ACLT Wreaths - A Group Effort

ACLT American Chestnut Land Trust
Dec 5, 2024
3 min read

ACLT hosts a Wreath & Greens sale every year on the 1st Saturday in December. For some of our supporters, it marks the official start of their holiday season. But what goes into the making of those wreaths and all the other unique items offered at the sale? Glad you asked!

It Begins with an Invasive Vine ...

Months before the wreath-making and sale, volunteers go out in the woods and cut Oriental bittersweet vines. Bittersweet is non-native and aggressively invasive.

The volunteers make good use of the vines by making dozens of wreath forms which will be used as the base for the wreaths.

Oriental Bittersweet Vine wrapped around a tree

Bare wreath form made by volunteers from Oriental bittersweet vine

2024 Greens-Gathering Crew (L-R): Back Row: Dale Hutchins, Jonathan Moreland, Marina Lowther, Clara Brill-Carlat (ACLT Assistant Land Manager), Jim Back, and Brian Bowen. Front Row: Paul Blayney, Tom Dugan, Addie Brown (CCCC Member), Autumn Phillips-Lewis (ACLT Land Manager), Mike Flaim, and Jane Jamieson.

Gathering the Greens

On the day before Thanksgiving (which happens to be a Wednesday), the Wednesday Woods Workers get to work gathering greens at Warriors Rest. As has been the tradition for years, they get to take a brief break when the Community Relations Manager arrives with coffee and doughnuts - but then it's right back to work until the trucks are loaded down with a wide variety of greens.

A call is sent out to other volunteers requesting additional greens, which are added to the piles that are stacked in front of the ACLT office ready to be made into wreaths, swags, etc.

Scroll down to see more wreath-making photos.

Making of the Wreaths

On the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving, more volunteers gather at the ACLT office to make the wreaths. We typically have about 10-15 volunteers there for the entire day on both days. Each wreath can take up to an hour (or more) to make!

Volunteer Spotlight

We are very fortunate to have several volunteers who come back every year to share their special talents. Barbie Hudson (right) is an experienced wreath-maker and makes all the extra-large/extra-full wreaths that you will see at the sale. Barbie also creates swags - some with buoys - and centerpieces.

John Parker (above) is another volunteer that we rely heavily on every year. John is our expert bow maker - he makes all the bows for the wreaths plus extras to sell at the wreath sale. You can also swap out the bow on your wreath if you'd like.

Ralph Nolletti (right), a member of the Outreach & Membership Committee, hand-made, donated and decorated a grapevine wreath that would look stunning on the side of a barn or house. The wreath measures over 36" in diameter.

Not pictured: Beth Nolletti (suncatchers) and Kevin Donahue (tobacco stick decorations)

Sue Kullen (above) makes beautiful wreaths and is an excellent instructor for inexperienced volunteers.

Inspection & Pricing

The final step (before loading the wreaths into several vehicles and hauling them down to the South Side Trailhead) is to check each wreath to make sure it will last well into the holidays. Autumn Phillips-Lewis, Land Manager (seated) sets the price of each wreath while Addie Brown, CCCC Member, checks each wreath.

More than Just a Wreath Sale

Every year, the wreath and greens sale has grown little by little. This year we have exciting items that are unique to ACLT and will make great gifts.