Christmas taste of home

Cahir-based pattissière Julia Finke remembers times past making Advent wreaths and baking biscuits and cakes for Christmas

CHRISTMAS always started for us in the week coming up to Advent when we made an Advent wreath.We would go out with my father on the tractor to get the nicest fir branches from the farm. We would wrap the dark green twigs around a wreath made of straw and tie it with green wire.

We would decorate it with holly twigs with red berries and cones. Afterwards we would put four short, thick red candles on it and when it came to the first of Advent we would be allowed to light the first one which meant it was only four more weeks to Christmas.