These cinnamon candles will bring a warm glow to any room this Christmas time, and they’re so quick and easy to make.
You’ll need:
One Large candle
Elastic band
String or ribbon
Candle holder/tray
Cinnamon sticks
Firstly, put the elastic band around your candle.
Then, one by one, slip the cinnamon sticks under the elastic band until you’ve covered all the way around.
Once the cinnamon sticks are secured, remove the elastic band.
Tie string, ribbon or raffia around the candle. You can even tie on some dried orange slices, holly or other festive decoration.
Place the candle on a candle holder, and there you have it – just remember never to leave a burning candle unattended at any time!
You can even make a few of these and place them together to make a table centre, adding in pine cones, offcuts from your Christmas tree (only if it’s a real one, of course!) or nuts and berries.
And, if you have any cinnamon sticks left over, why not make a few extra decorations to either add to your table centre or decorate your tree.
Happy decorating! Why not enjoy a warming mulled wine with a festive mince pie while you create your festive masterpieces!
If, like me, you’ve yet to ‘deck the halls’ – or put your tree up, at least – why not have a go at these easy-to-make tree decorations. They’re sure to add a touch of Christmas cheer to your place, and they smell pretty good too.
Let’s start with some wonderful, dried orange slice tree ornaments.
You’ll need:
Orange/s
String/garden twine or ribbon
Knife
Chopping board
Kitchen towel
Baking tray
Foil
Cooking oil
Oven
Preheat oven to about 150º – remember, we’re not cooking the oranges, we just want to dry them out.
Take an orange – make sure you place it on its side to get the desired look from the slices…
… and carefully slice it into 10mm (3/8ths of an inch) thick slices.
Lay the slices out on kitchen towel and pat with more towel to remove any excess juice.
Prepare baking tray with foil and spray with cooking oil to avoid the slices sticking, then lay the slices on the tray and put in the oven for a couple of hours.
Turn the slices every half an hour or so to prevent them curling up.
After about 1.5 hours, remove the slices from the oven and make a small hole through the segment to thread the string/ribbon through – as you can see, I used a pencil, but any pointed instrument will do!
Return to the oven for another half hour, then leave to cool.
Once the slices are cooled and dry, thread them with string, ribbon or raffia and hang them on your tree. That’s it!
Why not make a glass of tasty mulled wine and some mince pies to enjoy whilst decorating your tree?
It’s that time of year again when towns and cities play host to the colourful Christmas markets, welcoming visitors from near and far to join in the festive celebrations and soak up the unique atmosphere. I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to Christmas Markets, so when a trip to the Yorkshire Christmas Markets – markets I’ve not visited before – came up, I had my bag packed and my Santa hat on faster than you could say ‘mulled wine’.
In a change to our usual working location in Leger’s Design Studio, my colleague, Tammy and I were joining the tour to get some new photographs for the brochures and the website, and to check the tour out – listening to what the customers thought of the trip and experiencing the Yorkshire Christmas markets first hand… First stop: Leeds.
A very warm ‘Willkommen’ in Leeds
As we arrived at the Christkindelmarket in Millennium Square the markets were in full swing. Visiting each stall one by one to see what delights were on offer, we were lead along from stall to stall by one enticing smell after another. It was this mouth-watering mix of smells that hit us first as we arrived at the market – from the smoke of the giant barbecue cooking juicy frankfurters, sizzling schnitzel and huge burgers, to the sugary smell of candy floss and sweet popcorn being made, our senses went into overdrive… and if you visit a Christmas market, don’t miss the ‘Christmas in a glass’ taste of mulled wine – simply a must on a cold day in December! If you don’t collect the deposit you pay on your warm drink, you can even keep the special mug as a souvenir of your visit.
Tasty foodSizzling sausages
The square in Leeds was full of wooden chalets selling all kinds of unusual gifts ranging from the ‘Honey House’, where a unique variety of candles, honey and jam were being sold, to hand-painted baubles and candle holders, knitted and sheepskin clothing, and salt crystal lamps which lit up with a warm orange glow.
Caroline: “The man at the ‘Honey House’ told me how this was his 6th year at the Leeds Christkindelmarkt, and so far, sales were good – probably, he guessed, because he’d managed to hold his prices from last year. It’s his daughter who makes the candles on his stall – beeswax candles in the shape of pine cones, roses, Christmas trees, angels and reindeer, all created by pouring liquid beeswax into moulds where it’s left to set for 24 hours. And what’s his role in this, other than being the stall holder? He’s the beekeeper, and he’s been looking after the bees for over 40 years – with quite a few stings along the way!â€
At the ‘Honey House’
The traditional nutcrackers and wooden toys brought out the Bavarian theme to this market with other stalls selling brightly painted, old tin toys and unique Christmas decorations made from dried fruit and cinnamon sticks which smelled lovely. The glittering carousel was brought to life as it whizzed around with squeals of laughter from children and adults alike, whilst the sound of fairground music played, all adding to the market’s wonderful atmosphere.
In the centre of the stalls, we could hear live entertainment coming from the warm and cozy retreat of the ‘Alp Chalet Restaurant’, a huge, log cabin-style hut providing authentic German food and drink – obviously a popular place judging by the queue of people waiting to get in!
Caroline: “I’ve been to a few markets in Germany before – Cologne, Düsseldorf, Rüdesheim, Aachen etc – they’re my favourite, so it’s great to have one to visit a bit closer to home. It really gives you a taste – quite literally – of what’s on offer at the bigger markets in Germany.â€
All day there was a great, festive atmosphere, but it’s after dark when the markets really come to life. After around 5 o’clock they became quite busy with the bustle of people gathering around the food and drink stalls, many of them clutching a warm drink and tasty snack and wearing an array of different woollen hats, probably bought at the market. The unique, magical Christmas feeling flowed through the market as the brass band started to play classic Christmas tunes, all adding to the festive atmosphere. We even spotted the big man himself – who would’ve thought we’d get to see Father Christmas at Leeds Christkindelmarkets – he even stopped for a photo!
