Dried Orange Slices: 15 Gorgeous Holiday Decor Ideas Grandma Would Love

Dried orange slices are the simple, old-fashioned holiday decoration that is suddenly everywhere this season, and it is easy to see why. They cost almost nothing, they make the whole house smell like a warm kitchen, and they glow like little stained glass windows when the light hits them. Searches for how to make them for decoration have shot up this month, and the look feels just like the cozy homes our grandmothers kept. One bag of oranges, a low oven and a little patience turns into garlands, ornaments, wreaths and gift toppers that last for years. Below are 15 easy ideas, from the first batch on the baking sheet to the final star on top of the tree. Grab a cup of tea and get ready to fill your home with sunshine colored charm..

Dried Orange Slices Mantel Garland With Cinnamon

This is the classic look that started it all, and it still steals the show. A long strand of glowing orange rounds, little cinnamon bundles and fresh greenery turns a plain mantel into something that feels straight out of a holiday card. When morning sun comes through the window, every slice lights up like amber glass. It is the kind of decoration that makes guests stop and ask where you bought it, and the best part is telling them you made it at your kitchen table. Ready to make the one that started the trend..

You will need: 20 to 30 dried orange slices, 8 cinnamon sticks, jute twine, a large darning needle, a few sprigs of faux or fresh pine, small battery fairy lights (optional).

How to make it: 1. Thread the needle with a length of twine about a foot longer than your mantel. 2. Push the needle through the top edge of each slice, spacing them about 3 inches apart. 3. Tie bundles of two cinnamon sticks between every few slices. 4. Drape the garland over the mantel, tuck greenery and battery lights around the ends, and secure it with small removable hooks.

How to Make Dried Orange Slices in the Oven

Every project on this list starts here, and it is easier than you think. The secret is slicing thin and drying low and slow. The popular Hometalk easy oven method uses the same idea: a cool oven, a wire rack and a few hours of patience. Blot the slices well before they go in, because less juice means a faster dry and brighter color. Your kitchen will smell amazing the whole afternoon. Why not start a batch tonight and wake up to a tray of sunshine?

You will need: 4 to 6 navel oranges, a sharp knife or mandoline (adult help), paper towels, parchment paper, a wire cooling rack, a baking sheet.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult slice the oranges about 1/4 inch thick. 2. Press each slice between paper towels to soak up the juice. 3. Lay the slices on a rack over a parchment lined sheet and bake at about 200°F for 3 to 4 hours, flipping every hour. 4. Let them cool overnight on the rack until fully dry and crisp at the edges.

Orange Slice Tree Ornaments With Bakers Twine

If you want your tree to look like it came from a cozy country inn, these simple ornaments do the trick. Each slice gets a loop of red and white bakers twine, a tiny cinnamon stick and a star anise on top, and that is it. Hung near the lights, they glow warm and golden and make the whole tree feel handmade. Kids can help thread the twine, so it is a sweet afternoon project for the whole family. How many will your tree need?

You will need: Dried orange slices, red and white bakers twine, mini cinnamon sticks, star anise, a wooden skewer, a low temp glue gun (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Poke a small hole near the top of each slice with the skewer. 2. Thread a 6 inch loop of twine through and knot it. 3. Glue a cinnamon stick and a star anise just below the knot. 4. Let the glue set, then hang the ornaments close to the tree lights so they glow.

Dried Orange Slices Gift Toppers

Plain brown paper suddenly looks like a boutique gift when you add one dried orange slice and a sprig of rosemary. This is grandma style wrapping at its best: cheap, natural and so pretty under the tree. The orange adds a pop of color, the rosemary adds a fresh smell, and the blank kraft tag keeps it simple. You can make a whole stack of toppers in one evening and keep them in a box until wrapping day. Who on your list would love a gift that looks this cozy?

You will need: Brown kraft paper, jute twine, dried orange slices, fresh or faux rosemary sprigs, kraft paper tags, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Wrap each gift in kraft paper and tie it with twine, leaving long ends. 2. Slide a rosemary sprig under the knot. 3. Thread the twine through a dried orange slice and the tag, then tie a bow. 4. Trim the ends so the topper sits flat and neat.

