How to make a simple advent wreath from wooden spoons

Seventeen (!) years ago, I was a student in Austria. After church one Sunday, I picked up a little Advent guide for children. One of the craft ideas in it was to make an Advent wreath from wooden spoons.

Wreath-less at the time, I thought this was a great idea. Off to the store I went, in search of suitable spoons!

Here is this year's interpretation of the Spoon Wreath:

Lay the spoons in a square so that the stem of one rests upon the "spoon" end of the next.

Place some greens at the intersection of the spoons, and tie in place with a festive ribbon. (Our greens this season were gathered on a walk in the middle of the city! S and T saved them from their fate on the sidewalk. They gave them to me to carry... I clutched them in my hand for the next several hours, as we completed our errand, stopped in at the zoo, and then took public transportation home.)

Be careful to keep greens and the ribbons away from your candles!

Put a tea light on each spoon. You can also use votive candles. If you choose votives, cover each spoon with a piece of foil to catch any dripping wax.

We put our wreath on a wooden tray, but have also put it on a piece of foil in the past.

After the Advent season is over, simply untie the spoons, compost the greens, and pack the spoons and ribbons away for next year.

And, here's our final product, with the first candle blazing!

Update 15 November 2008:  This post has turned out to be a popular search engine find!  I invite you to leave a comment sharing your own wreath-making experience.