81-year-old Missouri woman makes dozens of Christmas wreaths from scratch

LANCASTER, Mo. (KTVO) — Everyone knows Santa needs a lot of help at Christmastime.

KTVO met a northeast Missouri elf in her 80s who makes dozens of wreaths from scratch every year during the holidays.

Inside a remote Santa's Workshop outside Lancaster, Luetta Barton, 81, spends hours each December creating beautiful homemade Christmas wreaths.

She and her husband run Birch Meadow Christmas Tree Farm.

Barton uses a specialized wire ring to shape the greenery into a circle. She begins by gathering the pre-cut pieces of Christmas tree limbs into little clusters.

Then, you lay those in the clamp, kind of fluff them up a little bit,” Barton said. “Then, I've got a pedal down here that clamps it."

She repeats the process, working her way around until the wreath is all filled out.

Barton's husband, Berkley, helps supply her with the greenery she needs to make her creations. He takes "Charlie Brown Christmas trees" from their tree farm and delivers them to her workshop.

We'll have trees that, yeah, they're ugly, and they're not going to make a Christmas tree,” Barton said. “He will mark them for wreath trees."

Barton then uses her nippers to cut the limbs to the right length and places them in a tub.

From start to finish, it takes her about an hour to make a wreath. Getting the greenery clamped into position is just the beginning.

I get the wreath made,” Barton said. “I pick my ribbon, and it's just like you go to the closet and pick out a shirt or a dress, then you have to pick the accessories to go with it."

And, don't forget the hot glue. Barton uses it to strategically fasten the pine cones into the perfect position on the wreaths. She said they're never naturally located where she wants them to be.

She also makes festive swags out of the greenery. She can make three of them in an hour.

Between wreaths and swags, Barton makes about a hundred each December.

By the time she's finished with her work, she's one tired elf.

Barton said the fresh wreaths can last for three to four months if you treat them right.

She recommended keeping them out of direct sunlight and never placing them between a glass storm door and an interior door.

And, if they get a little dry, she said just to mist them with some water.