I am making a wreath for an annual wreath-auction fundraiser. It’s usually one of my favorite events of the whole year, so I am trying to get up to a level I can at least describe as “interested,” if not wildly enthusiastic.
The wreath requirements are, basically, anything. People have done really fun things in the past: making a wreath out of bath poufs and decorating it with bath bombs and travel-size bath products; putting three wreaths together to make a snowman; covering a wreath with lottery tickets; taking a ring of styrofoam and hot-gluing wrapped candies all over it. Some people use the wreath as a transportation device for items: they’ll tie two mugs and a box of hot chocolate and a bag of marshmallows and a box of cookies to it, for example. Other people make more traditional pretty wreaths with bows and ornaments, so it’s a really good assortment. Businesses often pitch in too with a wreath decorated with gift certificates or samples.
I like to take a clearance sparkly-foil wreath from the year before and decorate it with whatever kid stuff my kids are into. One year I decorated with Webkinz animals and Webkinz trading cards. This year I might do Minecraft. Or something with Pokémon: These assorted plastic Pokéballs would make good “ornaments,” and I could add a pack of Pokémon cards dangling in the middle.
I thought it might be fun to do a political wreath this year, but I can’t think of anything that doesn’t make me feel sad. I have a bunch of HRC pins, for example. Wouldn’t those be lovely ornaments. *weep* Did you know the pins are on clearance on the HRC site? *weeps more, begins drinking*
Oh, you know what I should do? I should look in my gift closet and see if there’s anything in there that would work. *rummages* Not really. I think I’ll go with the Pokémon idea. [Edited to add: Oops, those Pokemon balls aren’t available with Prime shipping. Never mind. I will think of something else.]
I am doing an all Democrat-blue, “Hillary Should Have Been President” tree this year. I just have to.
I **love** this idea. I’m getting all my ladies various Hillary/Nasty women /Pantsuit Nation gear for Christmas. And all of my Trump voting in-laws will be getting a donation to some charity in their name. I was going to do the ACLU, but my husband thinks that is to combative.
oh please that’s hardly combative at all. free speech who doesnt love that?
(i mean aside from the GOP?)
i say do the ACLU! they need all the help they can get. or SPLC. PP, if you really want to mess with them.
Maybe donate the money you would have spent on wreath-things and then decorate the wreath with the organizations logos + a note of explanation?
that is a GREAT IDEA,
(Maybe Emily’s List and use pictures of all the female candidates who did win.)
Idea: make advent calendar wreath. Put 25 numbered small boxes in a circle. Put a small candy/toy/thing that seems appropriate in each box. Bam.
Hm, I don’t know anything about Pokémon but you could use a thread a needle and sew these all over? Then they could be cut off for kids to play with by the winner. http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/131938840983?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F711-117182-37290-0%252F2%253Fmtid%253D1588%2526kwid%253D1%2526crlp%253D53601919689_324272%2526itemid%253D131938840983%2526targetid%253D186358931529%2526rpc%253D0.08%2526rpc_upld_id%253D92388%2526device%253Dm%2526mpre%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.com%25252Fulk%25252Fitm%25252Flike%25252F131938840983%25253Flpid%25253D82%252526chn%25253Dps%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9005959%2526poi%253D9005966%2526campaignid%253D239125209%2526adgroupid%253D14978428809%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-186358931529%2526gclid%253DCJjnqPCqx9ACFdJMDQodfmUMrw%2526srcrot%253D711-117182-37290-0%2526rvr_id%253D1129945797322&ul_noapp=true
I second the idea of a wreath decorated with the female candidates who DID win this year! Or perhaps you could do a “Bada** Women in History” wreath with portraits of famous feminists and suffragists? And maybe include some feminist buttons or stickers as “ornaments.” It would be political, but more encouraging than sad.
Okay, now I’m having way too much fun coming up with ideas. Could you paint the wreath to look like a giant Pokeball? (Top half red, bottom half white, black stripe in the middle?) And then decorate it with Pokemon figurines and packages of Pokemon cards?
Or maybe an arts and craft wreath, decorated with different art supplies/tools in crazy colors.
A wreath made entirely out of Legos would be cool, and it would be something your kids could help with. (Although maybe not ideal if you already bought a “base” wreath to use.)
A pet wreath, decorated with cat or dog toys.
A nail art wreath. Tie on bottles of nail polish, nail stickers/stencils, nail art pens, and maybe a gift card for a manicure. (Didn’t you say a while back that Elizabeth was into nail art? Maybe she could help with this, if she still likes that kind of thing.)
Since you enjoy collecting postcards, maybe you could put together a wreath with some cute postage stamps, some fancy pens, and a box of postcards or some cute notecards and envelopes in the middle.
Oooh, such fun ideas! I second the advent calendar wreath idea. Ooh! With Pokémon in the boxes! Ha ha.
How about a movie wreath? Maybe two tickets to your local theater and then decorate with candy or mini movie posters? May be more money than you’re willing to spend though.
I’m with you *weep*. It’s hard to be in the mood for frivolity when the world has gone to hell in a hand basket. However this sounds like a great fundraiser.
Sewing theme. Tape measure bow, pincushion, spools, buttons, rick rack garland, thimble, scissors, vintage needle pack.
Tiny boxes wrapped in scraps of wrapping paper.
I am terribly interested in the idea of a wreath auction fundraiser!! Does it coincide with some sort of event or dinner, or do people go there solely to bid on wreaths? Silent auction?
It’s a silent auction, and they leave the wreaths up for a couple weeks so everyone can see them and have a chance to bid. (They encourage artificial wreaths, to reduce needle mess!)
Does this mean you can explain Pokémon to me in adult words I can understand? I have a 7yo boy. I’m all for interests that don’t intersect with mine, but I don’t understand the purpose of the cards, and I think maybe he’s engaged in some unfair trades, so I’m hesitant to buy them for Xmas if it means I’m just padding the pockets of the kid next door.
Dumpster fire wreath?
I don’t really understand the cards either. I’ve been playing Pokémon Go on my phone, but apparently that’s different.
The cards are a game similar to Magic (which I understand to be like…Dungeons and Dragons, but with cards).
I don’t know if that helps.
I just lovvvvvve all the ideas you guys are coming up with.
I saw the post title and thought “Wreaths?! How can she post about something like wreaths at a time like this?!” And then I read the post and thought “…oh.” It seems we on the losing side are all trying to move on while still feeling horrible.
Sigh, yes. It feels like tremendous effort. I am trying to kick-start myself into not being a complete wet blanket, but…some days are better than others.
I appreciate the effort though. For me, Thanksgiving especially was about trying to acknowledge the luckiness as well as the suckiness, with middling results.
How about something slyly #ImSTILLWithHer-ish, but not openly? All blue items (smurfette! Zhaan from Farscape!)? All things starting with H? Things related to her but not recently, like hot sauce packets or scrunchies?
Perhaps a cooking one? Measuring spoons, favorite holiday recipes on laminated index cards, whole nutmeg, a tangerine dotted with cloves.
Otherwise, I’m loving everyone else’s ideas.
Might be too late, but: Pantsuit Nation wreath? Pantsuits of all different colors with “I’m with her” on ribbons?