Overlapping Orange Slice Wreath

This one wreath is all you need to make your front door the prettiest on the street. Rows of overlapping slices cover a simple straw or foam ring, and a few bay leaves and cinnamon sticks add depth. The cream ribbon keeps it soft and old-fashioned. It works from Thanksgiving right through New Year, so you get weeks of joy from one afternoon of work. For more natural door ideas, try these pine cone Christmas crafts made from free backyard finds. Which door in your home will get it first?

You will need: A 12 inch straw or foam wreath form, about 60 dried orange slices, bay leaves, 5 cinnamon sticks, a low temp glue gun (adult help), wide linen ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Glue the first row of slices around the outer edge, overlapping each one by half. 2. Add a second and third row moving toward the center until the form is hidden. 3. Tuck in bay leaves and cinnamon sticks to fill any gaps. 4. Tie a big ribbon bow at the top and hang the wreath with a door hook.

Window Suncatchers From Dried Orange Slices

Here is a trick that costs pennies and looks like magic on a sunny winter day. Hang single slices on clear fishing line in a window, and the light shines through every little segment like stained glass. On gray days they still add a warm pop of color against the snow outside. Vary the lengths of line so the slices float at different heights, and the whole window feels alive. It is the easiest project on this list, and maybe the one you will love most. Which window gets the best morning light at your place?

You will need: Very thin dried orange slices, clear fishing line, a needle, a curtain rod or small adhesive hooks.

How to make it: 1. Choose the thinnest, most see-through slices you made. 2. Thread fishing line through the top of each slice and knot it. 3. Cut the lines to different lengths, from 8 to 20 inches. 4. Tie them to the curtain rod or hooks so the slices hang in front of the glass.

Orange and Rosemary Napkin Rings

Want your Thanksgiving or Christmas table to look styled without spending much? These napkin rings take about two minutes each. A loop of twine holds one dried orange slice and a tiny rosemary sprig, and suddenly every place setting feels special. They smell lovely too, and guests often tuck them into a pocket to take home. Make a few extra, because someone always asks for one. Will you use them for Thanksgiving, Christmas or both?

You will need: Cloth napkins, natural twine, small dried orange slices, fresh rosemary sprigs, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Fold or roll each napkin neatly. 2. Wrap twine around the middle three times. 3. Slide a rosemary sprig and a dried orange slice under the twine. 4. Tie a small knot at the back and trim the ends.

Dried Orange Slices Centerpiece Bowl With Battery Lights

A wooden bowl piled with dried oranges, clove studded oranges, pine cones and greenery is one of the coziest centerpieces you can make. Instead of real candles, weave a strand of tiny battery fairy lights through it so it glows safely all evening, right next to dry fruit and paper napkins. It looks rich and full, but most of it comes from your kitchen and backyard. Swap the greenery each week to keep it fresh through the season. What would you add to make it your own?

You will need: A wooden dough bowl or tray, dried orange slices, a few whole oranges, whole cloves, pine cones, cinnamon sticks, greenery, battery fairy lights.

How to make it: 1. Press cloves into the whole oranges in rows or swirls. 2. Lay greenery in the bowl as a base. 3. Arrange pine cones, clove oranges and slices on top, standing some slices upright between them. 4. Weave the battery lights through and hide the battery pack under the greenery.

Orange and Bay Leaf Door Swag

If wreaths feel a little expected, a door swag is the farmhouse way to welcome guests. Bundle cedar and bay leaf branches, tie them with burlap, and let a cascade of dried orange slices tumble down the middle. It looks like something from an old European market, and it smells wonderful every time the door opens. Bay leaves dry beautifully, so the swag still looks good weeks later. Could this be the new look for your front door this year?

You will need: Fresh cedar or pine branches, bay leaf branches, floral wire, wide burlap ribbon, 10 to 12 dried orange slices, twine, a door hook.

How to make it: 1. Lay longer branches at the back and shorter ones in front, stems together. 2. Wrap the stems tightly with floral wire. 3. Thread orange slices onto a strand of twine and tie it under the wire so it hangs down the center. 4. Cover the wire with a burlap bow and hang the swag stems up from the hook.

Dried Orange Slices Cabinet Knob Garland

The kitchen deserves a little holiday cheer too, and this mini garland is perfect for it. A short strand of slices, cinnamon pieces and tiny felt balls swoops between two cabinet knobs, adding color without taking any counter space. It is a great way to use up the smaller slices from your batch. You can make one for every pair of upper cabinets and they will tie the whole room together. How about a matching one over the kitchen window too?

