Standing knee-deep in decorations stored in a basement work room of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 only castle, Langford resident Sherry Kerr formulates a plan.

Now in her 16th year decorating Craigdarroch for Christmas, she doesnB次元官网网址檛 start with sketches, drawing instead on instinct, experience and creativity.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very creative so IB次元官网网址檓 able to put that to use and this is my bliss,B次元官网网址� said Kerr, a designer who works as a manager at JordanB次元官网网址檚 Home in Langford outside of her holiday passion. B次元官网网址淚 actually donB次元官网网址檛 plan. I walk into the room and get a feeling. I go downstairs and I just start grabbing (things) and it starts to flow.B次元官网网址�

A national historic site, Craigdarroch Castle was built by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir (who died before it was finished) and now gives glimpses into privileged life in the 1890s. His sons finished overseeing the work, with one of them, James, also commissioning Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 other castle Hatley in Colwood. (Some sources describe the Fairmont Empress Hotel as also being a castle.)

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Adding holiday flair to the former home of the widow Dunsmuir and her youngest daughters is a winter highlight for Kerr. Immediately diving into research, she found little information available on how the castle was treated for the holidays.

B次元官网网址淪o I decorated in keeping with the Victorian theme,B次元官网网址� she said.

The first few years were done to the hilt, with chandeliers, doors and halls dripping in garland and every room decorated. Even the paintings were swathed in fabric in a Victorian decor style. Over the years that has cut down to the key rooms, such as the dining room, breakfast room and, of course, the drawing room.

ItB次元官网网址檚 likely more in keeping with what the original family would have done, Kerr said.

Mantels heavily swathed in garlands provided her first big challenge. Since itB次元官网网址檚 historic, she canB次元官网网址檛 use sneaky nails, little screws or adhesive strips.

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Layering greenery, fabric, ivy, feathers and more, sheB次元官网网址檇 find things falling all the time.

She overcame that using heavy fishing weights, flattened on the sides and lined with protective felt.

The eyelets on the weights provide an anchor for attaching layers upon layers of festive garlands.

B次元官网网址淎bsolutely everything has to be secure B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 layers and layers of stuff,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淵ou look at it and you donB次元官网网址檛 know what goes into those layers.B次元官网网址�

She loves every bit of it, with nothing standing out as a favourite.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 always sad when IB次元官网网址檓 done.B次元官网网址�

If thereB次元官网网址檚 a least favourite part, itB次元官网网址檚 probably the railings from the ground floor to the tip of the tower bedecked in greenery intertwined artfully with red ribbon.

The B次元官网网址減ainstakingB次元官网网址� work, while stunning at the end, means two days hunched over weaving ribbon into four floors worth of garland.

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But itB次元官网网址檚 worth it. There is the reward of a beautiful display, and kudos from guests.

Her design ideas, done on the fly for well over a decade now, are often the inspiration for visitors from around the world who offer praise, and snap images to duplicate the decor at home

B次元官网网址淚 get lots of gratification when IB次元官网网址檓 here. Lots of pats on the back.B次元官网网址�

Craigdarroch Castle is open Wednesday through Sunday.

Learn more at .

Apple Snowballs

A plate of round white balls takes pride of place near the centre of a table in the breakfast room at Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria. Naturally, theyB次元官网网址檙e imposters, dupes used for the display at the castle.

But theyB次元官网网址檙e true to the time the Dunsmuir family lived there. And the recipe is something the castle society shares.

Adapted from CassellB次元官网网址檚 Dictionary of Cooking, 1892, apple snowballs take about 30 minutes to prepare six servings and 50 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

- rice pudding rice

- 6 cooking apples

- 6 tsp Muscovado sugar (substitute with dark brown sugar)

- 3 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

- milk

- muslin cloth

- string

Directions:

- pare and core six apples leaving them whole

- mix sugar and cinnamon then spread some in the hollow of each appleB次元官网网址�

- boil one cup of rice pudding in milk until half-cooked

- prepare six pieces of muslin large enough to wrap each apple

- divide the partly cooked rice into six portions and spread on each cloth

- place apples in the centre of each cloth and wrap so the rice covers the apples completely then tie the cloth with a string

- place wrapped apples in a saucepan of boiling water and boil for 45 minutes then remove and unwrap

- serve apple snowballs sprinkled with sifted sugar or a sweet topping