Keep the environment as accessible as possible, for example by keeping paper and craft materials in a special drawer or labelled box. Holly, or Ilex, is a plant genus made up of many hundreds of species. Depending on the species, holly can be evergreen or can be a deciduous holly. People can easily recognize this plant with its green leaves with bright red berries – but there is a lot of variety within the genus, too. A wide spectrum of traits distinguishes this broad group: spiny or full and luscious; bright or dark green; sun-loving or drought-tolerant. During the Christmas period, doing craft activities can be a lovely way to spend time with your child (or to keep them occupied whilst you're busy!) It can be a good idea to set aside space or even a room in the house to help your child get creative.

Holly Tinsel - The Range Festive Holly Tinsel - The Range

Fun Fact: This variety was first propagated and introduced in New York in 1950 by Kathleen K. Meserve. There’s a lot more to holly than its decorative aesthetics, however. Ilex is a dioecious plant, which means that female plants and female trees are separate from male plants and trees. Depending on the biological sex of the holly plant, you’ll staminate or pistillate flowers.Whether it's the kitchen table or a corner of the living room, make sure children feel comfortable to get creative. Fun Fact: Also known as “ Golden King Holly .” It is bred partly from English holly and was first found growing in a garden. It is known to attract wildlife . But the folk significance of holly stretches even deeper into certain cultures’ collective history. For example, pre-Christian European traditions linked holly plants to various thunder gods. People planted holly outside their door, believing it would prevent lightning from striking the house. In Celtic mythology, the Holly King is often woven into lore as a giant and often linked to the “green man” archetype of Arthurian legend. For almost all species, the leaves and the red berries are toxic. The exception to this is Yerba Mate, which is an important cultural beverage in South America that has gained popularity around the world due to globalization. Fun Fact: Inkberry’s botanical name refers to the smooth leaves , in comparison to other holly species with sharp spikes.

Holly Tinsel Garland - Etsy UK Holly Tinsel Garland - Etsy UK

Fun Fact: This plant is also commonly known as Kurogane holly and was one of the first plants to return to Hiroshima after the city was bombed by the United States in WWII. Native regions of different Ilex species span from tropical regions to temperate zones and growth patterns vary from evergreen trees, evergreen shrubs, to climbers. Fun Fact: Deer and 18 species of birds eat the red berries in the United States according to the USDA. Fun Fact: The fruit of Carolina holly is more elliptical than round , which can help to distinguish this variety from American holly, which is often growing nearby. When these branches of green leaves and red berries are cut, they are primarily used as an ornamental Christmas holly plant in winter plant displays along with spruce tips, boxwood, and Eucalyptus. The vibrant holly berries stand out particularly well in the winter landscapes of temperate zones.Today the plant is strongly associated with the Christmas season. In pre-victorian Europe, “Christmas trees” weren’t firs and spruces – they were holly trees . Perfect for use in the classroom or at home, make the lead-up to Christmas both fun and educational for your child. This handy Christmas Read and Draw Activity is lots of fun for your children to do. There are eight different Christmas pictures to draw. Your children simply have to read the festive word in each box and draw a picture that relates to it. Your children could draw their own Christmas decorations on to this nice Christmas tree template. We also have a fun Christmas Symmetry Worksheet too. Fun Fact: Longstalked holly is salt-tolerant and able to thrive even in areas where there is significant air pollution .