If you haven’t hung a wreath on your front door yet, don’t worry, there’s still time – and the simple hack I’m about to tell you requires just one humble potato.
That’s right, potato wreaths are taking the internet by storm as one of the year’s best budget Christmas decorating ideas, and they are so easy to make yourself.
Requiring a potato and your choice of foliage, the results can look incredibly beautiful and impressive, making this a Christmas trend that the Ideal Home can fully get behind. Here’s how you can do it too.
Author and gardening expert Anya Lautenbach, also known as @anya_thegarden_fairy on Instagram, is one person who feels passionately about creating potato wreaths, sharing her tutorial with her 3 million followers.
‘My potato Christmas wreath is a good example of how to live in a sustainable way. I’m on a mission to show people that beautiful Christmas decorations don’t need to cost the Earth or break the bank. I love simplicity, which I show in my reels on social media. My ideas and projects are always easy-to-follow and achievable. My potato wreath is just one of those projects,’ she says.
(Image credit: Anya Lautenbach)
The potato wreath hack is perfect if you’re looking to create a magical Christmas on a budget. All you have to do is take a potato and push your foliage directly into the flesh of the vegetable to fashion your ‘wreath’ shape.
‘To get started, you’ll want a large, firm raw potato. Using a skewer or something similarly pointy, make holes all the way around the potato. These holes are where your greenery will go. Push cut stems of foliage directly into the potato flesh,’ explains Gemma Logan, Christmas expert at leading Christmas party company, Book a Party.
‘Evergreen sprigs like bay, rosemary, holly, ivy or even eucalyptus work well because they’re sturdy and smell festive. Once you’ve filled the potato with greenery in a circular shape, thread a piece of garden wire or string through the middle to create a hanging loop. You can finish it off with ribbon, dried orange slices or cinnamon sticks wired together for a bit of Christmas flair. It’s simple, hands-on and oddly satisfying.’
(Image credit: Future PLC / Colin Poole)
Anya has opted to include opulent peacock feathers in her wreath for a maximalist take, which works wonderfully with the greenery of her foliage.
For a more traditional look, you could opt for red berries and pine instead. Or, if you are a fan of bolder looks, ribbons, tinsel, and even baubles fixed to your foliage works well, too.
‘One of the big reasons people are embracing the potato wreath is sustainability. Traditional floral foam is not environmentally friendly and often ends up in a landfill after a single use. A potato is biodegradable, compostable and widely available,’ says Gemma.
‘It also naturally holds moisture, which helps keep your greenery fresher for longer. From a party expert’s point of view, it’s also brilliant because it turns wreath-making into something playful and inclusive. You don’t need to buy a kit or worry about doing it ‘right’.
‘You can forage foliage from the garden, trim herbs from the kitchen window box and let everyone create their own version. There’s also a nostalgic charm to using everyday objects in festive decorating. It feels old-fashioned, resourceful and quietly clever.’
(Image credit: Future PLC/Nathalie Priem)
And you don’t have to worry about the potato rotting on your front door either, as Gemma says they can last up to several weeks as the cold weather slows their decay. However, because of this, potato wreaths are not suitable for indoor use, as our homes are normally too warm and humid.
If you fancy a little more of a challenge, a living wreath is another beautiful and sustainable option, using living plants like moss and succulents to craft a long-lasting festive wreath.
Make a potato wreath
Eznaobo
Burgundy Velvet Ribbon – 50 Yard
The stylish ribbon can be fashioned into small bows for your wreath.
Homewit
50pcs Christmas Pine Cones for Decoration
These snowy pine cones can be hung on your wreath for some extra festive magic.
Generic
10 Pcs Artificial Red Berries
If you are unable to forage red berries, these faux decorations can be pushed into your potato instead.
The potato wreath trend is absolutely charming. It’s simple, budget-friendly and sustainable, while creating a festive decoration that looks beautiful. It’s a great idea, and one I’m planning to try myself.