Have fun this Christmas with perky poinsettias!

Poinsettias - with their rich colours and star-shaped flowers, they are adored by children and adults alike. They come in a range of sizes, from miniature to large “standard” plants, shaped like a tree.

Use as a bright and exciting alternative to a Christmas tree in the children’s bedrooms, or select the mini pots and get them involved in making an unusual Christmas decoration.

Poinsettias come in all colours, from pretty pink for girls, to racing red for boys.

For tiny hands…

You will need:
Miniature potted poinsettia plants
Coloured paper
Stapler
Glue

To keep small hands busy, children can make simple hanging plant pot covers from coloured paper or Christmas wrap.

• Roll the paper into a cone shape, staple, then get creative with sparkly gems, glitter and felt, or pin badges to the cones for an even faster decoration.
  
• Staple cardboard strips to the cones to make a handle, then place miniature flowering poinsettias inside.
  
• Thread the handles through some coloured string or ribbon and hang from the Christmas tree, from door handles, from windows, or even from the ceiling!
  

For bigger hands…

You will need:
Miniature potted poinsettia plants
Old socks
Cotton wool or white felt
Glue

Outgrown socks make charming festive pot-holders for your poinsettias.

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• Get the children to make cotton-wool or fuzzy felt trimming for the socks, so they look like Santa’s boots. They can add glitter, tinsel or sparkles to make them even more Christmassy.
  
• Stuff the toe with cotton wool, then place the potted poinsettia plant inside. Poinsettias like to be kept warm, so this snug sock is perfect to keep it cosy.
  

Don’t leave the socks lying around without a plant inside when you’ve taken them out to water – Santa’s elves might take them away to wear for themselves!

If you don’t mind grubby hands…

You will need:
Ready-made wreath frame
Poinsettia plants
Plant pot or tub to fit inside the frame
Compost
Felt

If you want to make a larger Christmas decoration for your table, it’s easy to get the children involved. You can make a simple but effective arrangement by buying a ready-made  wicker or fir cone wreath from a florists’ shop.

To transform this into an all-day activity, you can make a fir-cone wreath yourself by sticking the cones your children have collected to a polystyrene or cardboard ring.

Place the tub in the centre of the wreath frame and plant the poinsettias inside. Children love making indoor gardens, and they can mix shiny baubles in, too, or cut out bright shapes from felt and place them next to the arrangement to enhance its bright, fun appeal.

For more fun ways with indoor plants and cut flowers, visit www.flowers.org.uk