The Wreaths of Colonial Williamsburg 2021

As I was looking for the ‘right’ pictures to post on our Christmas 2021 trip blog, I realized that these special wreaths deserved their own blog post. Strict guidelines are in place for Colonial Williamsburg residents and shop owners alike regarding their wreaths. Wreaths must be placed for a specific time and can only include local items used or found during colonial times, which may include apples, wheat, oranges, magnolia leaves, shells, pods, nuts, fruit, eucalyptus, evergreen, boxwood, pine cones, etc as pictured below. Shop owners may add specific items to their wreaths that depict the trade of the shop such as yarn, leather, ribbon, etc. If the house included children in the family, you might see toys, dolls, cards and dice as part of the decorations. Of note is the rule that if a wreath includes items from the 21st century for example, it must be taken down, reworked and rehung immediately. The wreaths must remain fresh looking and if damaged by animals (squirrels mostly) or fading in freshness they must be repaired and replaced. You might see small ribbons next to a wreath, they were awarded by independent judges from outside of Colonial Williamsburg. We had a very knowlegeable guide on our Wreath Tour, which was conducted down Duke of Gloucester (DoG) Street. Your complimentary Wreath Tour begins below. I hope you enjoy the gallery of pictures and maybe even get some incentive to create your own welcoming wreath for your door next Christmas.

Note: you may need to click on the picture to see the full image.

This concludes your tour. We hope you enjoyed it! Compliments are the best gratuity! 😉