Christmas Resources

An old fashioned country Christmas has a timeless appeal. No one knows that better than the folks at rustic-lodge-lifestyle.com so they’ve put together a few tips and ideas to share with you. Even if you don’t live in the country, you can still enjoy a rustic Christmas.

“Each of the activities described below can be enjoyed by young and old,” says Sandra Thornton. “And the joy and memories in creating them will last for years.”

 

Do-it yourself table centerpiece

 

A simple but elegant way to dress up your dining room table is to create a striking rustic Christmas centerpiece using readily available, natural materials. It’s really quite easy and doesn’t take long to do.

If you have evergreen trees or shrubs, you can cut some boughs. Look for some pinecones, berries on branches, and other natural materials. I simply went out into the forest to find my supplies. A shiny bobble or two, perhaps some red or gold ribbon, and some candles are all you need in addition to your natural materials. By artfully arranging these items you can create a visually appealing, fragrant, and very rustic looking centerpiece.

Note: be very cautious with candles. Make sure the flame is not close to the evergreen boughs or any other flammable materials. Make sure you always extinguish your candles before leaving the room! Your natural centerpiece should only be kept in the house for a few days…as the boughs dry out they will become very flammable and will start to lose their needles.

 

Pomander

 

Literally, apple of amber in French, a pomander is generally thought of as a mixture of aromatic substances. For our rustic Christmas ornament, we make a pomander out of an orange and cloves.

This is a good project to do with kids. I made my first one when I was 12. Now I enjoy making them with my grandchildren. It’s an easy project and you’ll love the results.

All you do is stick whole cloves into an orange until it is evenly covered all over. For best results use a needle or pin to pierce the orange skin so you don’t break the clove. The surface of your orange should be well covered - with less orange visible than cloves. As it dries, the cloves preserves the orange so it doesn’t rot and the aroma of the cloves and orange is wonderful! Tie it up in an attractive ribbon and hang it from a doorway, over a window, or on your Christmas tree. You can even give it as a gift. This delightful Christmas ornament will provide years of enjoyment.

 

Chistmas garlands

 

We love the look and feel of natural garlands. You can use evergreen boughs, crab apples, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, dried flowers, or any natural material you can think of.

A simple and rustic Christmas garland can be made from popcorn and fresh cranberries. Again, this is a fun project to do with kids!

Use heavy thread. You can also use thin fishing line but it really doesn’t need to be highly durable – you’ll throw it out when the holidays are over. You will need a needle large enough for heavy thread or line. Make your popcorn and set it aside to cool. Be sure to pop some to eat too! Small children will find the popcorn easier to work with than the cranberries.

You may want to create a repeating pattern - such as three berries and one piece of popcom - or you can choose to create a random string.

 

Harvest your own tree

 

Cutting down your own Christmas tree is the stuff of romance and memories! If you have land with evergreen trees, you may be able to harvest a tree from your own land. If not, you may be able to obtain permission from a nearby landowner, or find a location that allows tree cutting. You’ll need a small, but sharp, buck saw.

When heading out to get your tree, remember you have to come back the same distance, only you’ll be dragging a tree!

The first time we cut down our own tree, we were lucky enough to have access to family property. Our children were 10, 8, and five years old. It was a chilly day and there was a fair amount of snow. We found the perfect tree, cut it down, and hauled it back to the house. It’s surprising how much a tree can change size from the time you first find it outdoors to when you bring it into the house! So make sure your tree is the right size before you cut it down. Ours worked well - once the top was lopped off so it would fit in the house! Do you know we all still laugh and reminisce about that tree!

Real or artificial – which is better? Despite the convenience of an artificial tree, it may surprise you that a real tree is the “greener” choice. Artificial trees are made from non renewable petroleum products. What makes the real tree a better choice is that the manufacture and disposal of artificial trees is much harder on our environment. We encourage the planting of at least one tree, preferably several, to replace the one you harvest.

Ready for your rustic Christmas? Not everyone has the time or inclination to pursue the type of projects outlined above. If you find yourself running out of time, with just too much to do at this time of year, check out the rustic Christmas selection and ideas at Rustic-Lodge-Lifestyle.com.