I'm dreaming of a natural Christmas - decorations inspired by nature

It’s that time of year again. THE time of year. The time of year when, inspired by the sight of your neighbours putting their tree up in November, you begrudgingly leave the sofa (even the notion) and venture up to the attic. While trying to get Santa down from the loft is arguably what really makes it Christmas, why not spend a relaxing afternoon crafting your own decorations using things you can find in nature?

Christmas wreath

Using a pair of secateurs, bend a strong wire into a circular shape. Then, slot pieces of moss into the wire, and tie it down using a zip tie. Next, gather together a selection of greenery – such as ivy and eucalyptus – and evenly distribute across the wreath. To secure them down, wrap wire around them, attaching it to the base.

Next, it’s time to decorate your wreath. Using berries, wild clematis, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks are popular choices. As with the previous step, secure with wire, or lodge them in.

Twig decorations

These decorations are very easy to make and require only a handful of materials – all you need is plenty of twigs, ribbon or string, and a hot glue gun. Simply cut your twigs into your desired length, arrange and glue down, tying the string at the top for you to hang them anywhere. Great shapes to make are stars and Christmas trees.

Pinecone centrepieces

Dinner guests will be impressed by this DIY table accessory. You will need:

- A floral oasis

- A choice of foliage (twigs and dried leaves work well, and of course the star of the show, several pinecones)

- A hot glue gun

- Metal wire

Simply attach the end of the metal wire to your foliage using the glue gun, and slot each piece into the floral oasis as desired. To add a bit of glitz to your centrepiece, paint your pinecones a rich gold colour.

Dried fruit ornaments

Dried fruit is a great cost-effective way to decorate in the seasonal spirit. Most fruits will work, but favourites include apples, pears, oranges, and lemons. All you need to do is thinly slice them, bake until dry and golden-brown, and once cooled, tie ribbon or string around them.

Nature baubles

For an aesthetic and quick Christmas decoration, buy a clear bauble with a removable top, and place seasonal greenery inside. Or, to add variation to your tree, place pieces of dried fruit into them. Popular plants to use include Wintergreen Boxwood and Winterberries.

String tinsel

While not technically a natural product, string tinsel is a fun decoration to add to your DIY checklist. A great way to incorporate nature into the design is to add pieces of holly among the string.

As the name suggests, all you need is a ball of string. If you’re feeling extra fancy, colour your string by soaking it in food colouring beforehand.

To make it, cut out a piece of string in your desired length and tie smaller pieces of string around it by creating a knot. The tighter the knots appear together, the more realistic it will look, however this can be quite fiddly, so patience is a must!