Baltic Christmas Day 15 - A Lantern

The legacy of the ancient Balts is reflected in symbols, from the sun and moon, to earth, water and fire. These symbols tell a story, one dependent on Mother Earth and her bounty, of using the natural world as a guide to live a life ruled by the changing seasons and weather.

Light is a recurring theme, as it is in many cultures due to the necessity of light to live. From the sunlight that nourishes crops, to the fire that warms the hearth, light is woven into the fabric of our ethnic heritage. The sign of the Sun, dating back to the Early Iron Age. The tree of Sun, which represents reaching upward, growth. The Indo-European fire cross; a symbol of fire, thunder, light, fortune, health and prosperity. The sign of the Moon, the symbol of warriors. The Sign of Auseklis (Morning Star); a protector, woven into blankets and coats to safeguard travelers.

As we await the winter solstice the days keep getting shorter, and to warm the long nights we bring lights into our home. We string them in our Christmas trees, we light candles in the windows; we warm ourselves around the fireplace and we keep the Baltic fires burning.

A modern-day tradition that our family keeps is the Peace Light. This year the Peace Light has arrived in our home, a symbol of hope and light, traveling the world spreading its message. We celebrated with our scout troop, making lanterns to home the Peace Light during its stay in our lives.

It’s really so simple, and the results so beautiful. Save a tin can headed for the recycling bin and stick it in the freezer after filling with water. (We learned that sticking a straw in it will keep the pressure from pushing the bottom out, although if this happens it’s just a matter of hammering it back in once the lantern has been finished.) Once the water has frozen, use a nail, hammer, towel and safety glasses to make holes in the can in the shape of symbols or pictures. Put two larger holes near the top and affix a wire to hang the lantern, and finally light a tea light in it, once the ice has melted. 

Dear readers, I wish you light and warmth during these longest nights! May you find joy in the simple things: a tealight in a tin can, the shadowplay from a lantern, the light in a child’s eyes. May your days be filled with anticipation, not stress: the smell of piparkūkas and kanēļmaizītes, the arrival of the postman, the sound of bells, the daily 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas article. And may winter solstice arrive and the days start growing longer, as the sun starts on its annual journey of venturing higher into the sky.

Please join us tomorrow on 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas as we take a closer look at the similarities and differences in the Latvian and Lithuanian Christmas/Kūčios dinners!

A new vegetable garden with DIY edging

Our backyard garden is constantly a work in progress. The first year after moving in was a whirlwind, as we built raised beds, planted berry bushes and installed a gently-used playground for the boys. Although the progress has slowed, there have still been noticeable additions including the mud kitchen with a mosaic for the kids – a great success. However it was last year around this time that we tackled a larger project that had been causing me grief; we successfully installed a new garden bed along the side of the house.

Every spring I experimented with and quickly lost a succession of seedlings in this strip, mostly due to the heat reflecting off the brick and the woodchips doing a poor job of conserving water. What survived the spring sun was lost to squirrels and curious toddlers. In addition to the lack of functionality, this was neither an  attractive area of the garden, nor were we happy with the insects that were moving into the woodchips. In its place I envisioned a bed of hostas complimented by seasonal flowers, and after taking measurements, we purchased concrete edgers similar to these ones and got to work.

The first step was marking off the area that would be included in the new bed and removing the turf & woodchips. The edgers are round on one end, and so the bed doesn’t have to be square as they can easily be arranged in a curve. We started by placing the stones down (but not settling them in), to verify that we had the correct quantity and also to be able to visualize how the finished bed would look. This also enabled us to make adjustments to the original plan while the stones were easily movable. Then, utilizing a board cut specifically to the selected width of the bed (to guarantee that each stone would be the same distance from the house), we settled the edgers into place, making sure they were all aligned and even.

A load of soil was the next step. The removal of the topsoil created an edge on the turf side, and the added soil serves to hold the edgers in place on the opposite side as well as providing the nutrients needed for healthy plants. Using river stones I created a spot under the faucets to coil the hose (so there wouldn’t be an endless mud pit), and downspouts were incorporated in such a way as so to not wash away any plants or topsoil.

