Christmas Door Swags: 14 Easy Wreath Alternatives Your Neighbors Will Want to Copy

Christmas Door Swags are the prettiest secret of the holiday front porch, and once you see one hanging on a bright red door, a plain wreath starts to look a little ordinary. A swag is simply a bundle of greens tied at the top and left to fall in a soft teardrop, the way grandmothers decorated doors long before foam wreath forms were sold in every store. There is no ring to bend and no frame to buy, so most of them cost a few dollars or nothing at all if you clip branches from the yard. Below you will find 14 easy ideas, from a classic plaid bow swag to magnolia, dried oranges and ice skates, each with a short supply list and simple steps. Grab your clippers and a spool of ribbon and let your front door do the talking..

Classic Christmas Door Swags With a Plaid Bow

This is the look that makes people slow their cars. Classic Christmas Door Swags start with long pine and fir branches layered from big to small, tied tight at the top and finished with a wide plaid bow. A cluster of little bells adds a cheerful jingle every time the door opens. Put two potted pines on the steps and the whole entry looks like a holiday card. Would you pick plaid or plain red velvet for your bow..

You will need: 6 to 10 long pine and fir branches, floral wire, a wide plaid ribbon, small jingle bells, an over the door hook.

How to make it: 1. Lay the longest branches down first, then stack shorter ones on top so the bundle narrows at the top. 2. Wrap the top tightly with floral wire and make a loop for hanging. 3. Tie a big plaid bow over the wire and thread a few bells onto the ribbon tails.

Free Backyard Branch Swag

The best swag might already be growing in your yard. Clip a few cedar, pine and holly sprigs after your next walk around the garden and bundle them in your hands. Mixed textures look richer than any single plant, and the scent fills the porch. Tie it with plain jute and a scrap of cream ribbon for a cozy country look. Pair it with these Christmas front porch ideas. Ask a neighbor before you clip their trees, and they may want one too. What is growing in your yard right now?

You will need: pruning shears, mixed evergreen clippings, jute twine, a strip of cream ribbon, a door hook.

How to make it: 1. Cut branches 12 to 24 inches long and shake off loose needles. 2. Hold the longest pieces in back and fan shorter sprigs in front. 3. Wrap the stems with twine, knot a loop and add the ribbon on top.

Christmas Door Swags With Magnolia Leaves

Christmas Door Swags made with magnolia leaves feel instantly elegant. The glossy green tops and soft brown undersides give two colors in one leaf, so you barely need anything else. Layer the leaves in a long teardrop, slip in a few pine sprigs and tie it with gold velvet. Magnolia stays fresh outdoors for weeks in cold weather. It looks lovely with a brass knocker or a white door. Would you show more green or more brown?

You will need: a dozen magnolia branches or bundles of leaves, a few pine sprigs, floral wire, gold velvet ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Turn some leaves to show the brown side and some the green. 2. Layer them on a flat surface in a long teardrop and wire the top. 3. Tuck pine sprigs behind the leaves and finish with a velvet bow.

Eucalyptus and Cedar Swag

If red and green feels too loud for your home, try this soft modern mix. Silver dollar eucalyptus has round blue gray leaves that look calm next to the lacy texture of cedar. Tie it with a dusty pink linen ribbon and it suits a sage, cream or gray door perfectly. It is one of the front door ideas that are trending on MSN right now. Many grocery stores sell eucalyptus bundles for a few dollars this time of year. Could this be the swag that matches your style best?

You will need: 2 bundles of silver dollar eucalyptus, cedar branches, floral wire, linen ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Lay cedar down first as the base. 2. Add eucalyptus stems on top, letting a few hang longer than the rest. 3. Wire the top, make a loop and tie on a loose linen bow.

Christmas Door Swags With Dried Oranges and Cinnamon

Christmas Door Swags with dried oranges feel like an old fashioned kitchen at the holidays. Bake thin orange slices low and slow until they glow like stained glass, then wire them onto a pine bundle with little stacks of cinnamon sticks. Every guest gets a warm, spicy welcome before they even knock. It is a lovely afternoon project to do with kids, with an adult on oven duty. Have you ever dried oranges at home?

You will need: 2 or 3 oranges, a baking sheet, pine branches, cinnamon sticks, red twine, floral wire.

How to make it: 1. Slice oranges thin and bake at a low heat for about three hours, turning them now and then, with an adult in charge. 2. Bundle the pine and wire the top. 3. Tie cinnamon sticks in little stacks and wire them and the orange slices along the branches.

Pine Cone Cluster Swag

Pine cones are free, sturdy and full of texture, so they are perfect for an outdoor door. Wire three or four cones together into a cluster and fasten a few clusters down the middle of your greens. A burgundy ribbon brings out the warm brown tones. If you want a little sparkle, brush the cone tips with white paint so they look frosted. How many pine cones are waiting in your yard right now?

You will need: pine branches, 10 to 15 pine cones, floral wire, burgundy ribbon, white paint (optional).

How to make it: 1. Wrap wire around the base scales of each cone and twist three or four together. 2. Make your greenery bundle and wire the top. 3. Attach the cone clusters down the center and finish with the ribbon.

