Are you a fan of using oranges as part of your natural Christmas decor? Today, we want to share one of our favorite ways to add natural elements to your home during the holiday season dried orange garland natural Christmas decoration.

Creating a  DIY dried orange garland is a great way to give a home old world charm, particularly during the holiday season. It’s an easy project and a great activity that the whole family can make and enjoy. 

So, putting on a favorite Christmas movie or music, making some hot chocolate, and putting this easy project together is a great activity for the whole family. Spend time having so much fun making memories, and add this garland to your Christmas decorations.

Start A New Holiday Tradition Dried Orange Garland!

Start a new holiday tradition! Please dig into our guide and create your own simple dried orange garland for the holiday season. Let’s craft memories together!Ready to add old world charm to your Christmas decorations? Click now to discover the steps to make a dried orange garland and dried navel oranges.

Let the crafting begin!

Elevate your natural Christmas decor!

Explore the magic of dried orange garlands and bring the warmth of tradition to your home. Click to start your festive DIY projects!

Why Is Dried Fruit Used For Christmas Time?

1. Historical Significance: Dehydrated fruit is a traditional method of preserving food, and before modern refrigeration techniques, dried fruit such as dried orange slices was a staple during the winter months. It provided a source of nutrition and variety when fresh fruits were scarce. Therefore, dried fruit became associated with winter decor and Christmas time.
2. Decorative Elements: Dried orange slices can create beautiful Christmas decorations during the holiday season. Whether it’s stringing a dried orange slice garland, or adorning it with other natural elements such as cinnamon sticks, pine cones, and nuts in their shell.
3. A Christmas Tree: Add a cranberry garland, a simple dried orange garland, and orange slice ornaments. To make orange ornaments, thread twine through the small hole in the center and tie a knot. This a great activity to make as a Christmas craft with the kids.
4. Christmas Decor: Use dried orange slices as accents in wreaths, and pine garland with hot glue or floral wire. Dried oranges make a beautiful addition nestled into centerpieces with cinnamon sticks, pine cones, star anise, and walnuts in the shell. Fill decorative bowls, baskets, and lanterns with a flameless candle, and trays. These natural elements add a rustic charm to the holiday season.

Overall, using dried orange slices and dried oranges during Christmas carries historical and seasonal significance. It adds warmth, tradition, and a touch of natural beauty for the holiday season, making it loved in natural Christmas decor.

How Long Do Citrus Garlands Last?

Properly made and well-maintained a dried orange slice garland can last for a long time.

The good news is that if orange slices are dried properly during the drying process, they should retain their shape, color, and fragrance for a long time.

Drying Oranges: Drying Process 

• Slice oranges into 1/4-inch slices
• Sharp knife
• Pat dry with a paper towel
• add citrus slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• Oven-safe cooling rack
• Set an oven on low heat to 200 degrees 

We share the easiest way and easy steps for the drying process to achieve the perfect dried orange slices to use for other DIY projects and decorating for Christmas time.

Tip: If possible, buy navel oranges in bags instead of individually, there’s less extra cost.

To maximize the lifespan of a dried orange slice garland and orange slices, keep them out of direct sunlight when using them for Christmas decor.

Pine Cones, Cinnamon Sticks, Star Anise

Incorporate Natural Elements For A New Garland:

• Pine cones: Hot glue tiny pine cones to add more natural elements to Christmas decor. Pine cones are the perfect way to add nature to the home for Christmas and winter decor.
• Cinnamon Sticks: Add tiny cinnamon sticks to make pretty orange ornaments. Imagine the subtle smell with the combination of cinnamon and orange. (Wrap twine around the cinnamon stick and tie a knot. Then string the piece of twine through the flesh of the orange and tie a knot.) I like the look of a tiny cinnamon stick glued to the top of an orange slice after threading the twine through the small hole in the center.
• Star Anise: Add star anise to citrus slices with a dot of hot glue. Star anise has a wonderful woodsy smell and they are beautiful. Have you ever added one to hot chocolate with a bit of cinnamon? 
• Wooden Beads: Thread twine with wood beads to sit on top of dried citrus slices for the perfect Christmas ornament. They also add an earthy vibe.
• Rosemary: Add sprigs of rosemary or pieces of pine garland with a dot of hot glue on top of the orange slice with little additional cost. 
• Orange ornaments: Hang these on a Christmas tree, thread twine through the small hole in the center of the dried orange slices, and hang them for cozy old world charm.

