What could be more magical than creating your own Christmas nook to snuggle up in? Harvey wants you to be super inventive and go hunting around your home for bits and pieces to create your own cosy Christmas grotto, fit for Father Christmas himself! The centrepiece will be a bowl of deliciously scented pomanders (perfumed balls) to fill the grotto with a feeling of winter magic.
Grotto structure:
– A big blanket or sheet
– Heavy books
– Four chairs
– Cushions, pillows or a duvet (or all of them!)
Scented pomanders:
– A bowl
– Four oranges
– Cloves
– Something to make small holes with, like an old pen or a toothpick
Finishing touches:
– Battery-powered fairy lights
– Tinsel
– Teddies
– Toys
– Your favourite Christmas stories
STEP 1: Set up the grotto structure
Find a safe space to build your grotto, then set up two rows of two chairs, with the backs of each row facing the other. Then, drape a blanket or sheet over the top of the chairs, so you end up with something which looks like a tent. On the chair seats, weigh the blanket/sheet down with heavy books. If it’s easier, you can also use other pieces of furniture to drape the blanket/sheet over, such as sofas or a table. When the grotto is set up, cover the ground with soft things to sit on, like cushions, pillows or a duvet.
STEP 2: Create your scented pomanders
To fill your grotto with a gorgeous, festive smell, you can make scented pomanders. For this, you will need four oranges, and you must safely make small holes all over them with an old pen or a toothpick. Then, fill the holes with fragrant cloves, so the flowery ends poke out. If you like, you could make drawings with the holes, like stars, so these can be seen when the cloves are inserted. When you are finished, put your pomanders into a bowl, which can then sit in your grotto and make it smell lovely!
STEP 3: Finishing touches
Using your super interior design skills, decorate your grotto with some finishing touches to make it extra cosy. You could use battery-powered fairy lights to create a welcoming glow, you could line the edges with sparkly tinsel, and maybe you have some teddies or toys to keep you company. What else could you add? Once your mini indoor winter wonderland is complete, snuggle up and feel the magic!
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Written by the AQUILA team
New Leaf Publishing Ltd 2024