Mark Nagle leaves his better job and home in Seattle when his 6-year-old orphaned niece Holly, who stopped communicating after her mother's death, isn't allowed to pass to the next grade.

Holly and ivy are traditional rivals in the forest, representing masculine and feminine traits respectively, and they have been customary Christmas decorations since the late medieval period.

We've rounded up our favourite crochet holly projects from crafters across the world to inspire you to get stitching. And if you'd like even more Christmas crochet inspiration, check out our free ...