812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 9, 2000
Deck Your Doors With Greenery
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
LEESPORT (Berks Co.) In prep
aration for the Christmas season, peo
ple throughout the states are decorat
ing their homes with greenery.
Many people question where this
custom began.
Dieter Wolter told participants dur
ing the Berks County holiday program,
“The ancients believed greens had spe
cial powers since they remained green
throughout the winter. Decorating with
evergreens began as a symbol repre
senting Christ’s life everlasting.”
Wolter said of holiday decorations,
“Laden with traditions and customs,
immigrants came to America on the
boat. Since then, many of these tradi
tions and customs have spread with
each generation going a little more
nuts and overdoing it.”
He isn’t complaining. Wolter, who
operates Temple Greenhouse, makes a
living arranging greenery and and
flowers for clients.
Recently, Wolter and his sister, Shei
la, revealed tricks of the floral trade
when making wreaths, swags, and gar
lands.
“Don’t pick evergreens until after
the first heavy frost. Then all the
brown things have fallen off,” Wolter
said. He prefers shipping in varieties of
Noble fir and Norway pines, which
hold up better than local evergreens.
When creating swags, wreaths, and
garlands, Wolter suggests creating a
three dimensional-look by layering dif
ferent sizes of greens together before
attaching with number 22 wire. Che
nille stems work well for attaching
bows and for hanging.
One of the things that has changed
in recent years, is that Christmas deco
rating is no longer limited to the colors
of green and red.
“All different colors are used in
order to make the decorations fit with
the style and colors of the rooms,”
Wolter said.
Put larger greens toward the outer
edges of a wreath and smaller ones to
ward the center. Remember that a va
riety of greens cut in different lengths
give a fuller three-dimensional look.
Seeded eucalyptus, boxwood, juniper,
and pinecones complement the greens.
Sheila Welters shows off a wreath reflecting Christmas sym
bolism: fruit branches symbolize the hope of the world, pinecones
represent the seed of faith sown by Christ, grapes reflect the joy in
the miracle brought into the world by Christ, and the dove repre
sents Christ’s peace.
Swags and garlands appear three-dimensional when greens
of different sizes are layered, according to Dieter Wolter.
but “too much is too much,” said Wolt
er who believes “brevity” is often more
appealing.
“Just plunk a doll in a wreath,” he
said of the ease of which one can make
a stunning statement.
Wolter showed several ways in
which to customize arrangements to fit
the personality of the owner. One of
the most outlandish was a wreath
stuck with bullet shells, bow and ar
rows.
Williamsburg-style arrangements
that use natural materials are popular,
but Wolter warned that placing
oranges and apples next to holly will
cause all the holly leaves to drop off
within a few days.
He created a wreaths with meaning
ful symbolism. He said that fruit
£ Laden with traditions
and customs, immi
grants came to Ameri
ca on the boat. Since
then, many of these
traditions and customs
have spread with each
generation going a
little more nuts and
overdoing it. 5
Dieter Wolter
Temple Greenhouse
branches symbolize the hope of the
world. Pinecones represent the seed of
faith sown by Christ. Grapes reflect the
joy in the miracle brought into the
world by Christ. The dove represents
Christ’s peace.
Regardless of what designs are used,
Wolter said it is important to protect
doors and woodwork surfaces from sap
by covering the back of stems with rib
bon.
While people rush to put up holiday
decorations, Wolter reminds them,
“May the light, joy, hope, and peace of
Christmas always be yours.”
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