Tip: Always use caution when using a hot glue gun around little ones and animals. Also, make sure the cord and glue gun won’t cause a tripping hazard to avoid burns.

Tip: Thread twine through the small hole in the center of the orange slice before using the hot glue to add other natural elements. Another option is to thread twine through the flesh of the orange with a sewing needle.

Tip: Thread twine with wood beads on the top of each orange slice for a beautiful addition to your orange slice ornaments. Make a knot on one end and add a few wood beads. Tuck the loose end of the thread under the beads so it does not show. To thread twine through the orange go through the flesh of the orange with a sewing needle

By taking proper care of your citrus garlands, you can enjoy its beauty throughout the holiday season.

Add Chestnuts

Step 1: Adding Natural Elements Old World Charm

Using faux chestnuts is an easy way to introduce a rustic old world charm to your orange garland for the holiday season.  Another beautiful addition to add to your DIY dried orange garland is walnuts in the shell. Not only are these some of our favorite ways to add natural elements to our home but they are available at the grocery store. 

Tips: Drilling Holes

Tip: The perfect way to drill a hole through a faux chestnut is to lay it on its flat side and use a drill bit to fit a large needle or yarn needle (1/16 or 5/64) for a clear fishing line to string your garland together. Drill a small hole through the flat side of the chestnut and string with a large needle and clear fishing line while adding the dried oranges.

**If you add walnuts in the shell, use the same size drill bits as above. Use a wrench or large pliers to hold the nut and drill through the end of the shell to the other side.** 

Dry red and green apple slices using the same process as the citrus slices. Red apples are beautiful for their deep red color, which adds a lovely red accent to this Christmas craft. To dry the apples, follow the same instructions for drying the oranges.

Use a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set the oven to low heat (same as the drying process for the citrus slices)

There’s no need to use a paper towel to remove moisture before the drying process.

Tip: If you want to make a simple dried orange garland with dried orange slices, here’s a great way to achieve the perfect look. Use a skewer or a toothpick and make a hole on either side of the orange slice. String the slices with a large needle and a piece of twine. Tie a loop at each end of the garland for hanging.

Spacing Correct For The New Garland

Step 2: Putting The Dried Fruit Garland Together

After drying all your fruit, do a dry run to ensure the size and spacing of the dried oranges are correct wherever you plan to display the garland. This will also help you determine if you need to adjust the spacing between the dried fruit slices. 

Organize your orange and fruit slices and create stacks with the desired number of slices in each section. This will help maintain uniformity and ensure a snug fit.

Putting The Garland Together

Step 3: Stringing The DIY Dried Orange Garland

To assemble the dried orange slice garland, thread a large needle with a clear fishing line and begin stringing the dried orange slices, apple slices, and faux chestnuts. 

This process doesn’t take a long time and is a great activity to do as a family. Once you’ve finished, tie a knot at the end of the fishing line and hang your garland to enjoy the fragrance and beauty throughout the holiday season. 

Tip: The good news is that after Christmas, you can reuse the dried oranges from your garland for winter decor and next year.  

We have saved dried orange slices for two years, and they still look perfect. After two years they get dark and aren’t as pretty.

Displaying Your Project

Step 4: Displaying The Simple Dried Citrus Garland

The final step is to display your finished DIY garland, add it on a china cabinet in the dining room or a long shelf, or lay it on greens displayed on your mantel. There are tons of ways to add dried citrus tour homes for Christmas decor and winter decor! 

I already envision how I want my dried orange garland to look this holiday season. 

If you enjoy adding natural elements for fall and Christmas, you might also appreciate my tutorial and easy steps on creating a dried orange wreath.

Storage: Dried Oranges

Some store dehydrated oranges in an airtight container. 

We store our dried orange slices in a brown bag in a cool, dry place to use for the following year.

If you don’t have the time or desire to make your own dried orange garland, you can find affordable options on Etsy or other online marketplaces.

*As an Amazon Associate, Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint and other Affiliates I earn from qualifying purchases*
If you purchase something through any affiliate links, I may receive a small commission with no extra charge. All opinions are my own

With the combination of natural elements, a simple dried orange garland will add a warm feeling for Christmas time.

I hope this inspires you to make a dried orange garland for Christmas. If you do, I’d love to hear your plans and see the beautiful garland you create. It’s a beautiful and fun project that brings a touch of nature’s charm into our homes during the holiday season.

Happy crafting!

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Other Holiday Posts & DIY Projects:

Wreath

Star Anise Wreaths

No Sew Stockings