Naughty or nice? Caroline’s chance meeting with Santa!
Andy Parkin, Leger’s Assistant Studio Manager has been designing Leger brochures for the past 14 years and has worked on many of Leger’s Battlefield Tours brochures. In October this year he left the comfort of the office to explore the D-Day Battlefields in Normandy.
I always had a general interest in World War II, but more specifically the D-Day landing beaches. So when I was given the opportunity to join a Battlefields tour, the D-Day Beaches tour was the obvious choice.
Leger’s Silver Service coach at Longues-sur-Mer Battery.
I was travelling on one of Leger’s Silver Service coaches – despite working for Leger for so long I rarely travel by coach – and was surprised at how comfortable it was, plus, the fact that we had comfort stops along the way gave us time to get a bite to eat and stretch our legs. At the back of the Silver Service coaches there’s even a lounge, so people headed there for a chat or just to mingle with the other passengers.
What time did the excursions start and finish each day?
We got on the coach around 8.30am and got back about 5ish every day. It was very busy each day as we had a lot to pack in but we had plenty of time to get to all the places of interest on the itinerary, and also time for a sit down meal for those who wanted. We didn’t get any free time as such, but we could have a wander around on our own at most of the places we visited. To be honest, I stayed with the guide because I wanted to hear what he had to say. He really brought these places to life – without him it would’ve been hard to understand the full story so we all tended to stay together as a group. Each day was packed full of interesting facts and unbelievable stories of bravery and, of course, some sorrow.
How long did you spend on the excursions each day?
It all depended on where we went and what we saw. For example, we spent 1 hour 20 minutes at Omaha Cemetery which, after the guide had told us a few stories, still wasn’t long enough. I personally would have liked another 30 minutes or so to have a look around the Visitors’ Centre, but overall the time we had at each place was just about spot on. We covered lots of miles on the trip but there was certainly no time to get bored as people were chatting about what they’d seen and learnt. On the way there we watched Dad’s Army which gave most of us a laugh and, of course, no visit to the D-Day Beaches would be complete without watching The Longest Day starring John Wayne.
Are the beaches well kept? Are they still used for recreation?
This is a very good question and one of the facts that I found quite touching. All of the D-Day landing beaches and the surrounding areas are very well respected and looked after and this is passed down to the local people from one generation to the next. During the summer months all of the beaches are used for recreation purposes, except Omaha Beach, the hardest hit of them all.
What was the Specialist Battlefields Guide like?
Our guide was Richard Bass, a retired police officer with an unbelievable wealth of knowledge of the D-Day landings and the immediate aftermath. What I would say about trying to understand what happened there is that it’s like trying to do a jigsaw puzzle you can’t finish yourself: you know where the corners and edges go, but you need someone to complete the big picture. That’s where Richard, our guide came in. He really did put meat on the bones if you like, and at every place we visited went into great detail about what had happened there.
Our Specialist Guide, Richard Bass, talks to the group.
I had a few brief conversations with Richard as we walked around the battlefield sites, as did many of the other passengers. He told me he’s been working for Leger for 9 years and is still learning new things every day. I asked him if he’d ever been caught out by a question that he couldn’t answer. He said… “yes by a 12 year old boy, he asked me about a grave in one of the cemeteries we had visited and I just didn’t know the answer, so as soon as we got back I researched the question and got the answer for him… it happens sometimes and fortunately it hasn’t happened sinceâ€.
What were the passengers like?
We had a fairly mixed group of 30 male and 13 female passengers which made for a very well-balanced group, with couples and a few singles mixed with groups of friends and fathers with sons etc. After the day’s events most of us met up, either at lunch time or at the hotel bar for a drink to talk about what we’d seen and what was on the itinerary for the next day.
You travelled alone on this tour. Would you have enjoyed it more if you were travelling with someone else?
Possibly, but you soon get talking to the other passengers, all with a common interest, I never felt alone because of the nature of the tour and as a group we’d always got something to talk about. If I was to go again I would take my Dad, he’s always had an interest in the Second World War. I think he’d find it just as fascinating as I did.
Was the tour as you expected?
It was, and more! There’s so much detail and so much to take in. I never thought that I would remember everything – you just can’t – but once you look back at your pictures the memories soon start to come back. I’ve even got one of Richard’s books on my wish list so I can learn more about the places we visited and the events that took place there.
Did you think the tour was value for money?
The guide was worth the money alone! You can’t put a value on someone’s knowledge, it’s priceless! I’d love to go on another Second World War tour because this has got me fired up for more.
Would someone with absolutely no knowledge in D-Day Landings enjoy the tour?
It’s a great introductory tour for anyone who has a general interest in the events surrounding D-Day – you don’t need to know much about what happened, as long as you’re interested, that’s the main thing. Even someone who joined the tour with absolutely no knowledge of what happened on D-Day would have a great understanding of the events that unfolded after being there with the guide.
Omaha Beach with remaining German defences.
What was the best part of the tour?
I found all of it fascinating but Omaha Beach was, for me, the most emotional and poignant, maybe because it’s so well documented and I’d seen it in films such as Saving Private Ryan. It’s a very subdued place and it’s not until you’ve heard the stories and you’re actually standing on the beach that you fully appreciate what the troops were up against.
Can you sum up the D-Day Landings tour in 5 words?
Emotional, fascinating, informative, engrossing, captivating, educational, memorable and inspiring… I know that’s more than five words but if you join the tour for yourself you’ll understand why five words is simply not enough.
Find out more about this tour here.
