Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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Bookswithtea
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 8:09am | IP Logged Quote Bookswithtea

I was just wondering if you are getting wax dripping at all from hanging your wreath? I want to do this next year. It looks gorgeous on your blog! Would you do anything differently next time?

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molly
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 8:18am | IP Logged Quote molly

Hey Books- Obviously I am not Jen, but I thougth I would chime in and let you know I am not having dripping wax on mine, and I LOVE having mine suspended:)
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 8:30am | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

It's always so funny to see my name in the topic line.   

Our Advent wreath is absolutely stunning hanging this year! I'm so grateful to you ladies for inspiring me! And, of course, it helped that I've been binge reading Tasha Tudor lately!

The hanging Advent wreath...


I think you'll be able to see from the picture that there are a few drips. We had trouble because one of the candles had a double wick (our rose candle) for about an inch which made for very uneven burning. Anyway, we've been vigilant about keeping the wicks trimmed and snuffing with a snuffer - never blowing (you can make your own snuffer using aluminum foil and just shaping a bell shape with your fingers and it works just fine!) The few wax drips we've had settle on the pine cones below, which happens every year by the way. At the end of Advent, I tend to sit with the wreath and use a small knife to scrape some of the wax up before I put it away.

But...no wax drips on the table! Which I have had before as well...no big deal there...it peels right up when it is cool.

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Angel
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 9:35am | IP Logged Quote Angel

Um... any problems with little people trying to swing from the wreath? Or is it out of reach?

Just curious...

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JennGM
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 10:12am | IP Logged Quote JennGM

I'm not THE Jen, but my mother always hung her wreath, and I am, too. We never had drippings, no one hangs on it, and it's so nice out of the way. Even with cheap Advent candles there are no drips onto the table.

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 10:14am | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

It is not out of reach, they certainly could climb on the table - but no...no problems with that. The wreath couldn't take the weight of anyone swinging on it anyway.

We let a different child light the candles and snuff the candles each evening, so we slide the table out of the way and move up a chair so that there is never a "visual" of someone climbing on the table to reach it. And you can bet that I'd be ALL OVER someone if I caught them attempting to swing from the Advent wreath!

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:01am | IP Logged Quote Bookswithtea

This looks so beautiful. That settles it. I'm hanging it next year. We normally light ours with the evening meal and then it has to be immediately removed to a high shelf for the rest of the day (because of littles). If we hang it, then we get to look at it all day long.

I'm so glad to know its not a hassle with the wax.

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:10am | IP Logged Quote stellamaris

Has anyone had success hanging an Advent wreath with live greens? We always make a fresh wreath (and then re-make it around the third week of Advent) and it is a tradition here that I wouldn't want to change. But I LOVE the beauty of the hanging wreath. Just wondering if it's possible to do with fresh wreaths?

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JennGM
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:12am | IP Logged Quote JennGM

stellamaris wrote:
Has anyone had success hanging an Advent wreath with live greens? We always make a fresh wreath (and then re-make it around the third week of Advent) and it is a tradition here that I wouldn't want to change. But I LOVE the beauty of the hanging wreath. Just wondering if it's possible to do with fresh wreaths?


What are you greens wrapped on, Caroline?

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:26am | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

Oh, it absolutely is possible, Caroline! You would need a stiff wire frame for wrapping your greenery. I hoped to do that this year, but I couldn't get my act together in time to get the stiff wire frame I wanted.

I've started collecting materials for trying it next year. You might check out some of the candle clips at Blumchen for clipping onto the frame if you don't already have something. I really like these clips, they're quite sturdy and very pretty, though they'd hardly be seen in the midst of the greenery.

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molly
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:51am | IP Logged Quote molly

Tasha Tudors was fresh green, so it is possible, I would have done that but i made ours super early.

Books, we have not had any issues with climbers either, in fact it is less of an issue having it up out of harms way.

I still can not upload pictures, but when I can I will post a picture of ours, very simple and straight forward.
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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:56am | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

molly wrote:

I still can not upload pictures, but when I can I will post a picture of ours, very simple and straight forward.


I really can't wait, Molly! I'd LOVE to see yours!

What kind of wreath did you use, Molly? Can you describe it? Did you hang your regular Advent wreath? Artificial greenery?   

