- Hey guys!
With Christmas just a few short days away,
I thought you might enjoy learning
how to make a spectacular centerpiece idea
for your Christmas table.
And I can't think of anybody better
to show us how to make this,
then Father Christmas himself, my Dad.
He's back! (laughs)
- Hello.
- Thanks for coming.
- Uh-huh.
- [Lisa] If you missed Dad last year,
you can get caught up,
and learn how to make his spectacular Eggnog,
another family tradition.
But I had to have you on for this tradition,
because this was something that I grew up with a as a kid,
these fruit towers.
In fact, all of the holiday pictures
have these towers in the picture.
You'll see them sneaking through. (laughs)
And I always thought it was something that you just did,
but then, as I grew older,
and I learned more about Colonial America,
I guess this was something that they did back then.
- That's right.
And your grandparents, they loved to go to historic sites.
So, they loved going to Williamsburg, Old Salem,
and we would always try to go during the holiday season.
And these were traditional in the Colonial times,
because these fruits were such delicacies,
that they would use them for display,
and then they would obviously, eat them after.
- Yeah, and that's another tip.
So, you're gonna see us work with a bunch of oranges
for this tower.
And they don't go to waste.
The best thing you can do with them is squeeze them,
and I like to turn them into Clementine juice,
that I then serve mimosas with on New Year's Day.
So, I'm gonna leave you the recipe in the description,
and you can learn how to do that.
- Great idea, so.
- Yeah, so what do we do?
- Getting started, you can use any container.
I like the idea of a footed container,
but you could use a bucket, you could use a birch bucket.
- Yes.
- You know, something that may be more interesting.
If you do use something like this,
what I would suggest is that you use floral clay.
- [Beth] Okay.
- Now, floral clay, you can find in any craft store,
or in any floral supply.
But what's great about this, is you can peel it apart,
and then I like to place it along the sides.
- Yeah, okay.
- Because that'll anchor our styrofoam cone.
- [Beth] Yes.
- [Dad] And with the styrofoam cones,
you can use either white,
or they do have some that are green,
but we're going to be covering up the sides with moss.
- Yes.
- But make sure that you do this,
because you want it to be anchored,
'cause I think the worst thing that could happen,
is during a dinner party,
for the leaning tower to go flying somewhere.
- (laughing) Yeah, if someone goes to touch it.
Because this does get a lot of weight,
once all of the oranges are on,
so while it might feel really light as the styrofoam,
once you get the oranges on, it does get heavy.
And if you guys want to know
where to get all these supplies
that we're working with today,
I'll put a link in the description,
and it will take you to my Amazon shop,
and you can find it all there.
- [Dad] So, we're going to--
- [Beth] Yep, got it.
- [Dad] Looks like that.
- [Beth] Looks good.
- [Dad] And then, anchor it in here,
and try to make sure that it's level.
- [Beth] Yeah.
- Because once it's anchored--
- Yep.
- It's there.
- Okay.
- Mm-kay.
So, what we're going to do,
is we're going to start with our oranges.
And using these natural picks,
- Yes.
- Because--
- So, I found, there's, I guess two ways to do it.
You can use the floral picks, which we have here somewhere.
- Right here.
- Oh, yes. (laughs)
Here are the floral picks.
You can use the floral picks,
or you can use what's called natural bamboo skewers.
I like the bamboo skewers,
because we're going to eat these oranges afterward,
so then you don't have to worry
about this green dye going into the orange.
And you know that this is food-safe, so, just a tip.
- [Dad] And then, I like to take this side of the orange,
that's usually where the stem is.
- [Beth] Yes.
- [Dad] I take that away.
- [Beth] Okay.
- [Dad] But then I like to put one clove.
Or, you can get more decorative,
and do something like that.
- [Beth] Wow, I know.
Wait, you guys have to take a look at this.
You see these beautiful oranges
that are covered in cloves.
And this just shows how decorative my dad is,
and like, why he's so good at this.
