| Decorative Garland: | | | | room, or for outdoor venues it can be placed on or |
| A garland is usually a decorative type of wreath or a | | | | around the tables, gazebo or the buildings itself. It helps |
| braided cord, which can be used year round or just at | | | | to give the occasion a look of nature, symbolizing a |
| festive occasions. The word "garland" actually comes | | | | rebirth, a new beginning, that it is growing and to show |
| from the French word "guirlande" which means "a | | | | that hope springs eternal. Garland has been used |
| wreath of flowers". These braided cords can be small | | | | around the world for thousands of years at festivals |
| and hung around a person's neck, or placed on the | | | | and special occasions for this same symbolic purpose. |
| head, or larger and hung on inanimate objects. Originally | | | | Garland at Weddings: |
| garlands and wreaths were made of flowers and/or | | | | This is where the type of decoration is determined by |
| leaves. These were worn on people's heads, around | | | | the type of party or event. Ribbons or bows are a |
| their necks and draped around buildings. Today they | | | | common way of decorating the garland. For a birthday |
| can be artificial or real; some of the more popular | | | | a more colorful ribbon would be used and of course |
| types are made of flowers, leaves, tinsel, pine or a | | | | for Christmas most use a red ribbon or red bows. For |
| combination of any of these. Many people prefer the | | | | weddings, people often use ribbons or bows that are |
| artificial as it will last longer and can be used many | | | | white, or ivory, or the color of the brides-maids |
| times. And today it is very hard to tell the difference | | | | dresses. A colored ribbon could be wrapped around |
| between real and artificial garland without a close | | | | the garland before it is hung or bows could be hung on |
| examination. | | | | the garland at certain locations. There are even special |
| Uses for Garland: | | | | hangers that you can use when hanging garland. |
| Garland can generally be used at anytime of the year | | | | These will fit over most doors or banisters to allow |
| to add an extra touch to make the home look nicer or | | | | you to hang the garland pretty much anyway that you |
| it can be used just for special occasions to really help | | | | would like to and keep it from sliding around. Some |
| make things stand out, such as at: | | | | weddings might even use the garland to form a circle |
| Â- Weddings | | | | on the ground around the bride and groom as a |
| Â- Birthdays | | | | representation of their never ending love or love as |
| Â- Receptions | | | | one eternal round. With garland being like a braid it |
| Â- Thanksgiving | | | | makes picking it up to store it away very easy, as it |
| Â- Christmas | | | | can be coiled up like an electric cord and placed in a |
| Â- Parties | | | | plastic bag and or in a box to be stored away until it's |
| At these occasions it can be hung around the party | | | | next use. |