How to Ship a Wreath: Complete Guide for Safe Delivery

To ship a wreath, secure every loose decoration with floral wire, wrap the wreath in bubble wrap, and pack it in a square box 4 to 6 inches wider than the wreath with cushioning above, below and around it so it cannot shift. Ship fresh evergreen wreaths early in the week with a 1–3 day service such as USPS Priority Mail, while artificial wreaths can go by USPS Ground Advantage or UPS Ground.

Wreaths are light but bulky, so the box size drives the price and the packing decides whether the wreath arrives full or flattened. This guide covers preparation, box sizing, carrier choice and the extra steps for fresh greenery.

How Do You Prepare a Wreath for Shipping?

Start by securing anything that could shift. Walk around the wreath and wire down loose ribbons, picks, pinecones and ornaments to the frame with floral wire or small zip ties, because tape alone will not hold through sorting.

• Remove tall decorations: take off bows, ornaments or picks that stick out more than about 2 inches, wrap them separately in bubble wrap and pack them in the same box.
• Fluff and shape: shape the greenery or artificial branches before wrapping, so the wreath holds its form.
• Wrap it: cover the wreath in one or two layers of bubble wrap, or in kraft paper first if the wreath has glitter or delicate dried flowers.
• Protect fresh stems: for fresh wreaths, see the moisture steps in the section on fresh wreaths below.

What Size Box Do You Need to Ship a Wreath?

Measure the wreath’s diameter at its widest point, including decorations, and add 4 to 6 inches. A 24-inch wreath needs a square box of about 28 to 30 inches. For depth, allow the wreath’s thickness plus about 4 inches of cushioning, which usually means a box 6 to 10 inches deep.

Purpose-made boxes make this easier, and our guide to wreath boxes for shipping compares the common sizes and styles. To check that a large box is within carrier limits, use our girth calculator for package measurements.

How Do You Pack a Wreath in the Box?

1. Bottom layer: add about 2 inches of air pillows, crumpled kraft paper or packing peanuts.
2. Center the wreath: lay the wrapped wreath flat with equal space on all sides.
3. Fill the middle: put loose decorations, wrapped, in the open center of the wreath, with extra fill around them.
4. Fill the corners: a round wreath leaves four empty corners, so pack them firmly.
5. Top layer: add another 2 inches of cushioning so the lid presses lightly on the fill, not on the wreath.
6. Shake test: close the box and shake it gently. Add fill until nothing moves.
7. Seal: tape the center seam and both edges with 2-inch packing tape, top and bottom, and mark the box “This Side Up.”

Air pillows are the best fill for most wreaths because they add almost no weight. For fresh wreaths, avoid packing material that holds moisture against the greenery.

Which Carrier and Service Should You Use to Ship a Wreath?

Choose by wreath type. A fresh wreath needs speed, so use USPS Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express, or a UPS air service. An artificial or dried wreath can take a ground service.

Because wreath boxes are big, prices vary a lot between carriers for the same box. You can compare live USPS and UPS rates for your wreath box in the ParcelPath rate calculator. ParcelPath is free to use, with no subscription or per-label fee, and gives up to 89% off USPS and up to 85% off UPS retail rates, plus free USPS pickups. Our roundup of the best shipping services and solutions compares other options.

How Does Box Size Affect the Cost of Shipping a Wreath?

Wreaths are billed by dimensional weight because the box is large and the wreath is light. USPS applies dimensional weight to packages over 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches), calculated as length x width x height divided by 139, and UPS applies it to every package.

A 24-inch wreath in a 28 x 28 x 8 inch box has a dimensional weight of about 46 pounds, even if the packed box weighs 3 pounds. Every inch you trim from the box saves billable weight, so pick the smallest box that still leaves cushioning space.

• Go shallow: a wide, shallow box can have less volume than a narrower, deeper one.
• Watch USPS nonstandard fees: USPS adds fees to packages longer than 22 inches, again above 30 inches, and above 2 cubic feet.
• Watch UPS Additional Handling: UPS adds it when the longest side is over 48 inches or the second-longest side is over 30 inches.
• Consider Flat Rate for small wreaths: the Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box (12 x 11-3/4 x 5-1/2 inches inside) fits a small wreath of about 10 inches at one price regardless of weight.

Our guide to shipping large boxes and dimensional weight shows the calculation step by step.

How Do You Ship a Fresh Wreath?

Fresh wreaths lose moisture in transit, which causes needle drop and browning, so speed and moisture control matter most. Ship Monday through Wednesday so the box is not stuck in a facility over the weekend.