I would just put the cloves in there,
and maybe do a little X,
but of course he takes the time to do (laughs)
- This is actually very quick.
I mean, it looks difficult, but.
- I know, I saw that last week,
and I thought, that is so clever,
that looks so beautiful.
It kind of looks like a little bit of a spider, but.
- I refer to this as a star.
- Yes, I love the star.
I think it's so clever and beautiful.
- As kids, you would do the whole orange.
- I know, oh my gosh!
- And I would suggest a band-aid,
because, although you do have a tip with a fork.
- Yes.
So you can use a fork.
You can basically just take a fork
and pierce the flesh of the orange,
and that then creates little holes
that you can put the cloves in.
Why you never showed us that as kids? (laughs)
- I don't know. (laughs)
- That would have been easier. (laughing)
- It takes more time to do it the other way.
- I know, but I just remember my little thumbs
like, hurting as a kid, trying to do that.
I just, always loved that, yeah.
- Not too many complements.
- (laughs) Yeah, right.
- [Dad] Please.
- He's being very modest here,
but he is a great interior designer.
You may recognize him from his years on HGTV.
And that's how we actually spent so much time together.
I used to work for my dad, as his producer,
and we traveled around the world together,
doing all kinds of fun things.
And because of that, I grew up in a home
that was always well-designed, especially at Christmas.
- [Dad] Thank you.
Well, so at any rate,
what we're going to begin here,
is building our tower.
We'll take, and pierce the back of the orange,
and then begin to do your.
- Here, do you need me to hold this steady?
- Yep, here.
- Oh, yes.
- [Dad] Steady as you go.
- [Lisa] Oh, that's so great.
- [Dad] And then, starting to place it around.
- [Lisa] Yes.
You used to also do apples.
- [Dad] You can do apples, yes.
- [Lisa] There's a few photos with apples.
- And as a matter of fact,
if you go to Colonial Williamsburg,
they do have the forms available in wood, with spikes.
- Oh, that's so great.
- Which would, but that's sort of cheating.
Don't you think?
- (laughing) But it's certainly easier.
- It's more fun balancing this, the way we're doing it.
But then, when you do your whole row around.
Do I need to do the whole?
No.
- Well, they probably get the picture.
Maybe show how you then do the second layer.
- [Dad] Second, yeah.
And then, what I like to do,
is put it in between,
- [Lisa] Yeah.
- [Dad] The bottom row, like that.
- And then, I liked how you had,
in some of them, little, more decorative ones.
- [Dad] Yeah.
- [Lisa] So like, you would do an X,
here, I'm gonna help you out.
Which, I think, doesn't have to be done every one,
but maybe every four or five, do it?
Because it is beautiful.
- [Dad] And it's much easier.
- [Lisa] And it's much easier.
I know, it's much easier on the fingers.
- [Dad] Much easier on the fingers.
But I would suggest, all kidding aside, a Band-Aid.
- Yeah.
- And it's on the thumb, because, that does protect your--
- It does help.
- [Dad] Now.
- [Lisa] Yes.
- [Dad] We want to use sphagnum, or sheet moss.
- Yes. And this is--
- And that's available in craft stores,
or you can find it online, I'm sure.
- Yep, it's in the shop.
- And I like to take a spritzer, and just spray it,
because then it becomes more pliable.
And then, what you do, is go into the niches,
and put the moss.
- [Lisa] Oh, that's so pretty, against the orange.
- [Dad] Yeah.
And then, what I like to do to sort of tack it down.
- [Lisa] Mm-hmm.
- [Dad] Is I've created these little,
- [Lisa] Oh, nice.
Isn't that clever?
- [Dad] Berry sticks.
And we can just, stick that in like that.
- [Lisa] Okay.
- [Dad] And then I'll show how you create it.
- [Lisa] Yes.
Now we don't have many wild berry bushes
growing here in my yard,
but you got these in your yard, right?