The then comes the fun part: selecting plants and planting them! My initial vision had been for hostas with a seasonal rotation of flowers to add some color along the house. However, I quickly realized that utilizing the sunniest portions of the new bed could possibly triple the space in our garden for growing vegetables, and so it was quickly filled by my sons with tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and watermelon. Sunflowers provided color in the rear, and marigold protection against insects in places along the pavers. A narrow section along the very end of the bed has proved ideal for strawberries, and the pallet planter was relocated to add a vertical aspect to the bed (and guarantee more strawberries!).

There is a section of the new bed that is more shaded and has ended up somewhat resembling my initial vision. Fillied with perennials and forming more of a flower bed, this is the area that contains hostas alongside some irises my wonderful neighbor divided for me. Over the winter we tucked in pansies for color, and with the warm weather we’ve had recently I noticed the canna lilies that were somewhat an experiment in overwintering are actually coming up. I also have this tendency to rescue mums that are no longer wanted after having lost their autumn color, and so there is already a smattering of green joining the strawberries that survived the cold temperatures. However, there is also plenty of bare soil on the other end of the bed… our last frost might still be a month off, but we’ve already started our seeds indoors and are dreaming of the tomatoes, peppers and vegetables we’ll be soon harvesting!

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 24 and ice lanterns

During these darkest days of the year it is natural to want to celebrate light. With the marking of winter solstice the days have started to get longer, but there are still many months until spring returns. We’ve already shared our ice mandalas, an icy craft that adds a festive touch to the holidays on these cold days, but we’ve left our ice lanterns for last – to bring light to your dark nights this holiday season.

This might be the easiest craft yet, and you’ve probably got all the necessary materials already. One morning I dug out the half-empty latex balloon bag from the cupboard and we retreated to the kitchen to fill them up. If you don’t have balloons you can use any bowl or container – you’ll just have an open-top lantern.

After filling them to the point where they were large enough to hold a tea light, we tied them securely and put them in the freezer. If you live in a more northerly climate you could leave them outside to save freezer space. It took somewhere between four to eight hours for them to freeze enough to use as lanterns; you want the exterior shell to be solid but the inside liquid. Make sure to remove the balloon over the sink as the remaining water will gush out once the balloon is removed. Hopefully the top (where the air bubble was) will not be frozen; one of our balloons was obviously smaller than the others and I had to gently break through the weakest side to provide ingress for the candle.

Photo credit Sarah

If you’re using regular containers like our friend Henri, make sure to put a smaller container in the middle (where the candle will go) and weigh it down before adding water. Container lanterns can be decorated with cranberries, evergreen branches or other festive decorations, similar to the ice mandalas. There’s an easy tutorial on the Pickled Herring blog…

It wasn’t cold enough here in the Upstate to enjoy our ice lanterns for long, but these would make wonderful outdoor decorations for a New Year’s Eve party. Imagine a line of them lighting the way to your door upon returning from the Christmas Eve service, beckoning you to the warmth and coziness of your living room and a festive evening yet to come.

This is what I wish each and every one of you this year; may the holiday spirit find you this Christmas season, and may 2016 bring health, happiness and adventure to you and yours. Thank you for joining me in counting down the 24 days until Christmas – this is Femme au Foyer wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 23 and a stick tree

One more quick Christmas craft, inspired by nature and created from sticks!

Somehow it’s the longest and straightest sticks that hold special attraction for the boys, although many times the ones they pull from the woods have mushrooms sprouting from the ends – not ideal for this final Christmas tree-inspired art. We saved the fresher, more solid branches for this Christmas tree; perfect for a wall decoration, something to hang in a window or even a faux tree if you’re skipping the fir this year.

Because they’re always looking for an excuse to bring out the tools, I asked the boys to saw the branches one weekend. It was simply a matter of measuring them out and marking the lengths with a permanent marker – the longest was 2 feet long with ½ inch subtracted from each additional branch.

The sticks sat out on the back porch for a few weeks until we were out enjoying a sunny day and I brought out some twine to string them all together. The boys helped sort them out according to length, but I did most of the tying.

We hung some ornaments on it to give it a little color, although it might serve as a great Christmas card holder for all the beautiful holiday greetings we’ve gotten in the mail. I had been hoping to cut a star from some birch bark to top it off, but it looks festive even without. Other decorating ideas include stringing up some popcorn or cranberries as a garland, or maybe hanging your dried oranges & felt acorns on the branches.

However you choose to decorate your wooden tree, may it bring the simplicity and beauty of nature indoors. To all my readers, thank you for counting down the 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas with me – just one more day until we’ve reached the end of our countdown!

