It’s annual Festival of Nativities time here again, and I got to decorate in the chapel this year. Last year I did a wall in the gym. So many volunteers put in so many hours of work to create the atmosphere and set up hundreds of nativity sets, and we love going as a family. It’s a great way to kick off the Christmas season.
I wanted to show you how one simple item, in large quantities, can make a really dramatic impact.
Here’s how the chapel looked when I first got there. Every year they buy dozens of poinsettias to use here and different places around the church, including two giant ones from Costco.
And here’s how it looked when I was done.
Each of those wreaths was so easy to make too–here are my tricks for easy, fluffy coffee filter wreaths.
Cut a ring from cardboard, or even posterboard (which is what I used here for all 15 wreaths–easier to cut!). Separate about 20 filters from the stack–it goes faster when you get a bunch ready at once. Take those, one at a time and push it down through the middle, gathering it so it looks like a badminton birdie. Flatten the bottom of each one just a little. When you have a whole pile ready, start gluing. I put just a couple drops of hot glue on the bottom and start putting them around the inside of the ring. The trick to nice fluffy wreaths is to leave some space in between each glued filter–don’t pack them in too tight! Finish the inside ring and work in rows toward the outside of the ring. Separate them with your fingers a little if needed, and if there are any “bald spots” you can stick another filter in there.
I hope you enjoyed my tips, and if you’re in the area that you’ll stop by the festival!
