Judith Milne shows how to paint and draw holly, perfect for creating your own Christmas cards.

As Christmas draws closer, our thoughts turn to all things associated with the season and its traditions. Evergreens featured as decorations in homes and shrines of pagan people at this time of year, as their continuing greenness was a sign of life in the winter, when other plants were dead. Holly, ivy and mistletoe also bore fruit at this time. Evergreens were used as Christianity developed and people looked for Christian meanings in these plants. It is thought that the English word holly derived from the word holy.

As painters we often look towards designing our own greetings cards for family and special friends, especially at this season when they are welcomed with delight as a personal greeting.

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