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 20, auseklis!

Lauris’s winter vacation has begun! Every day the boys are abuzz with all the things they want to do and see, and it takes all I’ve got to keep up with them, take care of the things that need doing, and see to it that the boys check off everything on their Christmas to-do list! Luckily we’ve got a handful of simple crafts left for those quiet moments in between outdoor adventures, such as this easy auseklīts ornament.

Although it was my sister Zinta who elaborated on this Baltic symbol last year on Day 21 of the 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, it was my mom who suggested the craft, showing off her finished auseklis via a skype conversation last week. Considering the ornament is made from a toilet paper roll, it is surprisingly elegant.

You take your roll and fold it lengthwise, creasing the edges with a ruler or letter opener, then repeating the step to form a square tube. This is the point that Mikus painted his, although it’s not necessary – you could also paint the finished product.

Using a ruler measure out ½ inch segments, and using scissors or a craft knife cut the tube into a total of 9 pieces – you will have one extra.

Using double-sided tape, a hot glue gun or just tacky glue, glue one side of one of the squares to a second square. Then, glue a side adjacent to the one you just glued on piece two, to a third piece. You will continue this process until you’ve glued 8 pieces together, and then you will glue the first piece to the last. Since we used glue we put off that step, letting the glue dry on the eight pieces while we had them clamped together. Remember to tuck in a piece of thread or string between the final pieces so that you have a way to hang your auseklis.

The plain, unadorned version was beautiful in its simplicity, but we opted to add a few finishing touches to ours. Glitter glue lining the edges on one side gives the light something to refract off of in the Christmas tree. A small auseklis cut from paper would make a nice embellishment in the center where all the pieces meet, or a bell hung in the string could provide a contrast in texture. Use your auseklīši as ornaments in your tree, or tie them to your presents. This can be a long craft if you choose to go the paint-and-embellish route, or it can be a quick between-the-Christmas-chores activity – your choice. And remember, you don’t have to tell anyone they’re toilet paper rolls…

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 13 and the pine cone elves

With a bevy of perfect pine cones in our stash we had the opportunity to create several different ornaments this year. Last December we had found nice big pine cones (probably from a longleaf pine) that we used for our peanut butter birdfeeders, but on our scavenger hunts these last weeks it was mostly loblolly and shortleaf pines, which have medium and small-sized cones. Note that many of our southern pines have “armed umbos,” which feel like they sound – sharp! – so beware when collecting and working with them. (The umbo is the slightly raised diamond on the end of each scale, and if it is armed it will have a sharp prickle on the end.)

We used the smallest of the pine cones to make these little elves. The miniature ones work best for a Christmas tree because once you’ve affixed the hat and accessories you don’t want the ornament to be too heavy for the branches. Larger, heavier elves could perch in your holiday wreath or in a garland over the mantle, and they have the advantage of being easier for little hands to work with.

First we plugged in the hot glue gun and added wooden beads to the top of the pine cones for heads. I purchased a set of a range of sizes which worked well for us since we had an assortment of cones, and the boys ‘tried on’ different sized beads to see which best suited each cone. To make this activity as simple for the boys as possible, I then asked them what accessories their elves would wear and let them choose colors before cutting everything out for them (older children could do this themselves). The boys glued these miniature gloves, boots, hats and hearts to the pinecone, and we set them to the side to dry. Although I could have let them draw faces on the elves at this point, I prefer to keep the faces blank; I read somewhere that this allows more flexibility in imagining facial expressions and emotion – what do you think?

The final step was to use the hot glue gun again and glue the elves onto clothespins. Smaller clothespins are ideal since they weigh less and are less conspicuous, however larger pins could be used for big pine cones that need to be more securely clipped.

In our modern ‘elf on the shelf’ times these little pine cone elves are simple and small, reminders of our family outings to the woods and handmade by the little hands that live in our home. Once again there are so many possibilities to embellish and personalize each one, not just with different colors of felt, but with tiny accessories: acorn caps instead of gnome hats, skis and poles in hand, tiny candy canes or even antlers and red noses. I wish you fun in determining the personality of each one of your collected pine cones, and we will see you tomorrow here on 24 Days of Baltic Christmas for a big surprise…

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 12 and felt acorns

While looking for inspiration for this year’s 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, I dismissed several crafts that seemed too hard for the boys to complete. It turns out I was too quick to judge; luckily Katie wasn’t daunted by these felt acorns, because they turned out to be incredibly easy to create and make wonderful additions to our Baltic Christmas series!