You will need: 8 to 10 small dried orange slices, mini cinnamon sticks, small green felt balls, jute twine, a large needle.

How to make it: 1. Cut a piece of twine about 6 inches longer than the gap between your knobs. 2. Thread on slices, felt balls and cinnamon pieces in a repeating pattern. 3. Tie a loop at each end. 4. Slip the loops over the cabinet knobs and adjust the swoop.

Orange Slice Star Garland

Take your garland game up a notch with stars made from orange pieces. Small slices or halves are glued around a little cinnamon center to form five points, then strung on twine across a wall or bookshelf. They look surprisingly delicate, almost like carved wood. This is a fun project for a quiet evening with a movie on. Use the broken or uneven slices from your batch here, since no one will notice once they become stars. Where would a row of these look best in your home?

You will need: Small dried orange slices or halves, small cinnamon stick pieces, a low temp glue gun (adult help), cardstock circles, jute twine.

How to make it: 1. Cut small cardstock circles to use as a base. 2. Glue five orange halves around each circle, points facing out. 3. Glue a cinnamon piece in the center to hide the card. 4. Glue each star to a length of twine, spacing them evenly, and hang.

Lantern Filler That Glows Without Flames

Lanterns are lovely on a porch or entry table, but real flames and dried fruit do not mix. The fix is easy: fill the lantern with dried orange slices, mini pine cones and a coil of warm battery fairy lights. At dusk it glows like a little cozy fire, and you never have to worry about it. Set the timer on the lights and it turns on by itself every evening. It is safe, simple and so welcoming when you come home in the dark. Who is ready to light up their porch?

You will need: A glass lantern, dried orange slices, mini pine cones, a strand of battery fairy lights with a timer, a bit of faux greenery.

How to make it: 1. Turn on the battery lights and loosely coil them in the lantern. 2. Layer slices and pine cones around the lights so the glow peeks through. 3. Tuck greenery in at the top. 4. Hide the battery box behind the cones and close the lantern door.

Blood Orange Color Mix for Dried Orange Slices

Want your decorations to look even richer? Mix in blood oranges. When dried, they turn a deep ruby red that looks gorgeous next to regular golden slices. Grapefruit and lemons work too, adding pink and pale yellow to the mix. A garland or wreath in mixed citrus colors feels a little more elegant and less expected. Blood oranges show up in many stores in early winter, so grab a few when you see them. Which mix of colors will you try first?

You will need: Navel oranges, blood oranges, a lemon or grapefruit (optional), a sharp knife (adult help), paper towels, a baking sheet and rack.

How to make it: 1. Slice all the citrus the same thickness so it dries evenly. 2. Blot the blood orange slices extra well since they are juicier. 3. Dry them together at low heat, checking the blood oranges often because they darken fast. 4. Mix the colors as you string them into garlands or wreaths.

Mini Orange Slice Tree Topper

A small tabletop tree deserves its own special topper, and this one is a showstopper. Dried orange slices are glued in a starburst around a center of star anise, then fixed to a little stick that slides into the top branch. With the fairy lights below, it glows like a tiny sun. It is lightweight, so it will not make the tree lean. It also makes a sweet gift for someone who loves natural decor. Does your tree need a new crown this year?

You will need: 8 dried orange slices, a cardboard circle about 3 inches wide, 3 star anise, a wooden skewer, a low temp glue gun (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Glue slices around the cardboard circle, overlapping slightly, to form a starburst. 2. Glue a second smaller ring of slices on the front. 3. Cover the center with star anise. 4. Glue the skewer to the back and slide it into the top branch of the tree.

Storing Dried Orange Slices for Next Year

Here is the best news: well dried slices can last for more than one season. When the holidays end, gently take down your garlands and ornaments, wrap them in tissue paper and store them in a tin or box with a silica gel pack to keep moisture away. Keep the box somewhere cool and dry, not in a damp basement. Next year you will open it and find a little box of sunshine waiting for you. Will you make a fresh batch, or reuse last year’s treasures?

You will need: Tissue paper, a metal tin or sturdy box, silica gel packs, labels.

How to make it: 1. Make sure every piece is completely dry before packing. 2. Wrap garlands loosely around tissue so they do not tangle. 3. Lay ornaments flat in layers with tissue between them. 4. Add a silica gel pack, close the lid and label the box.