How to Make Dried Orange Garland for the Holidays

December 19, 2019

This year dried oranges seem to be everyones favorite holiday decor accessory and I am HERE for it! I happily hopped on this bandwagon and made some dried oranges of my own! Today I am sharing my tutorial on how to make the dried orange garland. As a bonus, I am sharing three more ways to decorate with the dried oranges for the holidays!

This decor is not only beautiful, but made with natural materials that can be composted and recycled right back into the earth. It is also a great DIY for beginners or a fun project to do with the kiddos during Christmas break. Let’s get started!

How to use dried oranges for holiday decorating

DIY Orange Garland

Materials You Need:

Oranges: I purchased naval oranges
Sharp knife
Parchment paper
Cookie sheet
Butchers twine – you can find this at your local grocery or on Amazon
Needle (or in my case, a paper clip!)

DIY dried orange garland for holiday decorating

Step 1: Cut the Oranges

Cut the orange slices to make the garland

Determine the length of the garland you want to make and how spaced out you plan on making the oranges. Cut enough orange slices based on the length of your garland. I cut 4 oranges with slices about 1/3 inch thick. Slices too thick will make it difficult to dry out and any too thin will burn the orange slice.

Place parchment paper on the cookie sheets and spread the orange slices on the sheets.

Step 2: Bake the Orange Slices

Set your oven to its lowest temperature. The lowest my oven would go was 170 degrees. Place the oranges in the oven and set the timer for 45 minutes to flip the slices over. You will continue with this process until the oranges look dried. It can take anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on your oven and temperature – it took me 4 hours.

Decorating for the holidays with dried orange slices

Step 3: String the Orange Slices Together

Once you have your dried oranges you can start to string them all together! I opened up my paper clip and tied my butcher string to one end. You can decide how closely you want your oranges to sit next to each other on the string.

How to use dried oranges to decorate for the holidays

You now have a festive, natural garland to decorate for the holidays!

How to make dried orange garland for Christmas

Bonus: Three Alternative Ways to Decorate with Dried Oranges

Holiday Wreath

Take a slice or two and add it to your holiday wreath. I added a magnolia leaf, cinnamon sticks and a single orange slice to my holidays wreath this year.

Wrapping Presents

Using that same butchers twine, wrap it around a present a few times and attach an orange slice and a tree trimmings. This gives a present that added flair to really look special.

Ornaments

Use any leftover dried oranges to decorate your tree! This is such a fun and simple way to fill your tree and add some color.

Check out my full Holiday Home Tour for more budget friendly ideas when decorating for the holidays!

Want to save this project for later? I’ve got you covered! Use the pin I created below to quickly find this tutorial whenever you are ready to create.