I meant to post this earlier this month but homeschooling and cooking nonstop (or so it feels with 5 people at home including a very hungry12 years old boy!!!).
So here we go, here some of our favourite creative ways to put our Christmas tree to good use:
Before you send your tree for recycling (if you haven’t, check local authorities for collecting points near you) keep a small branch or a cup full of needles.
You can 'steal' a branch from an abandoned kerbside Xmas tree or forage needles from one of London's many evergreen conifers.
1- Make pine infused cleaning vinegar. Perfect to use as all purpose cleaner! Place 2 small branches of pine in a large jar cover with white vinegar and let infuse for a week or two. Then fill a spray bottle half way with water, fill the rest with the pine vinegar and use to clean all around the house. It's totally worth it! The smell is really lovely! It kind of smells like pineapple ?!?
2- Infuse in oil to use in a diffuser or essential oil burner (see previous post to create an upcycled essential oil burner!)
3- Make a tea with the pine needle and use to fragrance your liquid soap solution.
4- If you are sure that your pine tree has not been sprayed with chemicals you can make a immune booster tincture full of vitamin C. Place needles in a small jar and cover with vodka and let them sit in a sunny spot for a couple of weeks. Shake every now and then to release oil from the needles. Strain the liquid and replace in the small jar. Take 5-15 drops a day for a month. Alternatively you can make a pine needle tea by infusing 1Tsp crushed needles for 3 min in boiling water.
5- If you are into candle making you can add the infused oil and some pine needles to your wax for a beautiful winter forest scented candle.
6- Make a decongesting pine and salt steam (again only in you know your pine is chemicals free)
7- Add Pine needles to salt for an invigorating foot bath salt!
8- Use as mulch on your garden or in planters. Acidic plants will particularly benefit, this might event deter cats and foxes!!!
If you are using pine needles in your cosmetics or natural remedies make sure you know what you are doing and where the pine is coming from. Never forage unless you are sure of what you are picking.
We love this article from Herbal Academy, great read if you want to learn more about Pine needles' benefits and uses.
If you want to learn more about Green Cleaning join our FREE online workshop on Thursday 28th January 2021- 8pm-9pm- Register HERE.
What do you do with your Christmas tree after the celebrations? Have you tried one of these DIYs?
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