Fresh Greens at Home for the Holidays
Even though we skipped our Christmas tree hunt this year, we still brought some of the outdoors indoors for the holidays.
Our best winter afternoon adventure this year was gathering fresh mistletoe. Did you know it grows up high in oak trees? I had no idea! I don’t think I’d ever even seen fresh-from-the-woods mistletoe before we moved down here.
You shoot it down with a shotgun and use it as part of your decorations or as an accent to wrap packages. Just be careful–it can be poisonous if ingested! Keep it out of reach of children and pets and if you give it away include a little note if you’re not sure they know.
Then after tramping through the woods for an hour you have to come home and have hot chocolate, of course!
And when you step in the door, here’s another lovely part of home for the holidays…spicy apple cinnamon in the air.
Just slice a fresh apple, sprinkle lightly with ground cloves, add a couple of cinnamon sticks and whole allspice and cover with water in a crock pot. Simmer on low all day (keep an occasional eye on the water level) and once it’s heated through crack the lid.
Makes the whole house smell like apple pie when you walk in!
What are some of your favorite ways of making holiday memories with your family?
Had no idea about the mistletoe…thank you for sharing! Happy New Year!
I miss living near the woods. We used to do this often when my older two children were younger. We do love to go hiking, but haven’t been able to much since we have moved. I also love to simmer cinnamon and spices on the stove all day. Just has this warm feeling about it! 🙂
That mistletoe is seriously cool – I never knew that!! I love that crockpot idea – that would be great pretty much all fall!