Natural Trimmings
Shopping in your own backyard is one opportunity for great Christmas decorations. From evergreen branches and cones to berries and the seedpods of architectural plants such as purple coneflower and poppies, there’s a hidden wealth of décor ideas out there to decorate windowsills, fireplace mantels, or other appropriate places in your home.
If your garden won’t provide what you need, check out other sources: Christmas-tree lots often sell branches and boughs, while craft stores may offer holly, cones, and even dried berries. Be very cautious about gathering items from parks or wild areas: Removing natural items from many areas is prohibited, so check and follow the rules—and never disturb anyone’s private property.
Stock up on that traditional Christmas plant, the poinsettia, in the shades that you love most: bright red, pink, and even white. Place them anywhere or everywhere! Try using the rule of threes for best effect: Grouping three plants together rather than positioning them by themselves can create an impressive display. And don’t forget a sprig of mistletoe in a handy doorway (this might be a good time to go artificial, however, as natural mistletoe can be quite challenging to obtain).
Holiday Helper
If your evergreens have been outside in freezing temperatures, give them at least overnight to warm up before you start working with them. Be sure to wear old clothes while handling them-their sticky resin comes off your hands readily with soap and water, but it can stain clothes.
Drying Fruit Slices
Drying slices of fruit, such as apples, lemons, and oranges, fills your home with a seasonal scent and leaves you with long-lasting ornaments for decorating wreaths, swags, and other natural arrangements. Cut fruit into slices about one-quarter-inch thick, and bake in a single layer at 300°F for about six hours: Watch carefully, to ensure they don’t crisp up.
Sugaring Fruit
Sugaring fruit lends a translucent quality to the brilliant reds, golds, and greens of apples, lemons, oranges, and other brightly colored fruits, making them a lovely addition to wreaths and centerpiece arrangements. Either dip the whole fruit into, or brush them with, a lightly beaten egg white, then roll in fine sugar and let dry.
Remember safety: Uncooked egg white can carry salmonella, so wash your hands and utensils well. As with other natural materials, including berries, keep your decorations out of reach of pets and children—and keep in mind that this fruit can’t be eaten later.
Evergreen Chair Swag
Any surface is game for decorating, even the backs of dining room or kitchen chairs! To make an evergreen swag, tie a couple of cedar boughs together at one end (it often looks best if the boughs reach from the top of the chair back to the chair seat). Tie a ribbon around that end, leaving enough ribbon to tie the swag to the chair back. Tie another length of ribbon in the same place, to create a big bow, and use glue or wire to add cones, fruit slices, berries, or cinnamon sticks just below the ribbon.
Yule Log Centerpiece
All you need for this fast, easy centerpiece is a small log (a piece of firewood with its bark still on might be just the ticket, but because of the glue, don’t burn it later) and some decorations: greenery, cones, berries, fruit slices, or cinnamon sticks. Start by gluing the greenery to the log. Different textures and shades of green look great together, while holly berries add lovely color. Then glue cones, fruit, or cinnamon sticks in place: You’re done!
