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Whether or not to put up Christmas decor before December's a polarizing issue.

I'm Team November when it comes to holiday decorating. It gets brutally cold in Toronto this time of year, and decorating early seems to take the edge off. Psychologists agree, premature decoration can make you happier.

We're a real tree household (nothing beats the presence and aroma of the real thing...sorry, fake fir friends!). The downside: you can't put up a real tree the day after Halloween. I tried pushing the limits last year and got one in mid-November. #decorblogproblems. By the time Christmas rolled around, poor Branchy was so dry he'd spontaneously combust if you looked at him the wrong way.

This year, I'm going to *try* to hold off on the tree until the very end of November. So, to tide over those yuletide urges, I'm taking an everything-but-the-tree approach.

I've started slow, hygge-ing up our home with throws and candles in early November. This was followed by a slow trickle of string lights and cider-scented candles.

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This week, I made this minimalist holiday wreath/wall hanging. It was really easy. Scroll down and I'll show you how...

I know what you're thinking. Its festiveness is a little...um...underwhelming. But, if you've been reading along for a while, you'll know under-decorating's kinda my thing.

While I like to decorate early for the holidays, I'm not a fan of going overboard. On the contrary, I think the sooner you deck your halls, the less in-your-face they ought to be!

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How to Make A DIY Minimalist Christmas Wreath

What You'll Need:

- A two-foot-long branch. This will serve as the base of the wreath (I used white pine for its longevity. Some other evergreens, like cedar, dry up within just a week indoors).

- A few sprigs of other greenery for accents (I used incense cedar and seeded eucalyptus. These don't stay fresh for as long as pine, but you can replace them with fresh pieces when needed).

- Twine (about four feet)

- Green floristry wire

- Black ribbon---or red or gold, if you prefer something more festive (I used two pieces: three and four feet long)

- Scissors

- Hammer

- Nail

Instructions

1. Tie one end of the twine to each end of the branch, forming the wreath base.

2. Decide where you want to hang the wreath and hammer a nail there. Hang the wreath from the nail.

3. Arrange the accent greenery along the base, securing with floristry wire.

4. Grab the three-foot-long piece of black ribbon and tie each end to one end of the branch, overlying where the twine is tied. Adjust the ribbon until it's hanging loosely beneath the greenery, at an appealing length. Cut the ribbon to size.

There really should be a photo following this one of what this looks like once the extra ribbon is trimmed. As usual with DIYs, I got a little ahead of myself and didn't keep up with the picture taking.

5. Take the remaining four-foot-long piece of black ribbon and tie one end to the left side of the branch, overlapping the spot where the three foot piece of black ribbon was tied.

6. Trace the length of the ribbon over and around the nail where the wreath's been hung (following the course of the twine). Tie the loose end of the four-foot-long ribbon to the right side of the branch, overlying where the three foot ribbon was tied. Cut the ribbon to the required length.

7. Light a scented candle, put your feet up and blast that Christmas music. Early decor haters be damned!

So, what do you think of our wreath??? I think I'll call her Needles...

Stay tuned for future posts on holiday gift guides and sustainable gift wrap ideas!

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#diywreath #christmasdecor