Real greens are so easy to come by this time of year, so why not add them to your mailbox instead of the storebought variety which everyone does. All you need are some Christmas tree branches that you can easily find at the tree lots for free. Gather those up, along with some magnolia, cedar or cypress to add variety (or really anything in your yard like boxwood, holly and nandina), a couple of pinecones, some shiny gold balls, and leftover ribbon. Doesn’t have to be fancy, just see what you have laying around. Some floral wire helps to hold it all together.
This year, I took a little shortcut and added a block of floral foam right underneath the iron scrolly piece that comes out of the post above my mailbox. Then all you do is start snipping off tree branches and adding them into the foam on both sides. Just keep it even and you’ll be fine. Snip and tuck into the foam, filling it in around the sides and edges and even some coming out the top. After I added a few branches, I took a piece of floral wire and looped it around the branches directly onto the back post of my mailbox to hold it a little tighter in case we have some wind.
After you fill in the fir tree branches, then just tuck a big chunk of magnolia in there too and it will spill out the top and look SO pretty. I added a little juniper too, which you can barely see in the top right. Wrap a little of that floral wire around the top of the pinecone and wire it onto a branch nice and snug, just twisting the wire to keep it together. That stuff works great on floral projects.
You can really add anything you want on here, the fir branches are great basic greens, then the magnolia leaves really are a traditional Christmas look. To finish it off, I just strung 3 gold balls on a piece of that floral wire and added it to the middle. Tie a bow in the center and call it done! Of course, you can use anything in the middle, red or silver, just use your imagination. I’d love to find a couple of those really BIG ornaments to save for this spot next year. Another thing to look for after Christmas.
Ten minutes was all this took and now I’ve got a different look than all my neighbors with the fake green swags with red velvet bow. I like to be different, don’t you?! 
Come back on Monday and I’ll show you my livingroom with the tree and mantel. I’m participating in BooMama’s Christmas tour too, along with Hooked on Holiday Houses, so be sure to get over there and check out everyone else’s Christmas decor. It’s sure to be inspiring! And I’m also going to host a Christmas tour on MY blog too on Monday, so come back and add your link to Mr. Linky here. Don’t forget to add a link from your blog back to my post so all of your readers can come over for the tour too. It’s going to be a Christmas extravaganza!
Good Morning Miz Rhoda,
Your mailbox is so pretty! I decorated mine for the first time ever and I just did the old store bought garland and crunched red velvet bow with ribbon cause it’s what I had laying around…but don’t be too disappointed in me because no one on my road has decorated their mailbox before either so I’m standing out with mine *smiles* Now that I’ve learned how easy it is to do if you’ve got floral wire I’ll do a much better and more inspired job next year (hopefully like yours! it’s so beautiful!). Have a wonderfully blessed weekend!
So pretty! I no longer have an individual mailbox. Our neighborhood has those apartment type mailboxes every few blocks! I guess I could decorate for the whole neighborhood!
Blessings,
Lorilee
Soooo pretty and classy. Fresh greenery is beautiful. If only it lasted longer for those of us who decorate so early.
Oh your mailbox swag is just gorgeous! I am inspired and want to make one too! 🙂
I love your swag…I can’t believe that was a 10 minute job! It looks wonderful.
Thanks for the tutorial on making the mailbox swag! That is all I have left to do with my decorating and this came just in the nick of time!!!
That looks fabulous! What a treat for the postal carrier to see this every day! You are no doubt the envy of your neighbors!!..
Your article swag for the mail box was great, I remember talking my sister through making a flower arrangement on the phone. Sure wish we would had the internet then. lol
Very Pretty.
Very pretty Rhoda. I used to do the same thing, but since we don’t have individual mailboxes here, I can’t. Actually when our kids were little and we lived in Nashville, their school sold these as a PTA school fund raising project. You ordered one and then a team of girls would come and decorate your mailbox for you. Soooo… as a school volunteer, I did lots and lots and lots of mailboxes. It was a very successful money maker for our school.
Hugs!
Kat
Love it, Rho! In our new neighborhood, we all have Victorian style mailboxes, and I haven’t figured out how to decorate them, yet! Maybe I’ll get to it next year… 🙂
Rhoda,
Looks wonderful! Big difference from other mailboxes! Problem here is that it’s not cold enough to keep the live greens from browning and looking very dead within a few days. Such is life in the tropics! 😉 I love this look, though, and love what you did with it. My mother never used anything but live greens. Everyone either banked their mantles in magnolia leaves, pine boughs, or fir if you lived in the city and had access to a tree lot. I miss the look of things in the cold, but I don’t miss the cold in terms of comfort. But I sure like it on Christmas day! 🙂
XO,
Sheila
Oh, and Rhoda, I’m unclear about what to do at your blog on Monday (if I’m even ready). Are you going to have a Mr. Linky??? Will you have some sort of emblem, too, that we post?
Thanks,
Sheila 🙂
You are full of Idea’s, love your energy!!!
xoxo,
Cathleen
Rhoda,
It only took you 10 minutes because you are a pro; it would probably take me the whole morning (or afternoon) to create something as gorgeous as your swag. Love it.
Merry Christmas,
Cheri
Love this= your mailbox looks wonderful! We have a fun giveaway of a target gift card today with the AHA for go red! A little early Christmas gift!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
Thanks for the shout-out, Rhoda! Can’t wait to see what everybody comes up with! 🙂
That is so beautiful. You have so much talent. I just love to come here. I hope you and your family have a blessed and joyful Christmas holiday.
wow -love that last post! Silvers and blues are my faves!!!
And yes the different mailbox swag is beautiful! Im always looking to have the one thing no one eles has!
Great work! -as always!
That turned out really nice. I don’t have a mailbox like that to decorate, but I could decorate my front door with something similar.
CIao