The Fragrant Herb That Can Add Holiday Cheer To Your Kitchen

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During the holidays, the rosemary herb plays a big role in recipes like roast leg of lamb and rosemary garlic bread. And with its leaves that resemble soft pine boughs, it's as beautiful as it is fragrant. No wonder so many Christmas recipes call for it. And it isn't too much of a stretch to say that it's so pretty, it could easily be the foodie's tabletop Christmas tree. In fact, if you have some passionate home gourmands in your life and have been stumped about what to get them this holiday season, you need look no further than your kitchen counter. A rosemary plant wrapped in swaddling Christmas garb is just what the chef-in-waiting ordered to save the season. You might even find that you like it so much that you'll want to get a second one to add holiday cheer to your own kitchen.

Turning a rosemary plant into a miniature Christmas tree starts with a live plant. Usually, you can find one locally at home-and-garden stores or online via vendors like Bonnie Plants, which carry live edible aromatic rosemary plants. Since it will already be potted, you won't need to worry about housing it, though you do want to cover its pot with something Christmas-y.

An Uptell kitchen plaid tartan red and green hand towel would be something that fits the season. However, given its lack of Christmas imagery, it could be easily used beyond the season by your plant's recipient, too. If the towel wouldn't fit your intended giftee's kitchen decor style, pick one that does. Ideally, it'll fit the season somehow. Some twine or G2PLUS Christmas raffia ribbon gussies up the cute little Christmas tree alternative, making it gift-worthy. You'll also need a pair of scissors for this project. 

Before you wrap up the plant, give it the once-over. If there are any crushed branches, snip those off. Inspect the towel after that. It may need to be put into the dryer with some starch to get rid of any wrinkles or creases. Once you've given the plant and the towel a little TLC, lay the towel out flat on a table. Set the plant in the middle of the towel. Pull the edges of the towel up around the pot and secure it in place with some of the raffia or a ribbon.

Next, gently fluff the plant up to make it look fuller. Bind its branches with some raffia or twine, moving from the top of the plant to the bottom. Tie the twine at the top and hide the end in the bushy part of the plant. Tuck the other end of the twine into the bottom branches to hide it there. The twine shouldn't fit tightly around the branches. You don't want to crush the herb, just decorate its branches and give it a Christmas tree shape.

Finally, rosemary plants are native to the Mediterranean. Keep your rosemary plant alive by putting it in a brightly-lit spot and watering it minimally. The plant likes drier soil, and too much watering can be detrimental, so don't overdo it. If you're giving the plant to a friend as a gift, adding care instructions for the rosemary plant on a Blulu wooden gift tag is a nice touch. Tie the tag onto the miniature rosemary tree before it goes to its new home.