The December Edition
A little calm amongst the chaos...
Welcome to the December edition! I know, I can’t believe it’s December either. But it’s real and we’ll be in a new year before we know it. There is so much to do, of course, Christmas overwhelm is very real and the pressure to slow down and enjoy ‘the most magical time of the year’ is also real. I think it’s best to take each day as it comes, keep a sense of humour and remember we made it through the year, and frankly, that is enough!
This is my busiest time of year - my hands are raw from the wreaths galore and my nerves are a little raw too, but we’ve made it, almost to the finish line of another collection, another term, another season, and Christmas on the way.
I think if you can pause - even just a little, the spirit of Christmas is there. I’ve had a particularly fraught few weeks and last Friday evening I stopped in the supermarket en route home and threw a punnet of grapes all over the checkout floor. (the grapes were, in fact, the last straw). Feeling very fragile, I burst into tears and the kindest angel lady that worked there came and helped me, with twinkly eyes, a knowing smile and sent me home with a box of free mince pies! I want to pass that kindness on and hope you can also receive and give too - it’s honestly those moments that keep me going sometimes, and especially at this busy time of year.
In this edition, there are 12 special Willow Loves (I share all this time because well, it’s Christmas!) and we share our epic Christmas Gift Guide - over 150 perfect presents for the girls and boys of every age.
For flowering this month, I wax lyrical about Amaryllis - because it’s really THE festive flower for this month. Our recipe this month is Nigella Lawson’s Guinness cake - I cannot tell you how good it is! Last week I hosted an intimate wreath workshop with August Collections in one of their beautiful Cotswolds home and at hometime the lovely Karolina brought out the most incredible dark, chocolatey cake topped with with swathes of creamy icing and glace cherries on top. It was completely delicous and I had to get the recipe and share it with you! The perfect cake to serve when you have family en masse over the Christmas period.
And finally, we round up some festive and other things to do and book ahead for…
*This is my Monthly Free Edition, but every week, I send out emails to my paid subscribers with flowery, fashion, food and wellness content - ideas to inspire, create and nurture. I hope you will join our growing community, we have so much planned and I’m so excited to connect with you all.
Happy December!
With Love,
Willow
PS. this is a long read so might be best to read in app/web browser (just in case it cuts off in your email).
PPS. A note on our edits - all brands are lovingly chosen or approved by me. For some, we may receive a small affiliate commission if you purchase an item.
Willow Loves
My 12 Days of Christmas
Top row, left to right
Flowery Tip - Amaryllis
I know I speak about them a lot but no December is complete without an amaryllis ( or four). Forget the poinsettias, this is the one to bring colour, life and festive feels to your home or gift to your host this Christmas…
You will need:
Clean large glass jar (sometimes they’re called pickle or bell jars; it needs to be at least 30cm/12in to support the height of the amaryllis)
Amaryllis bulbs – I love ‘Alfresco’, ‘Mandela’, ‘Marilyn’ and ‘Magic Green’. Use an odd number of bulbs. For a 30cm (12in) jar I would use three bulbs
Moss to nestle around the bulbs
How to:
1. Place the bulbs at the bottom of the jar.
2. Trickle in enough water just so that the roots are wet. The bulb itself should not be in contact with water.
3. Sit back and watch the magic unfold…
You should start to see growth after a few weeks. Once the flower bud has appeared, it will shoot up very quickly. If you want to slow the growth down, keep it somewhere cool and to speed it up, move it somewhere warmer.
Tip: You can add gravel or decorative stones for the bulbs to sit on; for the amaryllis, I just prefer it aesthetically without and only with moss for company… Add a velvet bow to wrap around the glass jar, et voila - a very lovely festive present…
Our Magic Christmas Gift Guide
Over 250 perfect presents for the boys and girls of every age - taken from our print edition, with 25+ extras…
The Girls Christmas Gift Guide
We’ve searched high and low for perfect presents for all the girls in our lives - from minis to mamas and grandmamas, teens and tinies, naughty and nice, we love them all…
Deck Your Halls
There are so many wonderful DIY Christmas decoration ideas around - the biggest challenge is finding the time but it is so worth it - for the festive togetherness a craft activity brings with your loves or a quiet moment creating something yourself amongst the chaos. Just make sure you have everything to hand and once you get going, there’ll be no stopping you!
