The December Edition
A special 12 Willow Loves, bumper gift guide, the easiest emergency canapé & 10 tips for festive tablescapes...
(please note - this is a long edition, please read in app or web if email cuts off)
Welcome to our December edition of The Seedling!
It’s December 1st, we’ve made it. Ok, well not yet, but we’re on the Christmas countdown. I know how busy we all are this time of year so in this edition we try to keep it short and helpful - a bumper gift guide, the easiest throw-together canapé, 10 tips for festive tablescapes, ideas on how to spend the month in comfort and joy without burning out before the big day; along with my ultimate dreamy Christmas ‘Willow Loves’ wishlist…
Happy December!
Lots and lots of Love,
Willow Loves… 12 days of Christmas Special
On the 12th of Christmas, my true love gave to me....
Well one can dream. and this would be my ultimate advent wishlist! Even though I probably prefer giving over receiving, I love making a dreamy wishlist for Christmas magic...
top row, left to right
Shiloh Heritage Midnight Wander Boots
Oscar de la Renta Threaded Flower Ring
Brora Skeepskin Gilet
Completed Works Bow Hair Comb
Milne Watson Diamonds By The Fire Necklace
La DoubleJ Solid Acquamarine in Raso Feather Slippers
Adidas SL 72 Night Indigo Semi Green Spark Trainers
Pooky Lights Giant Stella Pendant Light
Apple AirPods Max Noise-Cancelling Over Ear Wireless Headphones
Papier Quilted Daydreams 2025 Diary
Celine Eyewear Logo Ski Goggles
Budd Shirts Polka Dot Silk Crepe De Chine Pyjamas
Christmas Gift Guide!
It’s here! Our Bumper Christmas Gift Guide - for him, for her, for the teens and the little ones - 65 present ideas for those of us still getting gifting sorted or looking for something to send as a hint…
My 10 Tips for Festive Tables
Layering of Linens
Our beautiful new season posie pattern with matching napkins, is the most wonderfully airy, colourful and spirit-lifting base from which to build your tablescape. I also love to mix the green & white striped and botanical linens to mix things up - layering print with stripes is one of my favourite ways to decorate at home.
Delicious dinnerware
Christmas is a time to really layer the dinnerware as there is simply so much to eat! I love our beautiful serving bowls from our range of hand thrown and painted ceramics that bring a rustic, folksy feel to Christmas and holiday tables. The side bowls and smaller mini bowls are very useful to dot along the table (and other side tables around the home) to house nuts, dips & chocolates.
Mixed Glassware
A festive table is elevated with beautiful glassware to catch the light from candles on darker days. Our new botanica tumblers featuring green or white patterns on the finest cut glass are very happy-making. My best tip is to mix and match the colours rotating them along the table. For champagne and wine glasses, I love The Vintage List and anything from Nina Campbell.
Candles En Masse
It is Christmas after all, and winter! Everything and everyone looks better by candlelight and it's the most failsafe mood booster. I just can't get enough of them and we have so many in the shop to choose from.Dot our scented candles (with carousels!) around the home to scent the space - my favourite is greenhouse at this time of year. Then have fun choosing your dinner candle colours. I think I will go with faded pink and blue this year but as ever, I will mix it up and decide on the day!
Bows Aplenty
Our bow bar was designed mainly to use with our napkin ring holders for a very special place setting. This Christmas we've gone for red velvet bows and vintage embroidered bows. Mix them up for maximum effect and watch your guests feel utterly spoiled (and inspired to wear on their pony tails or as bow ties!). I love them tied to the back of our dining room chairs too for real bow overload…
Vases with Flowers
Well of course there will be many vases spilling over with flowers and foliage for my Christmas table. A mix of bud vases is my favourite way to layer flowers on the dinner table - a few different style and heights for some variety layered in with candlesticks, and a mix of styles.
Candle carousels
I’ve been mesmerised by candle carousels since I was small and am so excited to have designed some of our own. The dangly leaves are the leaf design from our linens and are so pretty and twinkly and this year we’ve added the beautiful dove for a touch of festive magic. I have quite the collection at home - they look incredible grouped together and with the larger scented candle and smaller tea light carousel. The more the merrier literally with these!
A bounty of fruit
I love to add fruit to the table - tangerines with their leaves on especially - nothing feels more Christmassy to me and I love the scent. I dot them down the dinner table or on other surfaces around the home. Sometimes I like to stud cloves into them and create a festive arrangement in place of flowers. I also love to use dried fruit such as oranges and limes which you can buy from your local florist and they last and last - some I use in wreaths and garlands, others just to scatter down the table for a bountiful feel.
A Loving Cup
A special mention must go to my signature favourite, the loving cup. we now do them every season as I adore the shape and they are brilliant for flowers. Our very festive cherry loving cup is simply perfect for this time of year and I had such fun painting the design.
Crackers & Decs
It's simply not Christmas without crackers and I can never go past a stripe, and I love that you can fill these with your own little treasures and bad jokes… Once the table is set, I can't help but layer some other festive decorations and this year I'll be adding our gorgeous corn husk angel decorations to each table setting.
Recipe - Triple Cheese & Mustard Straws
This is the Easiest Emergency Christmas Canapé ever adapted from Waitrose magazine. At this time of year, we want quick and easy recipes to feed a crowd or extra house guests. This comes to together in under 25 minutes and loved by all ages. To make ahead, either chill or freeze, then bake when you want them. Just remember to keep puff pastry and a jar of wholegrain mustard handy at all times…
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Makes 16
Plain flour, for rolling
2 x 320g packs All Butter Puff Pastry Sheets
4 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
75g Mature Cheddar, grated
75g Gruyère Cheese, grated
75g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 Medium Egg, beaten
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Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7. On a lightly floured surface, unroll 1 pack of pastry, then spread the mustard over it and scatter the cheeses on top, leaving a 2cm border around the edge.
Top with the other sheet of unrolled pastry, then roll together with a rolling pin to gently seal. Brush the top with the beaten egg.
Cut into 16 strips from 1 of the shorter edges, then twist into spirals. Place on 2 baking sheets. Cover and chill to firm, if needed. Bake 1 tray at a time for 12-15 minutes or until puffed and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack – they will crisp up further as they cool – and enjoy warm or cold.
Tip: Use any hard cheese you like in place of cheddar and parmesan. You can also play around with what you spread on the pastry first instead of mustard – quince paste and chutneys also work well.
recipe adapted from many including waitrose.co.uk
December Arts & Culture
A festive themed what to see, visit & plan this month…
Book a last minute spot at a festive wreath workshop this Thursday - Willow Crossley by Create Academy at Thyme on 5th December
Book tickets to see the Royal Birmingham Ballet perform The Nutcracker at Royal Albert Hall from 29 - 31 December
See Daisy Edgar-Jones in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at the Almeida Theatre running 10 December to 1 February.
Book to see Ballet Shoes at The National Theatre from 26 November
Go ice skating at Somerset House or Blenheim Palace or Glide at Battersea Power Station
See Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake at Sadlers Wells from 3 December - 26 January
Visit Hampton Court Palace for their Festive Fayre on 6-8 and 13-15 December
See A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic until 4 January
Visit The Royal Albert Hall for festive feels all month including Carols from 4-14 December
Create beautiful wreaths, mantels & tables with Christmas Decorating online tutorials
PS - Chelsea Flower Show 2025 tickets are already selling fast so do get yours. It will be May and Spring before we know it… thankfully!
With lots of festive love and my best wishes for a happy and healthy time spent with loved ones this holiday season.
Willow
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