Deck the halls

So it is officially the Yuletide season around these parts.  December has begun and the snow is falling; time to get the decorations up!

With a little help from the beans (though not too much because while I am a cool and groovy type in most areas, when it comes to my tree I am a total fascist!) we started the decorating process this weekend.  As well as our traditional decorations of tinsel and baubles I decided to add some more natural, home made decorations.  As ever I was inspired by Gardenmama, particularly her posts about the American Thanksgiving and making beeswax decorations.

The scent of the oranges was so refreshing as I poked each spicy clove through the skin.  My tip for easy decorating of oranges, make the hole with a sharp pencil first then pop in the clove.  Pushing the clove through the skin leads to ouchy fingers as I can testify!

The beeswax ornaments were made using festive chocolate moulds that belonged to my mum, I used local beeswax that I happened to have lying around the place (yes I am that cool) and some embroidery floss to hang them.  They are so sweet and smell wonderful, I’ll definitely be adding more of these to the tree as the yuletide continues.  If you don’t feel like making them yourself you can buy beautiful hand made ornaments here.

As we don’t only celebrate Christmas round here we have some slightly unusual decorations on our tree.

These velvet fruits symbolise the true meaning of the Solstice, a celebration of the years fruitfulness and a hope for future fecundity.  I love their richness, hinting at the decadence of summer and the harvest to come.  The sun is reborn at the Solstice, ‘dying’ on Solstice Eve and reborn the next day to light up a new year.   We were particularly fruitful this year as our lovely Neirin came happily into the world, born in our bedroom into joy and celebration.

And finally my bird of paradise.  When I was 10 my sister and I spied a robin ornament in a hardware shop, I remember it was a big deal because my mum bought it for us there and then.  It graced the tree for the years that followed so it seemed natural to have my own bird when Stephen and I were establishing our own Christmas traditions.  Here she is, 10 years later, still nesting comfortably and watching over our expanding family.

So with my tree all decked with miniature golden suns, shining fruits and of course a star on top I can sit back and contemplate all that this year has brought us.

And hopefully what the next year will bring.