Bows Galore
For the last few years, bows have been everywhere including the tree itself for instant decoration layering happiness. This year they are still everywhere and we’ve found a great little video for how to tie yours. But if you want some little pre-tied ones, here are our mini velvet bows, and our larger green velvet bows come with a button to use on our napkin rings but also work very well tied on to anything!
Dried Orange Slice Garlands
Garlands created from dried orange slices (you can make these yourself after slicing oranges and trying on very low heat in the aga or oven or cheat by buying them here). Use stub wire or thin grade reel wire and thread them together to create a long garland and drape on mantels or around the tree. They smell wonderful! Note from the second image above I have used left over whole dried limes and oranges from wreath making to scatter over the mantle too… And of course, velvet ribbon is a given!
Cranberry Garlands
My favourite pastime while watching telly in the evenings! Grab a punnet of cranberries when next in the supermarket and make sure you have some thick cotton thread (I like mine in red too - note that I use a thicker, sturdier thread than your usual cotton as it might break and is very fiddly), then simply take your needle and thread the cotton through the middle of each cranberry and only tie it off once you have a garland the length you desire. Et voila - a long line of pretty red cranberries to drape over the tree, doorways, mantels and up staircases. Very festive and easy!
Paper Star Garland
This paper star garland is apparently incredibly easy according to @melanielissackinteriors and we can’t wait to try - probably all about the paper you use and good to know Ottoline Devries sell their beautiful wallpaper designs as wrapping paper - so fun. How satisfying to recycle beautiful wrapping to create your star garland! Here’s how.
Paper Bell Decorations
These beautiful bell decorations (or could make them into a garland) are also from @melanielissackinteriors, would be fun made from discarded wrapping, card or wallpaper cut-offs.
Large No Sew Bows
And @melanielissackinteriors also shows you how to make a giant bow (without any sewing!) to hang on your tree, door, mantle this Christmas…
Create - Nigella’s Guinness Cake
The genius of this cake ahead of entertaining season is being able to store sans icing to whip out when your house guests arrive! Here’s how:
The cake can be stored, without icing, in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 5 days. Store the iced cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. The un-iced cake can be frozen, wrapped in a double layer of food wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw at room temperature for about 4 hours.
“This cake is magnificent in its damp blackness. I can’t say that you can absolutely taste the stout in it, but there is certainly a resonant, ferrous tang which I happen to love. The best way of describing it is to say that it’s like gingerbread without the spices.” Nigella Lawson
Ingredients
For the cake
250 millilitres Guinness
250 grams unsalted butter
75 grams cocoa powder
400 grams caster sugar
150 millilitres sour cream
2 large eggs
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
275 grams plain flour
2½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
For The Topping
300 grams cream cheese
150 grams icing sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour
125 millilitres double cream (or whipping cream)
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF, and butter and line a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin.
Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter — in spoons or slices — and heat until the butter’s melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.
When the cake’s cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the icing sugar and cornflour and then beat to combine.
If using double cream, add it and beat until you have a spreadable consistency. If using whipping cream, whisk first to soft peaks, add a couple of spoonfuls into the cream cheese mixture and once this is combined, fold in the rest.
December Arts & Culture
What to see, visit & plan this month…
Book tickets to The Royal Albert Hall for Home Alone in concert now until 13 December
If you’ve missed Black Friday or don’t believe in the fast consumerism, check out the 1st Birthday of The Fairground until tomorrow - 20% off almost everything in store with the knowledge you’re buying sustainable products this Christmas
Meet your friends for ice skating at Somerset House
Visit Anya’s Grotto at the Anya Hindmarch Village in London
Book tickets for all the family to see Come Alive - the London circus spectacular of The Greatest Showman.
Visit the Turner & Constable: Rivals and Originals exhibition at Tate Britain (until April 26)
Book to see Ballet Shoes at The National Theatre until February 26th
Deck your halls, and create wreaths, mantels & tables with my Christmas Decorating online tutorials
Take the family to see Paddington: The Musical at The Savoy
Don’t miss the Emily Kam Kngwarray exhibition at the Tate Modern (until January)
Visit the Marie Antoinette Style exhibition at the V&A. I’m hoping to go tomorrow!
I hope you have a beautifully festive and cosy December full of happy times with friends and family.
We’ll be back very soon with more Seedlings.
With love,
Willow
x
Willow, you always somehow let us see life as a celebration and open our eyes to beauty and possibility ~ thank you always for this best gift of all and wishing you magical December days ahead!
xo Pam