How to Make a Festive Swag

One of the best things about this time of year - apart from the food of course - is surely seasonal decorating. At such a dark time of year, the excuse to deck the halls and cover every surface with fairy lights and embrace a cosy crafternoon is very welcome indeed. Making decorations at Christmas has been a tradition for centuries. In Medieval times, evergreen boughs were hung from the ceiling and decorated with seasonal fruit. And many of our most popular Christmas crafts originate with the Victorians: from Christmas crackers to tree ornaments to wreaths.

No matter what the finished product looks like, it’s the act of making itself – and making memories – that is the most important. Those wonky homemade decorations are all the more precious for their associations. So boil the kettle and pull up a chair, and make an event of a Christmas evening spent crafting.

If you don’t have space for a tree in your house – and trust me, I’ve been there (still there!) – then making a festive swag is a great alternative. It will bring the seasonal scent of fir into your home and requires minimal investment but offers instant Christmas spirit. Offcuts of branches can be sourced locally from florists, while you can decorate the swag with whatever you have to hand – ribbons and bells are particularly effective. Here’s a step by step video, followed by the written instructions.

You will need:

Two medium-sized fir branches (I sourced mine from Travelling Basket in Edinburgh but you could forage some - with permission of course)

Florist’s wire (from any good florist - it lasts for years)

A long piece of thick ribbon (this one was from my ribbon drawer, every home should have one…!)

Several smaller pieces of ribbon, to decorate (mine is from The Natural Dyeworks)

Bells or other decorations – whatever you have to hand (mine are from Etsy a few years ago).

1)    Lay one branch slightly on top of the other to create fulness in your swag. Play around until the branches overlap and provide depth. Secure in place with a small piece of wire at both ends and in the middle.

2)    Attach the long piece of ribbon at either end with a knot. Hold it up and see where the weight falls, arranging your knot so that the centre of gravity is even.

3)    Decorate your branch with ribbon offcuts. You could thread them through a small bell or bauble, or even gathered pinecones or collected vintage baubles. Arrange in odd numbers for the best effect.

I’m going to share a simple craft project here each month - do let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see!