DECK the HALLS with BOUGHS of HOLLY
PAPER AND TREE DECORATIONS, Shropshire
Busy your hands making simple but striking Christmas decorations that will be personal to you and will evoke memories when you get them out of the box the following year.
In Shrewsbury town centre, the Hive venue has classes showing how to make delicate winter pom-poms to string about a room and on making tree decorations that children can put together under the watchful eye of local artists. Anyone looking for a different style of decoration can sign up to create paper snow birds too, the crafting of which is like folding origami but with pleated fans and a twist. Dec 4, 11, 18 & 19; £5; hiveonline.org.uk
QUILTED STOCKING MAKING, Gloucestershire
Come Christmas Eve, soft stockings that are roomy enough to be stuffed with treats are a gorgeous and – some would say – essential accessory for the fireplace. If you don’t have one that you love yet, or if you fancy giving one as a gift, the Harmony Quilt Company in Chipping Sodbury can help. Participants can bring their own festive fabric or they will be provided with some, so they can sew together stockings with guidance from experts in a bespoke quilting studio. Patterns and wadding are provided and the experience lasts for six hours. Various dates; £75; yuup.co
MACRAME WREATH MAKING, Southampton
Get on board with the recent trend of macrame and give the traditional practice of wreath making a makeover while you are at it. Classes on macrame wreath making are being held in Southampton City Art Gallery and the knotted designs, which combine with a willow wreath, will make your festive door stand out. Other workshops being held in the run-up to the big day
include wire reindeer making, the decorating of hessian sacks used to hold presents and Christmas card making, whereby a set of six cards can be made using a range of mixed media and printing techniques.
Various dates; from £7; southamptoncityartgallery.com
TRADITIONAL WREATH MAKING, Bath
Originally woven from the excess limbs of a Christmas tree, a festive wreath is a beautiful way to welcome guests into the home. And they are easier to make than you might think. Those looking to master the skill should book a slot at a wreath-making workshop, such as those running at Flowers of Bath, a florist in Bath. Owner Ella can advise on threading a wreath from traditional foliage, or has DIY wreath-making kits to send out. The quiet focus required to create a wreath is the perfect way to work a little mindfulness into a hectic, preChristmas schedule.
Various dates in Dec; £70 for two hours
flowersofbath.co.uk
For those of you who cannot make it to a live class, Waitrose is offering a ‘make your own wreath’ kit, available to purchase at waitroseflorist.com