I am so excited for the holidays this year, and I can’t wait to start decorating, starting with this simple star anise wreath for Christmas. It’s an easy craft that uses whole star anise and smells so good. You can make mini wreaths or one as large as a dinner plate.
Minimal supplies you will need to make a rustic star anise Christmas wreath.
- 12 gauge copper wire, craft wire (or a wire hanger)
- Velvet ribbon or frayed canvas ribbon
- Whole anise stars
Tools you will need for the easy DIY
- Wire cutter
- A hot glue gun and glue sticks are needed (hot glue has a very fast drying time, but you could use any strong craft glue if you prefer).
- A paper grocery bag or kraft paper will cover the worktable surface.
How to make the wreath
- Determine the size of your wreath. Since star anise pods are relatively tiny, small wreaths look best.
- Make a circular shape with the wire. For smaller wreaths, I used a jar as a guide.
- Use a dab of hot glue on the back of a star anise pod and quickly place it on the wire. Repeat until the entire circle is covered. If a little of the copper wire shows through, it’s okay. That’s why I chose copper; it looks pretty.
- Hang with a velvet ribbon.
What else could you use?
If you don’t have access to star anise pods, you could make a tiny pinecone wreath in the same way or use cinnamon sticks for a sweet spice wreath. We used store-bought gingerbread heart cookies for this wreath and hung it in the kitchen.
Another option would be to use slices of orange dried in the oven on low heat. They are fragrant and so beautiful. You can read more about using natural elements for Christmas decorations in this post: All Foraged and Natural Christmas Decor You’ll Love.
The best part of making a DIY star anise wreath
The scent! It smells so good! I love making wreaths with a beautiful natural scent for the kitchen or above the coffee bar.Β This one hangs from a vintage French wall hook. It was found at a flea market in Paris.
Christmas decorations for a merry little Christmas
Make mini wreaths for gift toppers, ornaments on the Christmas tree, or festive star anise wreaths as napkin holders. If you enjoyed this Christmas wreath idea, you may also like How to Make a Simple Candy Cane Wreath for Christmas door decor.
I have always wanted to make one of these! I love it!
The Star Anise wreath is lovely! I’m going to make napkin holders . Very good idea!
Hi! I don’t know if you’ve made them before, but they are pretty fragile on a single wire. You might want to have a double strand so they have more to adhere to!