Ho, ho, ho hacks
YOU CAN BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR MONEY AND STILL ENJOY A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS WITH YOUR FAMILY AT THE SAME TIME, WRITES ROBYN WILLIS
Anyone who has hosted Christmas knows what an expensive exercise it can be. Along with providing the food, there’s the cost of beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, as well as the challenge of dressing the house for the season. If you have a little time up your sleeve, or you’re after a project for the kids, we have put together a list of tips for a fun festive season.
ANYONE who has hosted Christmas knows what an expensive exercise it can be.
Along with providing the food, there’s the cost of beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, as well as the challenge of dressing the house for the season.
If you have a little time up your sleeve, or you’re after a project for the kids, here’s our tips for a fun festive season.
• Come lunchtime, most of the attention will be focused on the table. For daytime sparkle, use a glittered table runner made from Christmas wrap and raid the garden (or balcony) for a few flowers, the brighter the better. At night, a long narrow piece of mirror is effective, especially with tealights on top.
• Buy an inexpensive white dinner set that you can update each year with a few key Christmas-themed pieces.
• If you have more than one table on Christmas Day, save on buying tablecloths and take a visit to your nearest fabric store and buy 2m of Christmas-themed fabric per table. Go with the frayed look to avoid the need for hemming.
• If you don’t have a tree and space is tight, a spare wall can work. Christmas tree wallstickers are ideal – and easily removed – or attach tinsel to the wall in a tree design using Blu-Tac. Or, get creative with whatever you have with a tree shape made from anything stackable, from books to biscuits.
• Make your own Advent calendar. Matchboxes are ideal but even small metal containers like Eclipse mints work well. Stash a lolly, a joke or a small gift inside each one.
• You can use just about anything to make a Christmas wreath, from fabric scraps, to baubles, to your favourite bar coasters if you want. Grab a hot glue gun and a coathanger fashioned into a circle and you’re set.