Anyone can go to a store and buy one of those so-called plastic Christmas trees, or you can go further out of town and purchase a precut tree sold by thrifty sellers out to make a few extra dollars.

With various restrictions in different countries regarding tree felling, you need to be very careful where and what you cut down. Check with your local shires or councils to see what the ruling is in your particular area. Whether living in the city or the suburbs, rules still apply, so be careful.

In the old days, before they implemented the logging rules, we used to make it a day's outing for the whole family. We would pack the car with a portable barbecue, the sausages, and bread and jump into the car and drive out a little way into the bush to find our particular choice of tree. We had fun us kids fighting over which one was the best.

Now with having to be more conscientious on looking after our forests, we decided to prune back one of the trees in our own garden sometimes. Although, this year we used the plastic one and made it different by creating various handmade decorations, from the odd bits and pieces in my craft box and old cards.

This year, I wanted something with a bit of difference. We went out into the bush and found some old honky nuts off the gum trees. Then I picked up a few small dead branches with the leaves still on them. All I needed now was the original branch to form the tree itself, with this decision made we headed back.

Once home, I produced a tin of silver spray paint (you could use gold or a mixture of both). I sprayed all the honky nuts, the small branches and leaves, and trimmed up the main branch and sprayed that and left them out to dry.

I checked in my potting shed and found a suitable sized pot, lined the inside base with newspapers (so the sand would not fall through) and three-quarter filled it with sand.

Now I am ready to make my tree. Dig a small hole in the sand and place the large branch inside, firm it down then add the smaller branches around the large one. You can also tie some onto the larger branch, depending on the effect you wish to acquire.

As your Christmas cards arrive, make a small hole in the top of each card, and push either silver or gold metal ties through the hole and tie them onto your tree. Arrange them at different angles to give it more effect.

You could also use this as your Christmas tree with a little more inventiveness. Whatever you do, make it special to you and your family by creating it together as a family. Everyone can make his or her own, special little ornaments from various materials to hang on the tree.

Whichever tree you decide upon, make sure you enjoy your Christmas day with your family and friends. It is the thought that counts, not the size of the presents, the tree, or how much anything cost. I hope you all have a safe and Happy Christmas Day