Spreading Holiday Cheer: Wreaths at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center

As the smell of pine and evergreen filled the air, volunteers joined in a timeless holiday tradition with the Council of Garden Clubs at the Parks and Landscape facility. In early December, a festive holiday tradition of wreath making took place as 64 volunteers created 48 wreaths now displayed on City buildings at the Municipal Center.

The wreaths were created with more than 13 types of plant materials gathered by the Parks and Landscape team after trimming trees and plants across Virginia Beach.

Each wreath tells a story of the volunteer who created its unique beauty from a variety of materials, such as classic holly, evergreen branches and pinecones to juniper, nandina and beautyberry. Magnolia leaves stood out as the group’s favorite, because they are long-lasting and offer two sides: one brown and the other a rich green.

Parks & Recreation spoke with Ellie Kreassig and Phyllis Elms, co-chairs of the Council of Garden Clubs of Virginia Beach Wreath Making Committee. They also are members of the Thalia Garden Club and hold the record as the longest-running volunteers at this wreath-making event.

“This year we are working on the wreath that will be displayed on the [Meyera E. Oberndorf Central] Library, this is the largest of all the wreaths,” said Elms. “I started doing this in the '80s, my hope is for people go out and enjoy these, that [the wreaths] bring joy to others.”

Parks & Recreation is grateful to the local garden club members who volunteer their time to create these beautiful wreaths and spread holiday cheer. Volunteers come from the garden clubs of West Neck, Thalia, Charlestowne, Little Neck, Thoroughgood, Broad Bay Point Greens, Lynnhaven Heritage, May Farm, Fairfield, Larkspur, Stratford Chase and Lake Smith Terrace.

This holiday season, be sure to walk through the Municipal Center and look for all the wreaths, which will be on display through the beginning of the new year.