Rose's November Shop Watch: Food baubles for Christmas
Food baubles for Christmas
Gisela Graham, Sass & Belle, John Lewis
What?
Christmas tree decorations
Why?
A feast for your eyes
Every year I make a wreath for my front door at Christmas with a food theme. I buy a simple fresh green wreath and adorn it with dried slices of lemons and oranges and apples. I attach dried red chilli peppers and small bundles of cinnamon sticks tied with raffia. I then stick in small baubles of cherries and strawberries and finish it all off with a large bow. So, like many of us wanting to make this Christmas extra special, I thought why not extend this idea to the tree? And because food is the focal point of Christmas what could be more special? Instead of trundling out the same tired decorations in their battered box I will make my tree a feast in its own right!
I am going to hang pearly bulbs of garlic sprinkled with sparkle, sequinned red or white pears, bundles of iridescent green asparagus or broccoli, glittery beef tomatoes, giant strawberries, sweet little red mushrooms, glazed carrots (just as I want them to be on the day), glowing orange slices, fat twinkling sprouts, cut halves of bright green avocado with the stone in gleaming gold, rich red curved chilli peppers, huge clusters of purple grapes, shimmering skinny violet aubergines and beautiful red apples washed with sparkle and cut to reveal the pips inside. If you don’t want to go the whole hog and have a tree covered in food, you could just choose four or five of your favourite vegetables or fruit. Alternatively, use the baubles for accent colour and dot them about the tree, mixed with your usual decorations. Go for the apples or the aubergines depending what your colour theme is.
The websites to go to are John Lewis, Gisela Graham and Sass and Belle, all of which have a good selection. I have listed below what I bought from each. I am sticking strictly to the fruit and vegetable route, although you can add rolling pins, an espresso coffee pot, a croissant, toffees, macaroons, a Christmas pudding, a mince pie or even a tomato ketchup bottle! It is also worth noting that I don’t find the felt decorations are a patch on the glass ones – to me they look like pets’ toys. And if you don’t want to go the food route but still want to have a themed tree, you can make your tree Brit inspired with London buses, a phone box, Big Ben, the `Union Jack, a Beefeater and a crown; or, if you are a dog lover, go for dogs; or classic cars, or gardening items. They make great gifts if you have friends with a particular passion.
I am also going to buy some Brussel sprout gift wrap for my presents so I can continue the theme under the tree! So, this year I am making the tree not the turkey my centrepiece. It really is time to ditch the angels and stars and robins and have a Christmas tree to savour.
Conclusion:
Good enough to eat!
Product Details and contacts:
Gisela Graham – giselagraham.co.uk:
Strawberry: £3.99
Mushroom: £2.99
Asparagus bunch: £7.49
Sequinned apple and pear: £4.98 (variety of colours)
Tomato: £6.49
Garlic: £6.49
Avocado: £8.99
Sass & Belle – sassandbelle.co.uk
Carrot: £5.50
Mexican Chilli Pepper: £5.50
Aubergine: £5.50
Brussel sprout: £4.00
Orange slice: £5.50
Brussel Sprouts Gift Wrap: £2.00
John Lewis – johnlewis.com
Glitter Half Apple Bauble red: £8.00
Grape Cluster: £12.00
Broccoli: £6.00
Carrot bundle bauble: £6.00
Price and availability as at 31st October 2021