Photo credit: Katie

These adorable little decorations fit easily into our nature-themed holiday décor, serving not only as Christmas tree ornaments but also as wreath accents, adornments on wrapped presents and gifts for neighbors and teachers. Follow these easy steps for your own colorful felted acorns…

Photo credit: Katie

You’ll need the following supplies: felting wool, water, dish soap, acorn tops, push pin, thread & hot glue gun.

Photo credit: Katie

Pull off a small amount of felting wool and soak in warm, soapy water. Roll between your palms until a ball forms, then rinse in cool water and let dry.

From left: rolling felt balls, matching balls to caps and stringing caps, photo credit: Katie

The kids will have fun matching up the acorn tops to the various felt balls. Using your push pin, carefully poke holes in the acorn caps and then pull a piece of thread through the holes. Finally, using your glue gun, attach the acorn hat to the dry felt ball.

Photo credit: Katie

Depending on what species of oak tree your acorn caps came from you will have different results. I can imagine that it would be fun to play with the shapes of the felt ball, making more elongated acorns for larger and shaggier caps, and glitter glue might add a shiny touch to your acorn caps without disrupting the natural feel. Go nuts!

Friends, we are halfway through this year’s 24 days of a Baltic Christmas. I hope you’re enjoying yourselves and the holiday season! Have a beautiful third Advent, and see you back here tomorrow for more Baltic-inspired Christmas tree ornaments!

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 9, the ice mandala

A mandala is defined by Wikipedia as “a spiritual and ritual symbol in Indian religions, representing the universe.” Although usually not associated with Christmas, the general theme is often found in Latvian culture; cycles and circles are of great significance in the traditions celebrated year round. Similarly, decorating with natural materials is a unifying theme behind holiday decorations, and when combining these two elements one aesthetically attractive result is the ice mandala*.

To be fair the making of ice mandalas isn’t Baltic per se, although I imagine that these simplistic decorations are in line with the traditional elements of a Latvian Christmas. More suited to colder climates, the mandalas are easy to make and provide endless variations in theme, color, size and design.

It starts with another hike, the boys picking up leaves, berries, twigs and seeds that strike their fancy. When we get home I sit them down at the table with several circular containers and they arrange their favorites until they are satisfied with the result. Of course you don’t really have to leave the house, you could instead use some of your dried orange slices and cranberries along with a branch or two you didn’t utilize in making your wreath.  

Cut a piece of twine and tape the edges on the side of your container so that a loop is formed. This will be how you hang your finished product.

Slowly pour in a layer of water. If your objects float it may be desirable to initially pour in only a bit of water, freeze it anchoring the contents in place, and then adding more water until satisfied with the depth.

There are dozens of articles on how to achieve “clear ice,” but I have never really been bothered by the opacity of our mandalas and so I haven’t gotten around to reading them. I’ll leave the research up to you, if you find it important.

We stick our cake tins and bowls in the freezer overnight, although those of you in colder climates can leave them outside for a more ‘natural’ result. When ready to enjoy, just run the underside of the container under cool water (warm and hot water will often crack thin sections) and remove the tape holding your twine in place.

Maybe not a microcosm of the universe, the ice mandala is a microcosm of a Baltic Christmas with a simple, natural charm that provides color, motion and light to your holidays. 

* Although these decorations can be found in many places on the internet, in only one did I see them termed 'ice mandalas.' However, I think it is a lovely name and quite approriate for this craft! For GardenMama's version please see her posts Ice Mandalas (2010) and Ice Mandalas (2011). 

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 8, God's eyes

On Day eight of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas we welcome Lelde of the blog Dabas mamma. You might remember her from last year’s delightfully playful feather snowballs, or you might have already stumbled upon her blog on your search for crafts inspired by nature and the outdoors.

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Kad biju maza, Ziemassvētku laiku pavadīju pie savas omītes laukos. Nedēļas nogales, garās ziemas brīvdienas un vasaras, likās es tur dzīvoju visu laiku!

When I was young I spent the holidays on my grandmother’s farm. Weekends, Christmas vacation and summers, it felt like I was there all the time!

Tās sajūtas, smaržas, krāsas....

The feelings, the smells, the colors...

