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make a natural Christmas wreath

If you look closely, nature’s full of free festive decorations. Collect your favourites and turn them into a wreath to get visitors in the Christmas mood.

you'll need

some thin, bendy branches

leaves, foliage and any other decorations you like

wire or string

a ribbon

Step

Hunt for five to ten thin, bendy branches, each around 1m long.

Step

Gather loose leaves, sprigs, firs and pinecones you like the look of.

Step

Pull most of the leaves off the branches. You can leave a few for decoration.

Step

Bend one of the branches into a circle to make your base, leaving quite long ends. Wrap the ends around the circle again, weaving them in and out and then tucking them in.

Step

Wrap two or three more branches around your circle, weaving them in and out as you go until you have a nice sturdy base.

Step

Choose your decorations and give them a little trim if they need it. Then tuck the decorations into the base so they’re all facing the same way. You can attach bundles of foliage by tying little bouquets together, then attaching them to the base with string or wire. Make sure they’re facing the same way too.

Step

For the finishing touch, tie your ribbon onto the wreath in a bow. Then hang it with some string, stand back and admire your creation.

outside our drinks

stuff to do this autumn

Autumn is the chilly opposite of spring, so get your sweaters on standby and have a go at some of these hand-picked activities.

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