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 12:22pm | IP Logged Quote stellamaris

JennGM, my greens are just stuck into florist foam blocks that I have squeezed into a wire frame. The frame has two parts-a top section and a bottom one. I cut up the foam to fit in blocks around the round, wreath-shaped frame and wire the frame together with green pipe cleaners. Then, I push in four green plastic candle holders (which aren't super stable, I must say) and just push the greens in around the wreath. We use whatever greens are available...I especially like to use cedar and herbs with a touch of holly. I soak the wreath in the tub (it's pretty big) and then put it on a clear plastic appetizer server thing-a-ma-gimmy that spins (this is useful to get the candle to the child who is lighting it...we've had several close calls over the years when someone reached OVER a lit candle to light "their" candle on the opposite side ).

The biggest problem with hanging this arrangement is that it needs to be watered a lot. The Tasha Tudor wreath doesn't look like it is on any kind of a plate or tray, but how do you water it without getting a flood all over the table?

Jennifer Mac-love the clips! so much better than what we have used here. I'm not really understanding exactly what kind of wire frame you think might work. Can you find a link? Also, could it be watered? Just can't figure out the water thing....clearly!

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 2:30pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

stellamaris wrote:
The Tasha Tudor wreath doesn't look like it is on any kind of a plate or tray, but how do you water it without getting a flood all over the table


Tasha Tudor used boxwood cuttings which she wound around a stiff wire frame, using smaller gauge, flexible wire to secure the boxwood to the frame. The greenery was not watered.

This Maine company offers some excellent examples of a strong wire frame. They even have an Advent wreath ring with candleholders.

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 6:03pm | IP Logged Quote stellamaris

Super! I ordered the 14" Living Wreath Kit for next year. It comes with instructions so I will learn how to do it correctly. I'm not too crafty . It's sort of similar to my wreath now, but the moss is quite different, and I guess the method of making it is very different.

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Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 7:00pm | IP Logged Quote anitamarie

Mackfam wrote:
   At the end of Advent, I tend to sit with the wreath and use a small knife to scrape some of the wax up before I put it away.


You probably already know this, but you could stick it in the freezer for about 30 minutes and the wax will come off really easily. I do that with all my candleholders, and it works like a charm. I don't know if you have room in the freezer for the advent wreath, though.

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Posted: Nov 08 2011 at 12:46pm | IP Logged Quote MicheleQ

We finally have a place to hang our advent wreath so I am looking forward to doing this. Anyone else planning to hang their wreath this year?

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Posted: Nov 08 2011 at 12:50pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

MicheleQ wrote:
We finally have a place to hang our advent wreath so I am looking forward to doing this. Anyone else planning to hang their wreath this year?

We are!

Every year I want to replace my actual Advent wreath with this:
Mackfam wrote:
This Maine company offers some excellent examples of a strong wire frame. They even have an Advent wreath ring with candleholders.

I really want to do this, but I'm not sure I have time to order and get it here and done in time now.

Regardless, the Advent wreath will be hung with lovely violet velvet ribbons again this year. It makes a striking statement!

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Posted: Nov 08 2011 at 1:10pm | IP Logged Quote MicheleQ

Mackfam wrote:
Every year I want to replace my actual Advent wreath with this:
Mackfam wrote:
This Maine company offers some excellent examples of a strong wire frame. They even have an Advent wreath ring with candleholders.

I really want to do this, but I'm not sure I have time to order and get it here and done in time now.


It's tempting but yeah I wonder. Advent is just a little over two weeks away. ACK!

I have this kind and the candles always shift and move around. I am duct taping those suckers in this year! We have a cedar tree in the back so that'll be my source for greens I think. Although. . .last year when I couldn't find the wreath ring I made one with a cookie tin and floral foam. It made it really easy to keep the greens fresh. I'm going to have to think about it some more.

Mackfam wrote:

Regardless, the Advent wreath will be hung with lovely violet velvet ribbons again this year. It makes a striking statement!


Oh! Thank you for mentioning the ribbon! I found some beautiful 1.5" wide embroidered satin purple ribbon recently at an outlet. It was only 75¢/yard so I couldn't pass it up being it is such a perfectly liturgical purple. I wasn't sure what I would use it for for until just now. Thank you!

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Posted: Nov 08 2011 at 1:17pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

That ribbon is gorgeous. I love deep violet...it just invites me.

We suspend ours. I can't upload the picture here so it's on my blog.

I use artificial greenery, which is not as nice, but works for allergies and readiness. This is the base we use and it holds candles quite well. So far this is about 13 years with the same ring, although the greenery has been replaced.

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