NOTHING marks the beginning of the festive season more than hanging a wreath on your front door.
The Yuletide decoration can symbolise different things including power, victory, everlasting life and welcome – but for many people, it symbolises the official start of Christmas.
The tradition of hanging wreaths on doors dates back to ancient Greece and Rome and these days you’ll see them on many front doors – and you can buy traditional varieties as well as more contemporary offerings.
There are endless choices available to buy, including artificial wreaths and real ones, traditionally made from holly, berries and other foliage.
You can pay anything from a few pounds to over £600 for a super fancy one.
The Sun reporter Natasha Harding tried eight wreaths under £20 and rated them out of 30 – here’s what she thought…
Small but perfectly formed, this wreath is attractive and looks pretty real.
It would work well inside the house as well as on a front door as the smaller stature means it’s not too overpowering.
I love the little details such as the mistletoe berries.
The wooden beads will ensure they’re durable, and if they get a bit dirty, it’s easy enough to wipe them clean.
I’m a fan of traditional-looking wreaths so this one is a favourite.
It gets bonus points because it lights up (you need to buy three triple-A batteries and insert them into the power pack).
It looks beautifully natural once hung up – and the mix of berries to greenery is perfect.
It’s well made enough that it will stay looking great for the whole of December.
This wreath isn’t to be used on outside doors but would work beautifully if you have a porch – or if not, on an interior door.
It comes with two batteries to make it light up, giving it a nice glow.
It’s well made and looks lovely once alight.
Considering it’s under a tenner, I thought this one was surprisingly good quality.
A super-sized wreath which will make your door stand out from the crowd.
It looked great once in situ – but it is slightly synthetic in appearance when you’re up close to it.
Quite a few bits of the foliage fell off when the door was opened and closed, so I’m not sure how well it would withstand the Cornish winds (I’m from Bude in Cornwall).
Not my top pick for the price.
The cheapest wreath I tested looked mighty attractive hanging on the door.
However, it’s pretty lightweight and required careful handling.
I’m not sure how long it will last as some of the berries fell off within the first few hours of hanging which doesn’t bode well for my heavy-handed household and their tendency to slam the door.
I think I’d hang it on an interior door instead as it’s a great price and looks great.
I like the simplicity of this one and it’s pretty heavy meaning it won’t blow away if the wind whips up.
It doesn’t look overly artificial from a distance and my door looks super elegant when adorned by this one.
My husband isn’t a fan and thinks it is a bit dull-looking. We agreed to disagree.
A bright, cheerful-looking and unique wreath which looks surprisingly good on my dark front door.
However, I thought it was pretty pricey considering it is made from fairly flimsy plastic.
It is my daughter’s absolute favourite and she said the ‘pop of colour’ is just what our house needs.
She’s asked if we can keep it as a permanent fixture for the foreseeable future.
Overall, it’s nice – but not the best for the price.
This one is a nice size and very well made meaning it would easily last for more than one winter.
However, I thought it was a bit boring looking and it doesn’t really stand out from afar.
If I was going to use it for the festive season, I’d probably add some fairy lights to jazz it up.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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