How to Make Dried Orange Garland

“I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it!” -Buddy the Elf 

Y’all, I’m in love with dried orange garland! This Christmas season I am obsessed with making it and I think you’re going to love it too! This How-To is a proven winner. It’s easy, it’s beautiful, and it makes your house smell amazing!

Garland is a perfect way to celebrate the season in your home.

One of my favorite ways to begin decorating for the Christmas season is with garland. Whether the garland is made from winter greens, dried cranberries, popcorn, pine cones, or baubles, it’s a festive and beautiful way to add holiday cheer to your home. 

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

This year, I was trying to come up with a beautiful and festive way to transition from Fall decor to Christmas decor in the farmhouse, but I was feeling a bit stuck.

It’s usually around this time each year that I start seeing dried orange garland popping up everywhere. I see it in catalogs, magazines, and on my Pinterest feed. One-day last week I was on Pinterest and without fail, dried orange garland started popping up everywhere. That’s when it hit me- dried orange garland was the perfect way to transition the farmhouse from Fall to the holidays!  

In years past, it’s piqued my interest, but I had never tried it. I decided that this year was the year I was going to finally try to make some dried orange garland of my own. I couldn’t believe how fun and easy it was!

Bring the outdoors- in.

It’s no secret that one of my favorite ways of celebrating the seasons in the farmhouse is through nature. Mother Nature makes the best home decor. This time of year I enjoy using pine cones, acorns, spices, and seasonal fruit. 

Dried orange garland is the perfect way to bring nature into your home to celebrate the season. Oranges are a wonderful seasonal fruit to transition from Fall to the holiday season. The burnt sienna color the oranges turn after being dried is beautiful. They look beautiful strung on twine alone, or you can add cinnamon sticks, Star of Anise, or pinecones with them. Have fun and get creative!

Once you start making dried orange garland, it’s hard to stop.

Wait until you make your first garland! The beautiful golden dried oranges smell amazing and they look beautiful displayed in your home. Dried orange garland is the perfect way to carry the harvest feel of Fall into the Christmas season.

Stringing the dried orange slices on twine and making garland out of them is the perfect nod to the holidays. I made one strand. One strand turned into two, which turned into three, and the next thing I knew I ended up with five strands of dried orange garland in the farmhouse to celebrate the season. 

Are you ready to make some of your own!?

What you need to make dried orange garland.

1. A cookie sheet (or two)
2. Parchment paper
3. Oranges (5-6 oranges makes 1 six-foot garland)
4. Knife
5. Paper towels or a lint-free cloth
6. Twine
7. Scissors
8. Pushpin or thick sewing needle (optional)

How to make dried orange garland.

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
• Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.
• Slice the oranges cross-wise making 1/4 inch slices.
• Place the slices on the parchment-lined cookie sheet in single layers and pat both sides of slices dry with paper towels or cloth.

• Bake for about 3 hours, flipping slices over about halfway through cook time. If you begin to see some of the slices getting too browned, take them out to cool. 
• Once the oranges are done cooking (and are a beautiful golden brown), remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.

• While orange slices are cooling, determine the length you want your garland to be and cut your twine accordingly. Take into account that the oranges will weigh it down some. Tie a loop knot at each end.
• Poke a hole in each orange with a pushpin or thick sewing needle.
• String a 4-6 inch piece of twine through the hole and secure it on the long piece of twine by tying a knot at the top of the orange slice and snip off any extra length you don’t want. 

That’s it! I made five strands of garland in one afternoon and plan on making more. If stored in an airtight container in a dry area, you can get another year of use out of your orange garland.

You also don’t have to stop at oranges. Try drying grapefruit, lemons, and limes.

This is the perfect holiday craft idea to do with the family. I cannot stop drying orange slices and making them into garland for the farmhouse this season. (I’ve done it every day this week!) If you are looking for more Christmas inspiration and decorating ideas, you may enjoy Farmhouse Christmas Decor.