Dear reader...
EVERYONE HAS THEIR own idea of when Christmas starts. For me it is the day the tree goes up, and the box of decorations comes down from the loft. Many of mine have been in the family for decades. Because of this, quite a few are starting to show their age, with bits missing, paint scarred and generally past their best. But all contain happy memories of past Christmases, so each one still finds its honoured place on the tree. Of course, this melange of decorations means that there is no chance of adopting a colour theme for my tree. However, I am happy with the fact that this is the one time of year when a certain amount of gaudiness is permissible. I admire colour co-ordinated trees in other people’s homes, but for me sentimentality wins every time. To add to the mix, I am also planning to make some of the ribbon trees in this issue of the magazine. I think these will fit well into my multi-coloured extravaganza. And who knows, they may become heirlooms of the future, much loved even when the ribbons are frayed and worn. The rest of the house will be filled with decorations from the garden – branches of beautifully scented juniper and pine intertwined with berry-laden holly and cotoneaster. I may even make the kissing bough in this issue as a welcoming centrepiece for the hall. I have never seen one before, but it is a lovely idea, and it may start a new tradition.