3 easy Christmas activities you can do at home

​Christmas is a magical time of year, and it’s also the perfect time to try new projects with family and friends. The new Advent book by Kerstin Niehoff and Laura Fleiter celebrates the season with recipes and crafts for the countdown to Christmas, with delicious dishes, fun seasonal projects, handmade gifts and simple yet stunning decorations. Take time to slow things down during the busy pre-Christmas period with these three projects from Advent, which are giving us all of the warm, fuzzy, festive vibes.

1. Advent Candles

These nature-inspired candles sum up minimalist beauty, and prove that creating an Advent mood needn't take much time or effort. If you already have a wreath, or just want to try something different, this project is perfect, and will add a unique, modern touch to your Christmas decorations.

2. Orange & Cinnamon Syrup

Combining two of our favourite seasonal flavours, this sweet and fruity concoction is a divine little dream that makes everything a bit more delicious. It’s perfect for flavouring your favourite hot beverage, as a sauce for desserts, as a spread for toast and much more. Stirred into hot milk, it makes an amazing night cap for cold winter evenings. It also makes a wonderful handmade Christmas gift for your loved ones, packaged in a vintage glass bottle.

3. Salt Dough Christmas Decorations

Salt dough Christmas decorations, which were all the rage in the 1980s, deserve to be updated for the 21st century. This dough is very quick and easy to make, and is a great Christmas activity for kids. Best of all, they'll last for years to come!

Projects and recipes extracted from Advent by Kerstin Niehoff and Laura Fleiter. Murdoch Books, £12.99. Photography by Laura Fleiter.