Tuvojoties Ziemassvētkiem laikam, mājā bija jūtams neparasts svētku miers. Vecmāmiņas svētdienas plācmaizes smarža, malkas dziesmiņa, krāsnij kuroties,  skuju vainadziņš. Ak jā, sniegs, likās tas vienmēr bija svētku laikā un tik DAUDZ!

On the approach of Christmas a sense of peace permeated the house. The smell of grandmother’s Sunday tarts, the song of the firewood in the woodstove, the fir wreath. Oh yes, and the snow, there seemed to always be snow around the holidays, and LOTS OF IT!

Krāsaini dzijas pavedieni, mazi koka skaliņi izbērti uz galda, tapa pirmie svētku rotājumi - dziju rombiņi. Man tik ļoti patika skatīties, kā krāsiņām mainoties tapa svētki. Drīz jau pati mācēju tos taisīt, liekot skaliņus krustiņā un vijot pavedienu aiz pavediena. Tik vienkārši un tik īpaši. Likās, es tajos iepinu ko nozīmīgu.

Colorful yarn skeins, little twigs scattered on the table, so were born the first holiday ornaments – God’s eyes. I loved to watch how through the progression of colors Christmas arrived. Soon I could make them myself, forming a cross of twigs and weaving around thread after thread. So simple, yet so particular. It seemed something meaningful was woven into them.

Dienu pirms Ziemassvētkiem, kad eglīti atnesa mājās, bērnu pienākums bija to izpušķot. Es savus sapītos rombiņus gribēju uzkārt zārā, kur tos vislabāk varēja redzēt. Iekarot eglītē, tie atdzīvojās. Griežoties uz riņķi vien. Te sarkana krāsa, te atkal dzeltaini pavedieni pazibēja. Vērot un domāt, kas tas ir, kas tos iegriež?  Vai eglītes gariņš, vai vējš, kas āra durvīm atveroties, ieskrien neaicināts?

It was the responsibility of the children to decorate the Christmas tree when it was brought home on the day before Christmas. I wanted to hang my ornaments on the branch upon which they could best be seen. Once hung, they came alive. Spinning in circles. Now red, now yellow again as the threads zipped around. Watching and thinking, what is it that turns them so? The spirit of the Christmas tree, or the wind entering the house uninvited?

Laikam ejot un pašas bērniem augot, tā īpašā svētku smarža, atmiņas un sajūtas ir atgriezušās. Kā rombiņam griežoties eglītē, es sežu pie galda ar bērniem, visriņķī krāsaini dziju gabaliņi, skaliņi un top pašu darinātie rotājumi.

As time goes by and the children grow, the special holiday scent, memories and feelings have returned. As a God’s eye spinning in the Christmas tree, I’m sitting at the table with my children, colorful yarn pieces and twigs all around, handmade ornaments in the works.

Pēc 25 gadiem es zinu atbildi uz manu uzdoto jautājumu. Tie esam mēs paši. Es to sapinot arī iegriežu. Četri gadalaiki  sapīti ar  krāsainiem un interesantiem pavedieniem - kāds būs mans gads.  Tas griežas tik ātri, cik es to vēlos. Ja kādreiz likās tas griežas ļoti ātri, tad tagad, rokās to paceļot, rombiņš lēni un cēli griež manu nākamo gadu.

After 25 years I know the answer to my question. It is us. In weaving the God’s eye I am also turning it. Four seasons woven with vibrant and interesting threads – what the next year will bring. It only turns as fast as I will it. If once it turned too fast, then now, lifting it in my hands, the God’s eye slowly and graciously turns my future.

Bet pagaidām, lai tie priecājas, sagūluši uz adventes vainaga. Lai nesteidzina to īpašo laiku, kad dabā notiek kas mierīgs, cēls un neparasts. Kad saule vēl tik tālu, bet zinu, tā tūlīt jau parādīsies. Skatoties uz savu šī gada rombiņu, atceros par aizvadīto gadu, cik daudz tomēr man ir dots. Cik īpašs šis laiks, šie mirkļi. Un atceros, ko mana omīte teica, liekot žāvētus ābolus uz svētku plācmaizes: “Meitiņ, šis ir mirklis, ko tu atcerēsies vislabāk. Nesteidzini to, bet izdzīvo!” 

