Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
29th November 2025
Christmas Creepers
Traditionally, people used to put up their Christmas trees and decorations on the first day of Advent, which is marked on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. That would be 30th November (tomorrow) this year. However, these days, most people start decorating and get the Christmas tree up on the first weekend in December. It is even known as the ‘Big Tree-kend’. This year, however, I have noticed that loads of people have ‘gone early’ – lots of trees are already up (and some have been for quite a while) and lots of houses are already festooned with outdoor lights and decorations. Apparently these keen decorators are known as ‘Christmas Creepers’. With one thing and another, I think people need cheering up, so just haven’t bothered waiting until December this year.
Whilst the classic Christmas colours of red and green will always be popular, apparently this year’s trend for the festive decorations is for ‘bold colour palettes.’ And that translates as deep jewel tones, such as emerald green, rich ruby red and sapphire blue – all highlighted with metallic accents of copper, silver and gold for a striking contrast.
Of the many different coloured artificial trees that are now available – and in the wake of trends including black trees, purple and even pink trees – white is now the best selling colour, outselling the traditional green ones.
The minimalist trend continues to influence Christmas décor, with people interpreting it as ‘simplicity and elegance’. I think having only a few nice festive focal points always creates a more relaxing environment too. Similarly neutral options of whites, creams, and soft greys are now popular, providing a calm and cohesive look that won’t date either. Gone are the paper chains made in primary school and cellotaped from ceiling corner to corner of a room.
Vintage-inspired decorations have made a comeback over the last couple of years, with retro ornaments and classic patterns bringing a sense of nostalgia to the season. People are choosing charity chops for recycled shiny glass baubles, kitschy figures, and textiles. Apparently these remind people of Christmases past. They need those paper chains for that!
Of course, nature-inspired decorations continue to be popular with nature-lovers. It’s a great excuse to bring the outdoors in, using greenery, foliage, berries and pine cones to decorate. Apparently designers have also picked up on this and this year many traditional decorations are available in earthy colours like moss green, burnt sienna, and muted golds.
Christmas decorations are also spilling over into other aspects of home furnishings, like Christmas cushions, throws, table runners, and even rugs. And taking inspiration from a competitive knitting series on TV, knitted and crocheted ornaments are also being crafted and gifted.
Waste Not
Whatever you are planning to buy, display and gift this Christmas, bear in mind the recent survey from ‘HIPPO’.
It is ‘staggeringly sobering’ amid the festive cheer, as it highlights the scale of Britain’s Christmas waste problem, with millions of unwanted presents and vast quantities of uneaten food going straight to landfill every year.
Apparently, the UK generates more than 230,000 tonnes of food waste over the Christmas period, along with an estimated £42 million worth of unwanted gifts.
A stark contrast to David Suzuki’s observation that, ‘in nature, nothing is wasted.’
Soup-ah Food
While everyone seems to be concentrating on festivities, and festive food, I am, and have been, concentrating on soup. It’s underrated. Especially at this time of year.
Some of you will remember the Clangers, which was an animated children’s television series of short films about a family of mouse-like creatures who lived on, and inside, a small moon-like planet. They spoke only by whistling, and ate green soup, which was supplied by the Soup Dragon, and followed by blue string pudding.
These fantastic programmes were originally broadcast on BBC1 between 1969 and 1972, followed by a special episode, which was broadcast in 1974. The series was made by a company set up by Oliver Postgate, who was also the show’s writer, animator and narrator.
He described the Clangers as, ‘a family in space. They were small creatures living in peace and harmony on – and inside – a small, hollow planet, far, far away: nourished by Blue String Pudding, and by Green Soup harvested from the planet’s volcanic soup wells by the Soup Dragon.’
Well, the point of reminding you about the Clangers is that I have turned into the Soup Dragon – and yes, my ‘best’ soup is green, thanks to spinach and broccoli.
Interestingly, Wikipedia explains that, ‘Postgate provided the narration for the Clangers, for the most part in a soft, melodic voice, describing and accounting for the curious antics of the little blue planet’s knitted pink inhabitants, and providing a ‘translation’, as it were, for much of their whistled dialogue. Postgate claimed that in reality when the Clangers’ were whistling, they were “swearing their little heads off.”
Something else I have in common with the little lovelies.
One of the many things I love about soup making is that it suits my style of cooking. Take whatever veg is on the brink of its Best Before date, put it all in a big pan and cook. And then blend well. Eat for tea and put in flask for the next ‘’how-ever-many days’. Far easier than all the TV cheffy stuff.
Every soup I make – without exception – has loads of garlic, ginger and chilli in it. These three ingredients make anything taste good and obviously have excellent health benefits too.
My favourite, and mostly made, soup is sweet potato and red pepper, although my Great Green Soup is a close second, and my beetroot concoction takes third place on the soup podium.
And although soup is the main story – there are numerous chapters that add to its charm. Adding coconut cream will give any soup a Thai twist – especially the Great Green Soup. You can add cheese to all soup – as you would Cawl – just to ramp it up a bit. Leeks make a good base for all soups. Adding lentils or beans (butter, black or mixed) or chickpeas will make the soup go further – all week in fact. You can add them before you blend or after. How versatile is that? Adding rice or pasta will also make you feel that you are eating a completely new dish – but don’t blend them. I have also added poached eggs to a bowl of ‘appropriate’ soup – but don’t blend them either.
Cabbage can obviously be added to the Great Green Soup but can be used on its own too – well, I say on it’s own but I mean with leeks, ginger, garlic and chilli.
I have added mint and lemon to my Great Green Soup too – it’s delicious and a bit Morroco-esque. Adding a good dollop of Greek yogurt or ‘swirl of cream’ will give you that restaurant feel.
And there’s more. I have learned that basically anything can be made into soup and most things can be successfully blended. But I have also learned that soups can be made into sauces and curries – easily peasily. And of course, although it wouldn’t happen here at the cottage, you can batch cook and freeze soups, as soup or for sauces and curries too.
I’m sure there are lost of ‘soup-ah’ recipes on the Internet or in books too, but I’ve not gone down that route, as I would then have to endure a shopping list and the stress that brings. I’m all for keeping soup simple.
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