Festive Fireplace

I had visions, some 10 years ago when we had the oak fire surround installed, that at Christmastime it would be garlanded with elegant festive greenery, the epitome of a contributor of Country Life magazine.
In all that time the mantlepiece has not seen so much as a leaf of decoration for Christmas; this year I was determined to change that.

 It was going so well - with some last-minute shopping I bought a couple of red candles, and cut some variegated stems from the garden, including a few red berries. But then I dropped one of the candles, which broke in half, revealing a white inner core. It has been welded back together in a lumpy sort of way, and only today got round to tying a bunch of assorted  holly and ivy onto the candlesticks.

In subdued light it just about passes for a blip, however I doubt I'll have a photographer from Country Life hammering at the door for their front cover shot.