The further North you go, the more fascinating an oak gets because it becomes increasingly rare. Our garden gifts are inspired by the oak, a symbol of belief in the future. In the same vein, making a party out of clipping hedges together and giving garden tools are gifts that take advantage of the gardener's love of dwelling in the dream of next year's garden during the winter season. Whatever branches you've got left in the garden after the clipping can be transformed into a thrifty door greeting or gift.
1. Clip-the-Hedges Party
Gardening during the season before the snow arrives can be a much needed experience of light and air. Clipping the hedges at this time of year avoids disturbing the birds when they begin to nest in the spring and it is easier with the foliage gone. Suggest getting together with friends and neighbors for a clip-the-hedges party the centerpiece of which should of course be some warm glögg or lingon juice.
2. Give an Oak
Only 1 in 10,000 of the acorns that fall from our oak trees this autumn will become a full-grown tree. Help to tip the odds by giving your nearest an oak growing kit or try the following method from our 1895 guide (see Editorial):
“How you get a little oak to grow in a glass of water:
Draw a steel thread or a thin stick through an acorn and hang it on the rim of a water or wine glass that is filled up to three quarters with water. The steel thread should not touch the water. After eight days a small root will begin to grow and eventually side roots. The acorn will begin to split and gradually a stem will grow where some fine leaves will develop. Water regularly and plant outside when the threat of frost is over.”
Giving an oak is giving the gift of belief in the future: oaks can live for hundreds of years. If you prefer something other than oak there are hundreds of seeds that you can sew, allow to germinate and give away.
3. Bulbs rather than Bulge
Rather than bringing more possibly unneeded calories over to friends this holiday season, consider bringing over one of many winter-blooming bulb flowers available during the holiday season.
4. An Original Wreath
Make a holiday season wreath out of simple branches (even bare ones that you could spray paint Nordic white) and bind with a piece of old cloth or ribbon. The most striking of arrangements are often the simplest and the most original. Your personal wreath on your door is a personal greeting to your visitors. Perfection doesn't make most people feel at home. It doesn't have to be a wreath! Try Johanna's thrifty suggestions for your table.
5. A Gift of Foresight
Gardening tools aren't usually the sort of thing that end up in Christmas parcels. They are usually bought hurriedly in the spring when those blunt, worn out tools just won't do the job any more several weeks into the growing season. Purchase a set of high quality ergonomic gardening tools and wrap them up. For a gardening enthusiast there can be no better gift during the winter than the dream of next year's garden.
