How To Make a Dried Orange Garland
Do you ever wish you could have an old fashioned, Little Women inspired Christmas? There is something so heart warming about Christmases filled with handmade decorations, simple, intentional gift giving, and warm baked goods.
One of the ways that I love to make my home cozy for the holidays is with lots of simple, natural elements. Whether its fresh greenery, cranberries, or natural wood elements, the nod to nature just makes things extra cozy.
Natural elements, if made or foraged yourself, can also be a simple and inexpensive way to decorate on a budget.
Each Christmas I like to dry oranges and turn them into garlands for the tree, the windowsills, and anywhere else that needs a pop of color. I even love to just set a bowl full of dried orange slices on the table for a centerpiece.
Dried oranges are also perfect to use in potpourri simmer pot gifts. You can find a blog post with my favorite simple, handmade gifts here and read about my easy stove top simmer pot in this blog post.
These orange garlands are so festive and beautiful and they smell amazing!
Supplies needed
To make your own dried orange garland, you will need:
- 3-4 oranges
- Twine or clear fishing line
- Large sewing needle
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Instructions for making dried orange garland
- Start by washing your oranges and cutting them into slices, about ¼ inch thick. You can play with the thickness some, but just keep in mind that the thicker your slices are, they longer they will take to dry. Inversely, if you slice them too thin, they can brown too quickly without fully drying out.
- Place the orange slices on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Make sure to place them in a single layer without overlapping.
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Bake the orange slices for 2-4 hours, or until they are completely dried out. Be sure and flip them every hour or so to allow them to dry out evenly.
- Once the orange slices are completely dried, remove them from the oven and allow to cool.
- Using twine or a clear fishing line, string the orange slices into a garland.
Variations on the orange garland
A garland with just orange slices is simply beautiful draped across an evergreen garland, but if you want something with a little more color or variation, cinnamon sticks and cranberries strung out with your orange slices is also beautiful.
Storing Dried Orange Slices
I’ve tried saving my dried orange slices from year to year and they hold up surprisingly well. Make sure that they are completely dried and that they are in an airtight container or bag.
Have you made a dried orange garland? Let me know your favorite way to use and display them.
