Now taking orders for the 2008 Season!

About Us:

Pat Mawhinney was born and raised in the heart of Down East Maine in the small town of Jonesboro, located in central Washington County. He began working in the Christmas wreath industry as a teenager, where he gathered balsam fir tips for his mother who made Christmas wreaths. He also bundled and helped ship Christmas wreaths for local wreath producers. As a young adult Pat began a whole sale Christmas wreath business. He, along with his family, worked together to gather Balsam fir, make Christmas wreaths and other evergreen balsam products which were sold to whol sale and retail florists. It was a natural expansion for Pat to branch out to the mail order Christmas wreath business. Now Pat and his wife, Wesley, continue the family tradition of over forty years. They operate and manage every aspect of the whole sale and mail order Christmas wreaths business

Wholesale:

Early in the fall Pat coordinates the whole sale wreath business. This process begins by purchasing balsam fir from individuals call tippers. The tippers go into the forest to gather the fir tips and bundle them together. This process simply prunes the balsam fir tree, in a way that enables the tree to grow fuller there by allowing for the sustainability of the Christmas wreath industry.

The wreaths makers wrap the balsam fir tips with wire on various sized steel rings. These wreath rings vary in size from 8 inch single ring all the way up to an 84 inch triple stele ring.

The wreaths are then carefully bundled together and loaded into truck and shipped to wholesale floral distributors throughout the Eastern United States.

Mail Order

In mid-November the family then embarks on the mail order portion of Maine Wreaths. The wreath makers create the mail order quality wreaths which vary in size from 20 inch to 30 inch diameter.

Then in the decorating room the decorating crew carefully attached a green wreath hanger, and arrangements of pinecones, berries, crabapples and bows. They then place the wreath in a plastic bag , in insure the wreath remains fresh and fragrant. The wreaths are boxed and promptly shipped to you. The decorating crew also creates our beautiful centerpieces and sprays.

They carefully clip the boughs of balsam fir, white pine and cedar. These evergreen tips are then arranged into water soaked floral oasis. Decorations are then artfully placed to accent the centerpiece be it traditional style or blueberry. Similarly to the decorated wreaths, the centerpieces are then placed in a plastic bag to ensure freshness. The centerpieces are boxed and shipped out to customers throughout the United States.

The Office Crew

The office crew is made up of local friends and family who are very familiar with our Maine Wreaths products. Most of the office crew, like the owners have grown-up in Down East Maine. You will find them friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. You can even get a weather update every time you call!

Where are We

Maine Wreaths is located in Jonesboro, Maine in the heart of Washington County. We are a small coastal town that boasts that we are 50 miles from the nearest stop light. Pat, has been known to go straight threw the stop lights on the rare occasion when we do venture out to the “Big cities” North and South of us.

Fund Raising

Maine Wreaths’ evergreen balsam fir products make an excellent fundraising project . Please contact us early so we can assist your organization with it’s fundraising efforts.

Mail Order Wholesale

Maine Wreaths sells our decorated and undecorated evergreen balsam fir products by the case. We can ship cases of wreaths and centerpieces anywhere in the continental United States. Please call us and we can give you a price quote. Wreaths and other products sent by the case can save you, the customer a significant amount.

Our Down East Christmas

Our family may be very busy with the wreath business but we always seem to be able to celebrate Christmas in very meaningful and traditional ways. Christmas has always been a time that our family gathers together. No matter how far away our children may roam they always return home for the holidays. Christmas in Down East Maine is like no other place in the world . We almost always have snow for Christmas. Christmas Eve candle light church services are always well attended. Children participate in Christmas pageants donning angel, shepard and sheep costumes. The entire town shuts down on Christmas day because every house is full of family and the only cars on the road are traveling from one family member’s homes to another.

For me Christmas memories are filled with smell, tastes and hugs. Our home is heated by a wood stove and I put on a pot of simmering spices to fill the house with the warm comforting fragrance of mulling spices. Oranges are made into pomander balls which add yet another fragrance to our home and lets not forget the incredible aroma of Balsam Fir from our Christmas tree, Center pieces and Wreaths on the door. It blends together to make Christmas a feast for all the senses. I would like to share with you some of my family’s favorite recipes. They are simple and time tested. If you would like to share some of your family’s recipes with us please email them and we can add them on for next year.

Christmas Recipes

The Fragrance of Christmas
Christmas mulled spices
DO NOT DRINK
In a large heavy pot add the following:
1 gallon water
3- 4 cinnamon sticks
_ cup whole cloves
Combine all ingredients, place on top of wood or cook stove simmer, and enjoy – be sure to check water level and add water as needed.
Pomander Balls
4 thin skinned oranges
Whole cloves
_ wide ribbon
Orris root
Ground cinnamon
Prick the entire orange with a tooth pick and insert the stem end of the clove into each hole. Leave ribbon width bands without cloves so a ribbon maybe added. Stud the entire orange with the cloves. Roll the orange in a mixture of equal parts orris root and cinnamon. Place in a dark room for 3 – 4 weeks until the orange feels light. Add the ribbon and secure. This will remain fragrant for years.

Balsam Sachets Pillows
A great use of the balsam needles – this will remind you of Christmas long after the holidays have past.
After Christmas remove the needles from your balsam fir products. Allow them to air dry for a few weeks. Sew or purchase small decorative cloth bags . Fill with balsam fir needles finish off and with matching ribbon. . Enjoy!
Cinnamon Dough Ornaments
DO NOT EAT
1 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup thick apple sauce – store bought works best
Or any equal amounts of both ingredients depending on the quantity you need.
Mix together the cinnamon and applesauce with a spoon until the dough becomes stiff, then use your hands to form into a ball.
Put the ball of dough on a sheet of wax paper, flatten slightly.
Top with second sheet of wax paper and roll out until dough is 1/8 thick.
Use cookie cutters or templates to create ornaments – remember to make a small hole in the top for the attachment of a hanger.
Lift onto wax covered cookie sheets or cooling racks – allow to air dry for at least 24 hours until completely hard.
Attach a thin ribbon or ornament hook.
Tastes of the Holidays

Christmas Morning Cinnamon bread
This is a simple delicious recipe. Do not even try to calculate the calorie and fat grams as it is only Christmas Morning once a year, so enjoy!
2 cans refrigerated biscuits
_ cup butter melted
_ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 - Pre- heat oven 350degree – grease 12 cup fluted pan
2 – In a large bowl mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
3 – Separate biscuits and cut into quarters, toss into the sugar/cinnamon mixture and coat well.
4 – Arrange coated biscuits in pan
5 – Combine butter and brown sugar and pour over biscuits
6 – Bake for 24 – 30 minutes
7 – Cool for 10 minutes – then invert on to serving plate.
Gail’s Christmas Morning Hash Brown Casserole
2 Lbs. frozen hash browns (shredded – not the patties)thawed
1 can cream of chicken soup
16 oz sour cream
_ cup onions chopped
1 stick butter melted
2 cups graded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
Pre heat oven 350 degrees
Grease 9 X 13 pan Place hash brown evenly in bottom of pan, season with salt and pepper. In large bowl combine butter, onions, sour cream and soup. Pour over potatoes, sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 45 minutes.