- Yes.
- [Lisa] Well, I have to laugh, because
it reminds me of when we were kids,
and we didn't have any wild berries at our house either,
and my dad would go driving around the neighborhood,
looking for berry bushes--
- Shhhh. (laughing)
- And would pull over!
And for him, if the bush was growing
over the fence of some neighbor,
it was fair game.
- I was just trimming.
- (laughing) And my siblings and I
would sit in the car, like, horrified,
like, oh my gosh, Dad! (laughs)
- [Dad] Now you could use rose hips.
- Ah.
- And those are what's left over after the roses bloom.
- [Lisa] Yeah.
- [Dad] But I'm using this little berry,
and unfortunately, I do not know the Latin name for it, but.
- No. Red, berry, is.
Here we go. (laughs)
- [Dad] (laughing) There you go.
And then you just,
put that wire around it, and--
- [Lisa] Oh, that's so great!
Yeah, that's perfect.
- [Dad] Makes it easy to stick it in, in between.
- [Lisa] Yeah, right.
And these berries, I'm surprised by how hearty they are,
like, they will last a few days in this arrangement.
But you really don't want to make this
arrangement too far in advance.
So I would do it, like, a few days before Christmas.
- A few days.
- Just a few days.
- And also, spritz.
- [Lisa] Yeah. And also, spritz.
- [Dad] Because that will help it.
- [Lisa] Yep.
And the reason being, you want to be able
to eat the oranges after.
So if you did it, maybe the day before Christmas,
you could let them sit out
for maybe three days after Christmas,
and then you could go ahead and juice them,
and turn it into your New Year's Eve mimosa.
- [Dad] I think you get the idea.
- [Lisa] Yes.
- [Dad] Do you think I need to keep?
- [Lisa] Well, let's see, I think you get the idea.
- [Dad] Cause that's--
- [Lisa] Oh yeah.
- [Dad] See, it's kinda--
- [Lisa] Oh, that's so great.
So basically, you just keep going.
And once you're done,
you're gonna end up with something like this.
Look how gorgeous.
Isn't this spectacular?
- It takes a while, but it's worth it.
- It does, it's so worth it.
It is.
Okay, so now, for the finishing touch.
What do you recommend?
- [Dad] Well, you know, you always have a star on a tree.
Now, you could do cranberries,
which, you know, would be festive.
- Yes.
- And also, very appropriate, for the top of the tree,
'cause this was used during Colonial times.
- [Lisa] Yes.
- [Dad] You guys remember stringing these,
for the Christmas tree.
- Yes, that was another thing.
- And then, just put it on the top.
- [Lisa] Oh, that's so cute!
- [Dad] And then you have a little jewel in the crown.
But, if you really want to be festive--
- Yes, we do.
- Then I would suggest you put an elegant star at the top.
Now this, I found at a craft store.
- Okay.
- And there are many different stars that you can find.
You could even make one, if you wanted to.
But, how's that?
- Oh my gosh, that is spectacular, I love it!
- [Dad] We'll keep this.
- We'll go with spectacular.
And if you're inspired
by these Colonial Christmas decorations,
there's a fantastic book called Colonial Christmas,
or Christmas in Colonial America?
- I think it's Christmas in Williamsburg.
- Oh, Christmas in Williamsburg.
That's what it is.
And I have it in my Amazon shop,
and I'll leave you a link in the description,
and there's some really fabulous ideas in there.
I get so inspired every year.
- Absolutely.
- Thank you so much.
- Oh, thank you.
- Once again, for coming.
I hope you guys enjoyed this demo.
These towers were so much
a part of my childhood growing up,
and it's so special to me to have you come here,
and show me how to make them.
Now I know.
- Don't get me emotional.
Will you, please?
- (laughing) That's what the holidays are for.
Anyway, from our house to yours,
Merry Christmas everybody.
- Merry Christmas.
(acoustic version of "Silent Night")