Sore fingers and chilly toes aside, eight ladies appeared to be enjoying themselves bundled up inside a spacious garage in North Whidbey.

They gathered at the home of Gloria and Roger Morse this week to fulfill their role in what has become a long Oak Harbor Garden Club tradition ­— making holiday wreaths.

By week’s end, they were hoping to produce their goal of 400 wreaths, which they sell for $20 apiece. The money raised goes toward beautification projects around Oak Harbor.

“We have a lot of fun,” said René Callies, organizer of the  wreath-making project. “It’s a great time to get to know the members one-on-one.”

Callies called the project her passion but joked that she wasn’t sure if it was anybody else’s, since it involves standing in the cold and constantly clipping branches.

“Her passion bleeds into us,” Deb Fischer said.

The club, in its 91st year, has been making Christmas wreaths the first week of December as far back as anyone could remember.

The wreaths don’t last long. Repeat customers put in orders in advance. Members began delivering wreaths Friday and will continue through the weekend with any unsold wreaths landing at a member’s Oak Harbor home for pickup.

To order a wreath, or get on a list for next year, call 360-675-5723.

The wreaths are a product of about four days of collecting materials and at least five days of creation.

The process begins with gathering greens in forested areas around North and Central Whidbey in late November, including stops at old tree farms, to collect an assortment of fir branches and holly.

Then, starting Monday, the group sets up shop in the spacious Morse garage to begin creating the wreaths. Roger Morse makes room by moving a motorhome.

“Her husband donates his shed,” Dianne Fairbanks said.

“He got volun-told,” joked Gloria Morse, who is the club’s president.

Some of the greens were gathered from the grounds of member Carol Henry’s former tree farm as well as another old tree farm. Their holly sources are becoming scarce so they’ll be looking for more options next year.

“I’ve been with the garden club 10 years but the garden club has been making Christmas wreaths forever,” Gloria Morse said.

“It’s a lot of work,” Callies said. “It’s always the coldest part of the year. But we always get a lot of joy out of it.”