Christmas Resources

Christmas wreaths
Christmas wreaths using holly or other evergreen material (ivy or conifers) could be used for the front door or as flat table decorations. To make the wreath more interesting stick or wire on pine cones or dried chillies (either natural or sprayed gold or silver). A cool-melt glue gun is ideal for sticking on pine cones.

Swags
Make swags from natural materials to place across the mantelpiece. Again using evergreen material and stick on pine cones (natural or sprayed).

Christmas cards
Make your own Christmas cards using pressed leaves and flowers. The leaves can be collected in the autumn and then left between layers of newspapers, weighted down, for a couple of weeks until dry.

Wrapping paper
Make your own wrapping paper. (Not necessarily just a Christmas idea). Use wallpaper lining paper. Collect leaves and using sponges paint around leaves (using the leaf as a ‘negative stencil’). Then with a different colour use a sponge to paint the leaf and then press the leaf onto the space on the paper so that you get an imprint of the leaf. Make matching labels to go with the paper.

Seed head decorations
Use seed heads as decorations around your home. For example teasels, alliums (particularly Allium cristophii), Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist), poppies and Lunaria annua (honesty). Again some of these look great sprayed gold.

Christmas tree
Make your very own Christmas trees. Collect leaves (and press them), acorns, pine cones and beech-nuts. Again spray or leave natural. Attach pieces of gold thread bought from haberdashery shops. Hang from small tree branches that have broken off in the wind. Stand the branches in a pot filled with sand or gravel. Branches of Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ (corkscrew hazel) are particularly effective. You could also construct a ‘tree’ using bamboo canes or hazel canes tied together with raffia.

Table decorations
Use terracotta pots. Decorate on the outside with leaves and seed heads. Place a piece of oasis inside the pot (you can buy circular oasis, which is just the right size for some pots). Add a candle in the middle and then again use seed heads for decoration.

Natural tree decorations
• For more natural decorations use slices of dried oranges. Dry the slices in the oven at its lowest temperature overnight or in a microwave.
• Cinnamon sticks also look great.
• If you use raffia to tie them onto the tree you have a completely natural look.
• Also use pine cones, acorns or beech nuts as above.

Orange pomanders
Slit the skins of the oranges. Add cloves in a design of your own choice. Skewer the oranges and then rest the skewers on the edges of roasting pans. Leave in the oven on 110oC/225oF/ Gas mark ¼ for up to 12 hours. For a natural look attach to the tree with raffia.

Reference
An excellent book A walk in the country: Natural displays and creations for every season. By Tessa Evelegh. Published by Lorenz Books.