Christmas Preparations

Well Christmas is nearly here and at the moment I am feeling organised, but I'm sure that will all change on Christmas Eve! :)  I managed to get all of my gift shopping completed in two trips, one of which was to Winchester which always looks so pretty at this time of year and has the added attraction of the Christmas market held in the cathedral grounds.

I decided to make a new wreath for our front door, so my husband and I went for a walk in our favourite woods and foraged for material to make a wreath.  It was a very peaceful afternoon walk as the sun hung low in the sky.

I made the wreath base from old honeysuckle vines whilst in the woodland and wired together bunches of fir ready for decorating the wreath at home.

Back at home I assembled the wreath with the foraged materials.

The Christmas trees are up and decorated indoors. For the main tree I have used the same decorations as last year.

For my vintage tree in the kitchen I have dried some orange slices to hang on it along with some copper cookie cutters.

There is mistletoe hanging in the hallway.

We are lucky to have this growing on a tree at our old allotment.

I have also put up lights around the patio.

All the presents are wrapped and under the tree.

Of course there has also been some baking going on ready for Christmas, although I still have a lot to do, including decorating the cake that I baked back in October.

I also made my mincemeat a while ago and recently used it to bake the mince pies, which I have popped into the freezer to keep for Christmas.

There has also been regular baking going on, which has had a festive twist.

Gingerbread muffins

and a coconut yogurt cake that I decorated with a lime glaze and sugar snowflakes.

Hopefully that will keep my family going until Christmas! :)