It happened again.

Twelve months have passed and we are back to the Christmas decorating season.

I don’t know about everyone else, but every year I look at my decorations and think, OK, this year it’s time for something different! So, I decided my front door wreath from 1998 needs an immediate change. There’s nothing like coming home and being welcomed by a colourful and cheerful door.

First stop was Capital Iron where I found a beautiful 38” wreath of cranberry coloured holly on twigs. I really love how this wreath is asymmetrical, so natural looking, while being soft and woodsy at the same time. It’s traditional yet contemporary. This wreath would look amazing in a downtown modern condo or in an older home in Oak Bay.

Chintz and Company has a very cool 27” wreath on a stand. What’s neat about this is, you don’t have to hang it. I was thinking a dining room sideboard would be a good place to stand it, surrounded by candles. Again I love that it’s asymmetrical and kind of “unChristmas.”

Chintz also has a plain 30” boxwood leaf oval wreath that you can decorate yourself from items in their floral department. Here’s where you can be really creative, using fruit, flowers, ribbon, ornaments or branches to customize your creation. This would be a really fun Saturday afternoon project.

Finally, the Christmas Shoppe has a very traditional decorative Santa wreath, perfect for any door. This Santa would look festive on a Victorian styled door, an arts & crafts door or even on a stone fireplace.

If you’re after a change this Christmas decorating season, think a little outside the box. Wreaths are also perfect as table centers with candles in the middle or on end tables surrounding a table lamp. You can even hang small wreaths from ribbon on the back of dining room chairs. Enjoy the holiday season.

Sheri Peterson has been an interior designer for 22 years in Victoria. She designs for commercial, residential and hospitality clients.