The Kissing Ball is a lovely time honored tradition. It dates back to the eighteenth-century English and was made of mistletoe. The use of mistletoe dates back even further to the ancient Celtic Druids. Over time, the Kissing Ball has become a lovely decoration used for all occasions. You can find them anytime of the year decorated for the season or that special day, like a wedding. I have made these covered in daisies for little flower girls to carry in weddings. For this post I will be making one for Christmas, 'Tis the Season!



I can make a very easy one by buying a kissing ball already made of silk greens and just adding decorations to it, or from scratch so to speak, starting from the base. I chose to make it from scratch. That way I can truly say, "I made this all by myself," which gives me a sense of pride. It makes me feel good to know others are enjoying the things I make for them. I love to see the joy that a simple handmade item can bring someone. This particular Kissing Ball is going to be a gift for a friend of mine from England. I think she will enjoy having one here in the States. I hope it makes her feel at home.

Kissing Ball Supplies

1 Styrofoam Ball (4" in diameter. Chose the size of your Styrofoam ball carefully. They get big fast.)

Spanish moss

Greening pins

Evergreens (silk)

Christmas floral bush

Berries

Ribbon

Tools:

Glue gun

Spool wire

Scissors

Wire cutters

I was going to use natural florals for this project; but since I decided to give it as a gift, I don't want it to dry up and fall apart on her. To begin, gather up your supplies. We will be using a Styrofoam ball as a base, Spanish moss, various silk Christmas greens, ribbon, floral picks, and berries.

A tip to make it easier to handle is to place your ball in a glass or mug to hold it steady.This will keep it from rolling away from you so you can work on it. I cheat. After the ribbon is attached, I tie it to my bakers rack where it can hang while I decorate it.

First step is to make a loop of ribbon to be attached at the top of your ball. I like to glue it in and use the floral pins also, to make sure it is secure enough for hanging. After you add all your decorations, the ball does tend to have some weight to it. You don't want it to come off after you finish all that work.

Next step is to cover the ball in Spanish moss. Secure the moss in place using the pins. If you cover it in hot glue, it is next to impossible to stick anything in it when decorating because the glue gets very hard once it cools.

Begin adding your greens, spacing out the different types to cover the ball evenly. You don't need to cover it completely because you are still going to decorate this. You can make it completely round with every piece being the same length, or make it a little more stylish with different lengths of greens. I go a little more stylish. After you add all your greens, hang the ball up and make sure it hangs correctly and it has the look you want.

When finished adding your greens, you can begin to decorate your ball. If you are adding a bow, save that for last. It usually gets messed up and dirty from handling. Add your decorations one item at a time, placing them evenly throughout. This will ensure symmetrical placement of the items, and the ball will look fabulous when done.

After adding all your decorations to the ball, hang it again, making sure everything is balanced. If so, then you are finished. See. Easy. And you did it all by yourself. Way to go! Enjoy!

Check out the different steps below.