Some of the best holiday traditions are also the simplest. At Asher + Rye, we’re drawn to seasonal rituals that feel tactile, gathered, and a little imperfect — dried citrus garlands included.
Many of our favorite holiday traditions revolve around the feeling of home.
Stockings hung by the fire. Candles flickering on a crowded dining table. Packages wrapped carefully with ribbon, greenery, and handwritten notes. The holidays have always been less about perfection and more about the small rituals that make a season feel memorable.
One tradition we think deserves a comeback? The gifting—and decorating—of oranges.
Bright citrus has long been associated with the holidays, and for good reason. Not only are oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines beautiful in color and texture, but they pair naturally with so many of the scents and materials we associate with the season: cinnamon sticks, fir branches, rosemary, cloves, cedar, cranberries, candle wax, and wood smoke.
And while fresh citrus looks beautiful sitting in a bowl on the kitchen counter, we especially love using dried citrus throughout the home during the holidays.
There’s something beautiful about decorations made from things already in the kitchen.
Dried citrus garlands feel wonderfully nostalgic and incredibly easy to make. Strung together with twine and layered with greenery, wooden beads, or cinnamon sticks, they bring warmth, texture, and color into a space without feeling overly polished or overly themed.
We love them draped across windows, woven through garland on a mantle, tied onto gifts, layered down the center of a dining table, or hung on the tree itself.
And perhaps the best part is that they’re intentionally imperfect.
No two slices dry exactly the same way. Some darken at the edges. Some curl slightly as they bake. Together, they feel organic, handmade, and alive — the kind of decoration that makes a home feel collected rather than overly styled.
How to Make a Dried Citrus Garland
Materials Needed:
Oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, or other citrus
Serrated knife
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Twine
Scissors
Optional: cinnamon sticks, wooden beads, rosemary, holly sprigs, Fraser fir, cedar clippings, or other seasonal greenery
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 250°. Slice the citrus crosswise into rounds about 1/8”–1/4” thick, then gently pat dry with a towel.
Step 2: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and arrange the slices in a single layer.
Step 3: Bake for roughly 4 hours, flipping slices halfway through. Remove any pieces that begin browning too quickly.
Step 4: Allow the citrus to cool completely. Once cooled, use scissors or the tip of a knife to carefully create two small holes near the top of each slice.
Step 5: Thread the dried citrus onto twine and layer with wooden beads, greenery, cinnamon sticks, or other collected seasonal details.
Beyond Garland
We also love using dried citrus in holiday wrapping and table settings. Tied onto packages with velvet ribbon and sprigs of rosemary, the slices feel almost like small winter botanicals. They also make beautiful additions to wreaths, napkin rings, or simple bowls arranged throughout the kitchen during the season.
Sometimes the simplest traditions become the ones we return to year after year.
Not because they’re extravagant, but because they make everyday moments feel just a little warmer, slower, and more thoughtful.
And during the holidays, that feels like enough.
