Years back an employee asked me why Whitney Wreath insisted on making only quality double sided wreaths. In his defense Josh was right out school with his business degree and ready to set the world on fire.
We grabbed a cup of coffee and walked to the workshop because, I decided, the best way to answer his question was for him to make a Whitney Wreath.
The workshop was rich with the scent of Christmas.
“There are five solid reasons Whitney makes double sided wreaths,” I told him. “First and second, a double sided wreath is fresher and stays fresher longer.”
I instructed Josh to gather the balsam and begin ringing the strong metal backing to form the base of a Mount Cadillac. Then I told him get even more.
“If you’re going to make a Whitney Wreath, then you’re going to need enough balsam to make it full. Skinny, skimpy wreaths dry up quick, but we build Whitney Wreaths to last.”
After Josh had ringed both sides with balsam, I had him weave in some berry-rich Oregon juniper, northern white cedar from Cape Breton, and white pine from our own forests of Maine.
I had him place three clusters of Austrian pine cones around the ring of mixed greens. Then the bow. It took a couple of tries, but he finally had the giant red velvet bow looking like a Whitney.
“Now let’s take this to your mom’s house,” I told him.
Curious, he followed me out of the workshop and to the truck. We drove across town to their home; a little white cape with barren window boxes and dull, dry brittle leaves that somehow escaped an autumn raking.
“Go put that up on her door,” I said, standing back and taking a sip of my coffee.
Josh hefted that Mount Cadillac to the door then took a step back. I could tell from the look on his face that he could see that his mom’s winter-weary home had instantly brightened.
“Listen what happens when your mom comes to the door,” I told him.
“Listen?” he said.
Sure enough, Josh’s mom had heard us. She opened her door and was surprised by the sight of that Whitney Wreath.
While she admired Josh’s handy work, we talked.
“What did you hear when she opened the door that held that double sided wreath?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s good.”
“I’m not following you,” he confessed.
“Single sided wreaths leave that metal backing against your door. Open or close and that metal will scrape your door up good. Whitney’s double sided wreaths don’t do that. That’s our third reason.”
“They must be quieter, too.” said Josh. “That metal isn’t hitting your door every time you open and close it.”
“That’s the fourth reason.”
“So we make hand make double sided wreaths because they’re fresher and they stay fresher longer. And they’re quieter and won’t scrape up your door.”
“You got it.”
“That’s four reasons. What’s the fifth?”
“Here it comes now.”
Josh’s mom walked toward him, with arms outstretched, and wrapped him in a hug that only a grateful mom can give.
“It’s beautiful. I love it. Thank you so much. See how it brightens up the whole house?”
Mid hug, Josh managed a look at me.
“Reason five? We make Whitney Wreaths that way because people love them that way.”
Christmas Wreaths From Whitney Wreath
