There’s a particular joy that comes with DIYing your Christmas decorations. There is simply nothing better than taking time to slow down, and create something with your hands. No matter the outcome, the process is mediative and playful, allowing the nervous system to relax after a busy year. With the holidays just around the corner, we’ve been gathering with friends to DIY some decorative pieces for our Christmas set ups.
We’re sharing our two favourite projects, both are sustainable and easy to create. Flowers and nature are two ongoing sources of inspiration at Wandering Folk. Imagine how excited we were to stumble across decorative ice buckets that are literally ice, fruit and flowers. How aesthetic and functional. We swooned over the example below, and decided to create a fruit filled summery ice bucket of our own to house our Christmas rose.
What to do with the bottle of rose once all your guests have left? We have been creating little centrepieces filled with foliage or dried flowers, drawing inspiration from the image here. Earthy, natural and classic, we love this idea so much. Rest assured all our outdoor settings will be lit up this Christmas!
For the ice bucket project, you will need:
Fruit, flowers and/or foliage
2 litre plastic water bottle
Round tall Tupperware container
Scissors
Stones
Freezer
A cool beverage
Wandering Folk glassware to serve
To begin, chop up all your fruit, flowers, or foliage. Use this as an opportunity to get creative. You could use just one big leaf, many flowers or simply a bunch of red berries. We saw one beautiful example utilising one single large monstera leaf. Get your 2 litre plastic water bottle and cut the top off. Make sure to cut the bottle to the height of your freezer! Place the tupperware container in the centre of the empty bottle and weigh it down with stones. Pour water into the cavity around the container until it is about two thirds full. Arrange your flowers, fruit or foliage in the water. Don’t worry if it floats or sinks - it’s all part of the creative process! Place the bucket carefully in the freezer and leave overnight. Once frozen, take your bucket out of the freezer and remove the tupperware container. Cut off the plastic bottle. You can now add your bottle of wine or champagne to the ice bucket to keep it chilled.
For the centrepiece project, you will need:
A small glass jar or vase
Dried flowers or foliage
Candles
Wandering Folk Rug for the table
To create the centrepiece, simply fill your empty wine bottle with dried flowers or foliage. Choose your adventure - we decided to use dried white flowers but we think the result would have been better with leaves or larger blooms. Place a candle in the neck of the bottle. Light the candle and place the bottle on your dining table or outdoor setting. The candlelight will create a warm and cozy atmosphere, while the dried flowers or foliage add a natural touch.
DIYing is a simple way to access the flow state and indulge in some relaxation this Christmas. Give yourself permission to release expectations and simply appreciate working with what nature has to offer. This is your time off to play and have fun. Enjoy creating with friends and family, and have a joyful holiday season.
