Xuân Đăng

Christmas is coming, and participating in workshops making scented candles, cookies, and knitting socks can be a great new activity to do in a merry Christmas season.

Christmas is more than a week away, and many young people are starting to look for fun and entertaining activities with friends during the holiday.

If you like making cookies and scented candles, skills classes in HCM City may be suitable for you.

From the end of November, many workshops making pottery, cookies, scented candles, Christmas wreaths, Santa Claus figures from clay, painting wood to make coasters, sewing teddy bears and socks started appearing and accepting registrations until mid-December.

At Thơm Heaven at 311B Bình Quới Street, Bình Thạnh District, there are workshops on making scented candles and decorations with a Christmas theme.

For the holiday, the shop is adorned with different Christmas concepts.

The workshop is a big hit among young people in the city hoping to relax by creating scented candles using provided materials such as candle wax, various essential oils, and decorative tools.

Nguyễn Trường Thịnh, 26, from Thủ Đức City, said this is the second time this month he has come to Thơm Heaven's workshop to make scented candles.

Colourful scented candles at the Thơm Heaven shop. VNS Photo Xuân Đăng

"I found the shop on the web. It is near my house so I came here to experience the craft with my friends," he said.

The two-hour workshop starts with introducing participants to various essential oils, including sweet varieties like orange and strawberry that impart a sense of vitality and refreshment, and woody varieties like agarwood, rosewood, and pine that offer a sense of cosiness and relaxation.

Visitors are then instructed on how to measure out the ingredients and mix the oils in a test tube. They then melt down the wax and stir in the essential oils.

After the candle hardens, the decoration phase begins.

A customer is mixing various essential oils like pine, orange, and cinnamon to create Christmas scented candles. VNS Photo Xuân Đăng

An Ngọc Thiên Thanh, founder of the Thơm Heaven workshop, told Việt Nam News that the goal of the workshop is to provide the community with basic and advanced art and craft experiences.

"We want our customers to feel completely relaxed when participating in our workshops. Customers can forget the stress from workplaces and schools and completely enjoy the creative space and interesting experiences that the workshop brings," Thanh said.

Besides scented candles, Thơm Heaven also offers other workshops that help participants experience such crafts as making pottery, coasters and teddy bears, she added.

"Most of our raw materials are imported from abroad. The wax will be soy wax and beeswax, while the essential oils will also be of natural origin so it will bring the most intimate and relaxing feeling to customers," Thanh said.

Wreath-making workshops are also a favourite of many people. And really, it’s easy to see why people love them so much. These workshops only arrive at a time of year when people are actively seeking out ways to connect, create, and find that extra dose of holiday cheer.

Making wreaths is a trend for the Christmas season. VNS Photo Hồng Linh

If you are looking for something to decorate your home with this Christmas, Bloomia's workshop is the right place for you.

Vy Hoa Lá, founder of the workshop, started her business from a flower shop.

You can make different styles of wreaths from classic ribbon designs to modern floral arrangements.

Whether you prefer a traditional look or something a little more contemporary, there are also a number of ways to create a customised flower arrangement for any occasion.

Wreath making is a fun and simple work that anyone can do; all it takes is a little creativity to transform natural materials into a masterpiece.

In this two-hour workshop, you are going to learn how to DIY a beautiful and festive wreath, step by step. The wreath can be used as a decoration on your door, a centrepiece together with candles for your Christmas dinner table, or a very thoughtful gift for your loved ones.

Step by step you will learn how to DIY a beautiful and festive wreath. VNS Photo Xuân Đăng

"We have started this workshop since the beginning of December and will run it until Christmas," Vy said.

"This is an activity that everyone can experience. Many young people have introduced their family members to join with them and had good times with their family.

"I want everyone participating in the workshop to have the best experience. That's why we prepare very carefully the materials as well as have staff guide the participants.

"We want our customers to experience the most authentic things, so we imported fresh Nobilis pine branches from Denmark. Therefore, the price will be from VNĐ750,000 per person but the experience will be completely worth the price."

Nguyễn Thị Ái Phi, 47, from Bình Thạnh District, said that she joined the class through her daughter's recommendation.

"This is the first time I have this experience. I really enjoy it, especially the decoration step. I feel very happy to see a laurel wreath designed by my own hands," Phi said. VNS