37 pages of ideas, articles and instructions for slowing down and enjoying a simple, nature inspired Christmas! Including, eco-gift ideas, advent calendar, advent schedule, recipes, seasonal stories, crafts, activities and articles to help you find the joy in a simple, nature-based Christmas period. 
 
One of the most difficult challenges we face when we decide to incorporate nature and the outdoors into our Christmas celebrations is that our society’s collective image of Christmas is based on old traditions from the Northern Hemisphere- where it is winter time. The origin of many of our modern Christmas icons is, of course, the celebration of Yule- or Winter Solstice. Images such as: a snow topped pine tree, a blazing open fire, mugs of hot drinks and garlands of holly and ivy. There are many guides to incorporating nature into your Christmas traditions, however the majority of these presume that it is winter time. At Forest School SA we aim to instil an awareness of, and appreciation of, the seasons and seasonal changes and this clashes heavily with the images of snowmen and hot cups of cocoa we are inundated with during the festive period. Many a young child in the Southern Hemisphere has been left disappointed while awaiting the snowfall they presumed would appear come Christmas day. This guide aims to help parents construct a Christmas experience that honours and appreciates the Summertime, that draws on icons such as: the sun (and stars), light, the vibrant fruits and greenery that are in season, warmth (both inner and outer) and all the vibrant colours of our native flora.