We might not think of nature as being at the forefront at Christmas, but it’s actually central to many traditions, from picking holly and foraging for wreath-making supplies to eating a yule log. A glance at the Christmas cards lining your bookshelf or mantelpiece is likely to reveal a lineup of snow-dusted robins, reindeer, polar bears and partridges.
We can get out and do other things in nature this Christmas, too. Put your empty carboard boxes to good use by cutting out simple tree or heart shapes, smearing them in peanut butter and decorating them with nuts and seeds before hanging them in the garden or from a window. It’s a simple and effective activity to get children interested in feeding the birds, and relaxing too.
Meanwhile, the Woodland Trust offers these tips for planting trees, and Christmas is a great time for it, since the tree planting season runs roughly between November and March in the UK. A new family tradition in the making perhaps?
The RSPB suggests building a winter den for amphibians like frogs, toads and newts, or creating a leaf mould cage for hedgehogs. Giving back to the earth will always feel good, and help to root you in the season to boot. (All puns intended).
Image: Galina N