Natural Christmas Decorations: Dried Oranges, Pine Cones and Beeswax

Natural Christmas decorations are made from things that grow or that bees produce: dried orange slices, pine cones, popcorn and cranberry garland, greenery and beeswax candles. Most can be made at home in an afternoon. Many end the season in the compost or outdoors for birds instead of in a storage box.

The trade-off is care. Fruit has to be dried fully, cones need treating for insects, and candles need the same fire rules as any open flame. The sections below cover each one from extension and fire safety sources. For the rest of a lower-waste Christmas, start at the eco-friendly Christmas guide.

How do you dry orange slices for Christmas decorations?

Clemson Cooperative Extension’s method is the one most crafters use, with numbers you can follow:

1. Cut oranges into even slices about 1/8 inch thick. Thinner slices burn and thicker ones do not dry well.
2. Pat the slices dry, then lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet so they do not touch.
3. Bake at 175°F, or the lowest oven setting that stays at or below 200°F.
4. Flip the slices every 30 minutes. Total time is usually 3 to 5 hours.
5. Cool them on a wire rack and check that each one is completely dry before storing.

A food dehydrator also works: Clemson gives 130°F for 12 to 14 hours, flipping hourly. Stored in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark, dried slices can last several years.

Making a dried orange garland

Push a skewer through each slice near the rind and thread the slices on cotton twine or ribbon. Clemson suggests other uses too: florist wire turns a slice into a gift tag, and a bowl of slices makes a table centerpiece.

If you would rather not run an oven for hours, ready-made garlands are sold by the strand. Look for real dried fruit and natural twine rather than plastic cord. Our dried orange garland guide covers buying, stringing and storing one.

How do you prepare pine cones for decorating?

Pine cones collected outdoors can carry insects. An Ask Extension answer notes that cones are a good place for insects to hide in winter, so treat them before they come inside.

Two extension methods:

• Bake only. Clemson Extension bakes cones on a sheet at 250°F for an hour to dry them and kill insects.
• Soak, then bake. Ask Extension suggests soaking cones in equal parts water and white vinegar for at least 30 minutes, rinsing, then baking at 200°F for an hour so they open again.

Stay near the oven and use a timer, as with any low-heat baking. Treated cones can be left plain, tucked into greenery or hung on the tree next to wooden, felt and wool ornaments. Clemson also lists foraged greenery such as boxwood, holly, juniper, cypress and magnolia, and warns to keep berried branches away from children and pets.

Popcorn and cranberry garland: indoors, then out

A popcorn garland is the classic homemade strand. If you plan to give it to birds after Christmas, make it the way Audubon does:

• air-popped popcorn, unsalted and unbuttered (stale is fine),
• fresh or dried cranberries,
• unsalted peanuts in the shell or dried fruit slices, if you like,
• thread and a needle.

Audubon gives a placement tip with its outdoor bird wreath that suits a garland too: hang it three feet or less from a window to prevent collisions. Leave glitter and paint off any strand meant for wildlife.

What are beeswax candles made of?

Beeswax is a natural wax produced by honey bees. Worker bees secrete it from glands in the abdomen and build honeycomb with it. It melts at roughly 62 to 64°C (144 to 147°F) and ranges from nearly white to dark brown, most often yellow.

Paraffin, the most common candle wax, is derived from petroleum, coal or oil shale. That difference in raw material is the main, sourced reason people choose beeswax. Claims that beeswax candles “clean the air” are not backed by the fire safety or reference sources on this page, so this guide does not repeat them.

When shopping, check that a listing says 100% or pure beeswax. The slot below excludes paraffin, soy and “blend” listings, but read each description before buying.

Candle safety for natural decorations

A candle is an open flame whatever it is made of, and dried fruit and greenery both burn. The NFPA says December is the peak month for home candle fires, and over half of candle fires start when something that can burn is too close to the candle.

More rules from the NFPA tip sheet and the U.S. Fire Administration:

• Use sturdy holders on an uncluttered surface where they cannot be knocked over.
• Put a candle out before it burns down close to the holder.
• Do not burn candles in bedrooms or where people may fall asleep.
• Never leave a child alone in a room with a burning candle.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.
• Consider flameless candles, which both agencies suggest.

For string lights near natural decor, see the page on LED Christmas lights and their safety labels: LED strings stay much cooler than incandescent ones.

Where natural decorations go after Christmas

Plain orange slices, untreated cones and unpainted greenery are plant material, so check whether your home compost or local yard waste program takes them. Painted or wired pieces are harder to dispose of, which is one reason to keep decorations plain. Bird-safe popcorn strands can go outdoors.

Pair natural decor with wrapping that follows the same idea: reusable gift wrap and recyclable paper covers fabric bags, kraft paper and what recycling programs accept.