Care · 6 min
How to keep a shipped wreath fragrant through Epiphany
September 23, 2026
A frost-cut balsam wreath, hung well, will hold its scent through the New Year and often to Epiphany. The cold is the preservative, and a few habits at the door extend it. Here is what to do the day the box arrives, and every few days after.
Open the box the day it arrives
Do not leave the box sealed. Greens need air the day they arrive, and a sealed box will trap moisture and heat. Open it, lift the wreath out, and let it breathe before you hang it.
Fluff it full
A shipped wreath is slightly compressed for the box. Work around it, lifting and separating each branch outward until it reads full and round. This takes a few minutes and makes the difference between a wreath that looks shipped and one that looks made.
Hang it in the cold and the shade
A shaded, cool porch is ideal. In New England cold, the wreath will hold its needle and scent for weeks. A southern porch in a warmer state will dry it faster — mist it every few days and keep it in shade. Never hang a wreath between two storm doors in sun; the trapped heat will cook it in days.
Mist, lightly
A light mist of water every few days — more in a warm or southern porch — keeps the needles supple and the scent moving. Do not soak it; a fine mist is enough. With these habits, a frost-cut wreath will be fragrant on the door well past the New Year.
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