became a popular practice during the Victorian Era. Flowers = life and resurrection. The Victorians incorporated willow and cypress into the circlet because these items are a symbol of mourning.

When a soldier is killed or someone is lost at sea, wreaths are often laid in memory of the deceased person. When a funeral at sea takes place, the circular garland is lowered into the water.

Circlets, another word for wreath, can be made using silk flowers and greenery or dried items. Fresh flowers can be used but they won’t last.

A circular garland can be made with a combination of leaves, flowers, twigs, fruits and whatever material the designer chooses to use. Feel free to go with your imagination. The outcome is a ring. The ring itself, the base, can be wire, Styrofoam or interwoven twigs.

Tie a ribbon or raffia to the circlet, add lights, attach some sparkly gems such as a broach or a colorful strand of beads, insert some fake fruit — grapes, oranges, apples and pears … and presto! You have a decoration that brightens up your home for the holidays and in general. No one says you have to remove the circlet once the holiday is over.