Presenting this year’s slightly shonky last minute Christmas wreath for the door, made last night and this morning…

It starts, as is traditional with these things, with a wire coathanger bent into a circle.

My method for doing this, requiring no skill or expertise at all, is to hold the hangy bit and then stick my foot through and stomp on the flat bit to stretch it into shape. This is followed by some more bending by foot and hand until it’s roughly circular. (This is good for getting out pre-Christmas stress.) It is then wrapped in tinsel, which is tied/sellotaped/held on by wishful thinking.

Next come the strings of coloured reindeer bells. They came from Tesco years ago, cost the princely sum of £2, and for some reason a whole bunch of my friends ended up with them. (Maybe I used them as present ties?) Anyway, whenever I look at them, I think of my very good friends and smile. They are also just wrapped around the tinsel-covered hanger and tied any old how. They give a jolly jingle when the door is opened or closed.

This year’s new addition is the pompoms, after my pompomania was kickstarted when I was having a bad day, and fuelled by helping out with a charity world record. Pompoms are colourful and fluffy and make me happy, so on they go in festive colours.

For the lights, I have a battery-powered, red, flashing LED string, that is survivor from Santacon back in 2007, which also brings back some fun times and good memories of a friend, now sadly gone.

The white paper stars that cover some of the lights are from a defunct set of fairylights bought for me years ago by my sister when I moved house yet again. I ditched the broken electronics but kept the paper stars, and now I’ve found a good use for them. I pierced holes in the backs of the stars to tie them on, and poked the LED bulbs inside.  The light string is also tied on with yarn from the pompoms.

I learned to make crochet hearts (adapted from this pattern by Bunny Mummy) for the #AHEART4LDN campaign back in June. I made a bunch in Christmas colours, so one got nabbed for the wreath’s centre.

Finally, all the left over decos that won’t fit on the tree are added (by – surprise – tying them on with more yarn), and that’s it!

It might be a bit wonky and uneven, and partly made of leftover, recycled and half-broken things, but for me it’s full of memories of friends, family, and crafting. And sometimes it is fun to play and throw something together without worrying. Honestly, it took me way longer to find gifs and figure out how to get my video from my camera to here than to make the wreath. Here it is in action.

Wishing you all a fun, crafty and relaxing Winter Solstice holiday! May 2018 bring us all new hope, inspiration and energy.

Love,

Zola

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