• Hydrate first: mist the wreath and let the surface dry before packing, since standing water in a sealed box encourages mold.
• Add moisture away from the greenery: place a damp sponge or paper towel in a sealed plastic bag inside the box, not touching the wreath.
• Do not seal the wreath in plastic: fresh greenery needs some airflow, so use kraft paper and a loose layer of bubble wrap.
• Mark the box: “Perishable” or “Fresh Greenery” labels tell the recipient to open it quickly, though they do not guarantee special handling.
• Ship early in the holiday season: USPS and UPS publish holiday shipping deadlines each fall, and volumes peak in December.

A few states regulate fresh evergreen material coming from other states to keep out plant pests, and California and Hawaii inspect incoming plant material. Check the destination state’s agriculture department rules before shipping fresh greenery. For greenery and food gifts shipped together, our guide on how to ship perishables and food covers cold-weather and heat precautions, and our roundup of cold shipping boxes helps in warm climates.

Can You Ship a Wreath Internationally?

Artificial wreaths generally ship internationally without trouble, but fresh wreaths are often restricted or prohibited because of plant quarantine rules. Many countries require a phytosanitary certificate for fresh plant material, which USDA APHIS issues for U.S. exports.

• Describe it precisely: on the customs form, write “artificial decorative wreath, plastic and wire” rather than “decoration” or “gift.”
• Declare real plant parts: pinecones, dried flowers or preserved leaves on an artificial wreath can still trigger agricultural inspection.
• Remove batteries: take batteries out of lit wreaths when possible, since carriers restrict lithium batteries in international mail.
• Check the destination: look up the country’s prohibitions in the USPS International Mail Manual before you ship.

How Should Businesses Ship Wreaths in Volume?

Holiday wreath sellers ship most orders in a few weeks, so preparation matters more than any single packing trick. Standardize two or three box sizes, write a packing checklist covering wiring, wrapping, cushioning and the shake test, and photograph each packed wreath before sealing it as evidence for any damage claim.

• Order supplies early: stock boxes and fill before November, when demand peaks.
• Insure valuable wreaths: USPS Priority Mail and Ground Advantage include up to $100 of insurance, UPS includes up to $100 of declared value, and ParcelPath offers Shipsurance coverage for more.
• Use pickups: scheduled USPS pickups save trips to the counter during peak season.
• Move bulk stock as freight: sending pallets of wreaths to a store or market is cheaper as LTL freight than as many parcels, and our guide to LTL freight and logistics explains how it works. ParcelPath ships LTL through PalletPath.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you ship a wreath in a regular cardboard box?

Yes. A sturdy single-wall corrugated box works for lightweight artificial wreaths up to about 22 inches, while heavier, larger or heavily decorated wreaths need a double-wall box so the sides do not crush. The box should be 4 to 6 inches wider than the wreath, so a 24-inch wreath needs a box of about 28 to 30 inches square.

How long does a fresh wreath last in shipping?

A well-hydrated fresh evergreen wreath usually holds up for two to three days in transit when it is packed with a bagged moisture source and some airflow. That is why a 1–3 day service such as USPS Priority Mail is the safest choice. Ship early in the week, and ask the recipient to unpack and mist it as soon as it arrives.

What is the largest wreath you can ship by USPS?

USPS Priority Mail accepts boxes up to 108 inches in combined length and girth, and Ground Advantage up to 130 inches, with a 70-pound weight limit. A 36-inch wreath in a 40 x 40 x 10 inch box measures 140 inches, which is too large for USPS. UPS accepts up to 165 inches, though Additional Handling applies above 48 inches.

Should you remove ornaments before shipping a wreath?

Remove ornaments and picks that stick out more than about 2 inches or are not firmly wired on. Wrap each one in bubble wrap and pack it inside the wreath’s open center in the same box, surrounded by fill. Wire down everything that stays on the wreath, since glue and tape often let go during handling.

Sources

• USPS: Priority Mail (delivery estimate, size limits, Flat Rate boxes)
• USPS: Ground Advantage (dimensional weight and nonstandard fees)
• USPS: Priority Mail Express
• UPS: Dimensional weight
• UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service (size and weight limits)
• USDA APHIS: Plant Health

Wreaths are one of many seasonal items covered in our complete how to ship guide.

Part of our How to Ship Art guide. Related: How to Ship Watercolor Paintings, How to Ship Framed Artwork, How to Ship Art Prints.