How to make timeless holiday wreaths with dehydrated oranges and star anise

These handmade holiday wreaths are a beautiful way to bring the spirit — and scents — of the season into your home. The vibrant hues of dehydrated oranges and the rustic elegance of star anise add a festive touch that's both simple and sophisticated. 

Watch the video to see how easily these wreaths come together, then scroll down for the full materials list and instructions. 

Materials

Dehydrated orange slice wreath:  

• 1 (15-inch) plate or other circular object
• 1 (13-inch) plate or other circular object
• 1 (16-inch x 16-inch) piece cardboard or foam board
• X-Acto knife 
• 70 dehydrated orange slices (homemade or purchased from a bulk food store, cocktail supply store or garden centre) 
• Hot glue gun
• 1 (5-inch) piece picture hanging wire 
• 1 (1-inch) red or burgundy ribbon, 36 inches long

Star anise wreath:

• Wire cutters 
• 1 wire coat hanger 
• Pliers
• 86-100 whole star anise
• Hot glue gun 
• 1 (5-inch) piece picture hanging wire 
• 1 red or burgundy ribbon, 24 inches long

Instructions

Dehydrated orange slice wreath:  

Place a 15-inch plate on a piece of cardboard and carefully cut out a circle using an X-Acto knife. Be sure to protect the surface underneath. 

Place the smaller plate in the middle of the cardboard circle and trace along the edges to cut out a 13-inch circle inside the 15-inch ring. 

Using a glue gun, begin securing orange slices to the outside edge of the cardboard, arranging the slices tightly next to each other to create an outer layer. (This should require approximately 38 orange slices.) 

Working inward, use the glue gun to attach a second ring of approximately 19 more orange slices, allowing them to overlap slightly with the existing ones. 

Fill in the empty space with a final layer of around 17 slices.

Make a small loop using the picture hanging wire and hot glue it to the back of the wreath for hanging. 

Loosely tie two ribbons to the bottom of the wire for a festive touch. 

Star anise wreath:

Carefully use wire cutters to remove the hook from the top of the coat hanger. 

With pliers, twist the ends of the wire together and form a circular shape. 

Select 80-90 pieces of star anise with intact points. 

Using a hot glue gun, attach the star anise to the wire frame, arranging the pieces snugly together. 

Use the remaining pieces of star anise to fill any gaps and ensure the wire is completely covered. 

Make a small loop using picture hanging wire and attach it to the back of the wreath for hanging. 

Make a bow and hot glue it to the top of the wreath to finish. 

Produced in collaboration with the CBC Creator Network.