| Season and spice Look forward to
Christmas with a traditional herbal wreath
An herbal
Advent wreath will add a lovely scent and thoughtful significance to the holidays at your
home.
Betty Babb and other members of Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg grow the herbs and
make an herbal Advent wreath for the church each year.
The ingredients recognize Christian ideas: sage stands for immortality, lavender
represents purity, thyme was the manger's herb, rosemary for remembrance and rue for
grace.
The church's wreath is created on a large wooden frame that calls for dozens and dozens
of sprigs of various herbs. You can create a smaller version for your home. If you
lack,.enough herbs, use boxwood and embellish it with herbs. Add flowers such as
cockscomb, yarrow and tansy for color.
"Insert the materials going in the same direction so you get a flow to it,"
says Betty. If you use floral foam taped into a wire frame, you can secure the candles
with candle holder inserts. Materials needed are generally available at local craft
stores.
Materials: Green waterproof floral adhesive tape, floral foam to fill a wire frame or
wooden frame, one flat or curved 2-wire frame, five tall candles, fresh and dried herbs
and flowers.
To make: Soak the floral foam until saturated, Tape foam to the wire or wood frame.
Secure four candles in the foam. The fifth goes in the center. You can use an Advent
candle holder in the center of the wreath. Fill wreath with herbs and flowers. |
