Christmas Eve this year falls on Monday so it is the ideal time to share a vase with you all and to wish you a very Happy Christmas; with all the troubles in the world what I really wish for each and every one of you is a peaceful serene Christmas that you can enjoy in whatever way makes you happiest.
Cathy today has shown us a jar filled with berries from her garden; this year due to our remarkably wet summer many of the shrubs that should produce berries have done so in abundance. The shrub that has given me the most berries to use in vases and decorations for myself and also in gifts for other has been the Cotoneaster; I love the warm orange colour but more than that I love the abundance of these berries.
For my garden loving friends this year I made vases with candles as small Christmas gifts and hosted our Christmas aperitvo which was upgraded to a Pizza supper where we were able to exchange gifts and begin the Christmas festivities together. Some were with family across the world but with the wonder on technology they were able to share in our party via WhatsApp.
An example of my Christmas gifts
The vases contained Cotoneaster and Christmas tree foliage; I fitted wet Oasis wrapped in cling film into the top of the vase and then added a candle and evergreen foliage and various fir cones.
I added further a further vase to my decorations.
and for me, my large rectangular vases filled with star lights and gold balls and then topped with foliage and candles
I have so enjoyed the abundance of foliage to pick in the garden this year
Yesterday was a wonderfully warm and sunny day here so I was able to cut down the now blackened Dahlias and heavily mulch so they should be snug and warm through the winter.
With my very best wishes to you all.
Christina
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 
These are gorgeous and so festive, Christina. Happy Christmas to you and yours!
Thank you Eliza. Do you have thick snow for Christmas?
We had torrential rain on Friday that melted most of our snow. There are only a few patches left here and there in shady parts. We had a few flurries this morning, but it looks like it won’t be a white Christmas this year.
We might have snow at New Year but Christmas Day is forecast to be sunny all day.
You have been creative with your Christmas arrangements Christina. What a lovely idea making your glass vase sparkle like that. A very happy Christmas to you both.
I’ve been looking for inspiration on YouTube, but I think using evergreens from my garden makes them much better!
Lovely. Thanks, and to you too. xx
Thank you.
Beautiful! I love the arrangement topping the container filled with lights – it’s brilliant in more ways than one. Best wishes for a merry Christmas, Christina. I’m glad to hear that Mother Nature provided the warmth necessary to complete your remaining garden chores in preparation for winter. Now, if she could just see her way clear to deliver a little more rain in my part of the world…
After a year with far more rain than we’ve ever experienced here in Italy in 15 years, I can attest that adequate water makes so much difference to all the plants. I sincerely hope that you have more rain in 2019, Kris. A very happy Christmas to you and your husband.
Oh I love that chunky festive vase filled with shining stars and decked with greenery and candles Christina. Wishing you a most Happy Christmas! xxx
Thank you, Christmas allows us to enjoy a little sparkle that we might feel is too much at any other time of year.
Merry Christmas!
I love the candle vases, you have lucky friends. Your Dahlias are snug and mine are growing. Fingers crossed for flowers. Happy Christmas, Christina or Buon Natale.
Thank you. I hope you have a lovely Christmas.
What a lovely gift to give and receive, and what a great result you have
Oops, hadn’t finished! Great result from using all your different resources to such good effect. Now relax and enjoy a festive break
I have to say that making the vases was a really happy beginning to the Christmas festivities. I think the vases for myself are the best I’ve ever done. Creating a vase each Monday has really made me more creative and experimental than I’ve ever been before with flowers. That to a large extent is due to your meme
It’s great to know that you feel your skills are blossoming along with your vases. Looking back, I can see that most of earlier vases were very simple and even though I feel I rarely ‘arrange’ the contents of them these days I think I probably do to some extent but without really thinking about it. After all, I have put together so many over the years I must be at least a little more expereinced than before!
Christina Merry Christmas! Have been from Saturday to this morning my brother and his wife who live on the island of Mallorca with us spending Christmas Eve and Christmas, and I have not had a free moment. As a priest friend told me: “Christmas does not end until January 6 when the Three Wise Men of the East did not visit the Child Jesus in Bethlehem and adored him and gave him gold, incense and myrrh.” That’s why Christmas continues. Your two vases are magnificent gifts for your friends, I love them. The one with the red candles and the vase is full of lights and golden balls with all the vegetation and berries that it has must be sublime on: it is a wonder, you have captured the Christmas love with your arrangement. I’m glad you had a great time dining with your physical friends and through the whashap. Thank you very much for your Christmas greeting. I wish you a Christmas full of love and peace with your husband and yours. Merry Christmas! Greetings from Margarita.
Thank you Margarita, I hope you’ve had a happy family Christmas and I wish you peace and good health for 2019
Happy holidays Christina!
The arrangements look so lush and full. You really have a nice range of evergreen material to chose from, it’s also fun you were able to try a few new things this year.
These are lovely and so festive. Hope that you are having a wonderful Christmas break.
I have only seen your lovely Christmas vases today when I can get to a toddler free computer. I like the vase full of lights- I have the same ones ,and will try that here for New Year.
It works really well and is very simple.
Sorry I missed this kast week, and hope you had a lovely Christmas Christina. Love all these decorations with your glossy foliage!