By Debbie Norford-Jones
Here in the Algarve, we might not have Frosty the Snowman – in fact, we often celebrate Christmas with the sun shining – however, for many it’s still the most wonderful time of the year. Unfortunately, it’s not the most environmentally friendly.
Rather than going out shopping to buy your Christmas decorations, we could think about what we have on hand and make our own decorations this year. Make memories with your children or grandchildren or just get creative. These decorations can be recycled year after year and added to:
Dried orange slice garlands make your house look and smell amazing!
Salt dough star garlands – or single stars – sprayed, gold-threaded and hung on your tree.
Clear wine bottle candle holders with green foliage, and small led lights inside.
Swags for your fireplace, using greenery from your garden, or go foraging on walks. Add a few pine cones and spray gold and candles.
Wreaths or table centrepieces – again forage for greenery (there are plenty of pine trees, cones, eucalyptus and ivy in the Algarve), use ribbons, and add any baubles you may have.
Make your own wrapping paper – use brown paper and twine, add stickers, or make a potato stencil and paint, then put onto the brown paper. This is 100% recyclable, whereas much of the shop-bought paper is not recyclable due to the processes and dyes used.
No home is complete without a Christmas tree. Rather than buying an expensive plastic tree, buy a small tree with a root ball that can be planted in the garden afterwards and used for future years. If space is an issue, a tall glass vase with a few sprays of eucalyptus and pine branches is a very stylish alternative.
Visit Monsoon Room Facebook page for further ideas on how to make the decorations mentioned, or contact us if you need help styling your home, or making it cosy for Christmas and winter.
