West Berkshire & North Hampshire

Whereas some of us go a little crazy with Christmas, tying tinsel to every banister, decorations hanging from the ceiling and lights covering the outside of your home, many of us prefer real ‘trimmings’ wherever possible.

There is nothing more special than a family day out collecting pine cones and seed heads, then returning to the garden to cut long lengths of Ivy to wrap around the spindles on the staircase whilst humming “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly”. The word ‘deck’ in the title is of course referring to the verb meaning ‘adorn’ and entered the language from the Dutch word ‘dekken’, meaning ‘to cover’.

Both Holly and Ivy will last a week or so without water when cut and brought into the house (longer still if its cooler), but other foliage will require some moisture.

The easiest way to make your own table decoration is to take an old 6 inch terracotta pot and squash a wetted piece of green oasis inside. Place a church candle centrally and add in cut pieces of Holly, Ivy and other evergreen leaves, as well as berries such as Holly and Cotoneaster. You can even add in pine cones (scented with a few drops of festive scented oil) or push in a couple of Cinnamon sticks. Do make sure you place it on a level saucer or similar, keep it moist and don’t let the candle burn too low (remembering never to leave a lit candle unattended).

Other festive ideas to do this month:

• Use excess trimmings from the Christmas tree to make a wreath 
• Plant up a colourful festive pot for outside your front door, and why not add some battery operated lights
• Ensure your Poinsettia is placed out of cold draughts