Christmas Door Swags With Vintage Ice Skates

Christmas Door Swags do not have to be all greenery. Tie a pair of old white ice skates together by the laces, hang them from the door hook and tuck a bundle of pine and holly into the boots. It looks like a scene from a snowy village pond. Thrift stores often sell old skates for a few dollars in winter. Wrap the blades with felt so they cannot scratch the door. Do you have an old pair hiding in the attic?

You will need: a pair of vintage ice skates, felt strips, pine and holly sprigs, ribbon, a door hook.

How to make it: 1. Wrap each blade with felt and tape it in place. 2. Knot the laces together and hang them over the hook. 3. Push small bundles of greens into each boot and tie a ribbon where the laces meet.

Swag in a Galvanized Bucket

Hang a small metal pail on your door and suddenly your greens have a home. Fill it with pine, cedar and a few red berry stems so they spill over the edges like a bouquet. It is a farmhouse favorite because it never looks flat and you can change the stems all season. Add a plaid ribbon to the handle for color. Which style is your front door, farmhouse or classic?

You will need: a small galvanized bucket with a handle, a block of floral foam or crumpled paper, pine and berry stems, ribbon, a sturdy door hook.

How to make it: 1. Fill the bucket with floral foam or crumpled paper to hold the stems. 2. Push in the longest greens first, then the berries in front. 3. Hang it by the handle from a strong hook and tie a ribbon on the handle.

Matching Christmas Door Swags for Double Doors

Christmas Door Swags look extra grand when you hang a matching pair on double doors. Make both bundles at the same time from the same pile of branches so they come out the same size. Mirror them so the longest branches point outward, and use the same bow on each. The symmetry makes even a simple entry feel like a big old manor house. Do you have double doors or a pair of windows that would suit this?

You will need: enough pine and fir for two bundles, floral wire, two matching bows, two door hooks, a tape measure.

How to make it: 1. Sort branches into two equal piles. 2. Build both swags side by side and measure them so they match. 3. Hang them at the same height and tie on matching bows.

Swag With Mini Ornaments

A handful of small ornaments turns a simple greenery bundle into a sparkly showpiece. Use shatterproof ones so a gust of wind or a slammed door is no worry. Wire them in little groups of three down the center, mixing matte and shiny finishes for depth. Red and gold feel classic, while silver and blue look wintry and modern. What colors are on your tree this year?

You will need: fir or pine branches, 12 to 18 small shatterproof ornaments, floral wire, a ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Thread a short wire through each ornament cap. 2. Twist ornaments into groups of three. 3. Wire the groups along the center of the swag and add a bow at the top.

Burlap and Berry Swag

Burlap and red berries give a cozy cottage feel that never goes out of style. Craft stores sell berry picks for a dollar or two, and a roll of burlap ribbon makes a big floppy bow that looks great outdoors. Mix the berries through the greens so you see a pop of red from the street. It is a perfect match for a white door or a porch with rocking chairs. Would you add a little sign or keep it simple?

You will need: pine branches, 4 to 6 red berry picks, burlap ribbon, floral wire, a door hook.

How to make it: 1. Build your greenery bundle and wire the top. 2. Push berry picks in at different heights. 3. Make a large burlap bow with long tails and wire it over the top.

Faux Greenery Swag That Lasts for Years

If you want to make it once and enjoy it for years, use good quality faux greens. Look for stems with mixed textures and frosted tips, since they look much more real than a single plain branch. Bend and fluff every tip before you wire them together. At the end of the season, wrap it in an old sheet and store it flat. Is a swag you never have to remake worth the extra few dollars to you?

You will need: 6 to 8 artificial pine and cedar stems, wire cutters, floral wire, a reusable velvet bow.

How to make it: 1. Fluff every branch so the tips point in different directions. 2. Layer long stems at the back and short ones in front, then wire the top. 3. Add the bow and store it flat after the holidays.

Christmas Door Swags on a Porch Lantern

Christmas Door Swags are not only for the door itself. Tie a small one to the handle of a big floor lantern beside the entry and the whole porch feels finished. Fill the lantern with pine cones or a battery fairy light string instead of a real flame. It frames the door and greets visitors from the sidewalk. Pair it with your main door swag using the same ribbon for a pulled together look. Where else could a mini swag go?

You will need: a floor lantern, a small bundle of pine, red ribbon, pine cones or battery fairy lights, floral wire.

How to make it: 1. Make a mini swag about 12 inches long. 2. Wire it to the lantern handle and tie a ribbon over the wire. 3. Fill the lantern with pine cones or battery lights.

Sleigh Bell Strap Swag

Nothing says Christmas morning like the ring of sleigh bells. Hang a ribbon or leather strap of brass bells down the center of a cedar and pine bundle, and every visitor gets a merry jingle on the way in. Old bell straps turn up at flea markets, or you can sew bells onto a belt or a strip of faux leather. It is simple, nostalgic and sounds as good as it looks. Which idea will you hang on your door first?

You will need: cedar and pine branches, a leather strap or old belt, 6 to 8 brass bells, floral wire, a door hook.

How to make it: 1. Build the greenery bundle and wire the top. 2. Sew or wire the bells evenly along the strap. 3. Hang the strap over the hook so it falls down the middle of the greens.