But for now, may they rejoice in their positions on the Advent wreath. So that this special time, when Nature is calm, noble and unusual, may leisurely proceed. When the sun is still so far, but I know, that it soon will reappear. Looking at the God’s eye I’ve made this year, I muse over the past year, how blessed I was. How exceptional these moments really are. And I remember what my grandmother said while arranging dried apples on the holiday tarts: “My dear, this is a moment that you will remember with clarity. Do not rush through it, but live in it!”

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Thank you Lelde, for this emotional post! When I was a girl we utilized toothpicks for our ornaments, clipping off the sharp ends once we had formed the God’s eye. I remember watching them twist and turn, just like you did! What precious memories of your grandmother – may you someday share ones just as wonderful with your grandchildren!

(Lelde can also be found on twitter as @Dabasmamma!)

Another Baltic Christmas - orange you glad it's Day 7?

In our home we associate the holiday season with an abundance of citrus in our diet, especially the little mandarins and tangerines which disappear faster than I can peel them. Once we start buying our oranges by the box I know it is that time of year again; their natural beauty, invigorating scent and stimulating color herald the approach of Christmas.

Keeping with the natural theme in our décor, one of the simplest holiday decorations we make are dehydrated oranges. The resulting translucent slices can be used in a multitude of ways: wreath embellishments, Christmas tree ornaments, adornments on wrapped presents and in garlands. This year every wreath we made had a couple or more pieces adding color and texture, and the rest are currently hanging in my kitchen window, providing a daily stained glass effect together with the morning sun. The orange slices can be added to a holiday potpourri, or serve as table decorations for a winter meal – really, the possibilities are only limited by the imagination!

The process of dehydrating is simple. On a day when I’m busy getting things done around the house I thinly slice an orange, placing the slices on a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Using Martha’s recipe for reference, the oven was preheated to 200˚F and the oranges dusted with confectioner’s sugar. This trick is nice because the finished product can also be used to garnish drinks – hot toddies for those cold winter evenings, or even citrus drinks at the holiday party.

Bake for about 2.5 hours, until the flesh is translucent and the skin is dry. If you overbake you’ll see the thinnest parts start to brown, and if you underbake the slice will still be wet and sticky.

For even drier oranges lower the baking temperature and increase oven time. The slices can be placed on a rack while cooking, increasing circulation and aiding the dehydration process. Various sources stated the drying time at 140˚F to be between 6-12 hours, depending if the oven door was cracked to allow moisture to escape.

The orange slices nicely compliment red cranberries and green evergreens in color. As far as appealing to the sense of smell, the citrus pairs well with cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise. Cinnamon can be rubbed into the orange before baking, which reduces the translucency but smells delicious. The texture contrasts nicely with pine cones and evergreens, and only a couple of slices have a major impact. Finally for stringing everything together I’ll use craft/florist wire when I wish it to be less conspicuous, and raffia for a more obvious accent.

Were dried orange slices part of your Christmas traditions growing up? I would love to hear if you’ve ever made them before, and if yes, how you utilized them! Tomorrow on 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas we are joined by Lelde from the blog Dabas mamma - hope you'll join us...

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The winner of the Day 3 giveaway is Crazy - "I really like the amber ornaments. I get each of my kids a new one every year. This year I'm going to get this one for my little Amber :)" Congratulations Crazy, please let me know which of the 5 prizes you would like. Thank you to everyone who entered, and thank you to BalticShop for sponsoring!

Another Baltic Christmas - Day 4, puzuri for kids

The most popular post of last year’s 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas was Inga’s tutorial on day 16: PUZURIS – An enchanting little decoration. The Latvian puzuri can be considered the most widely known traditional Latvian Christmas tree decoration, and besides being popular on Lithuanian and Estonian Christmas trees, the geometric decorations are seeing newfound popularity across the world.

Today a friend of Mikus joins us with a puzuris tutorial: this one more appropriate for little hands as the traditional form utilizes straw - not only difficult to find but hard to come by in our neck of the woods. Check out this video from the Fallon Time Show on how to make your very own puzuri from pasta and twine! (If you are receiving this in email form you might have to click through to the website to see the link, or you can click here to take you directly to youtube.)

A great big thanks to Fallon (and her mom!) for joining us on 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas. I hope she had fun learning about this centuries-old traditional ornament and is proud of the beautiful addition to your Christmas tree!

If you would like to see more of Fallon, please subscribe to her youtube channel The Fallon Time Show. She covers everything from yoga to moon dough to painting with squirt guns! See you back here tomorrow for Day Five of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas!