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CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

There are certain things in your house that are like old friends: they always cheer you up. We feel the love for baubles, garlands and things that twinkle

T“A veteran bauble dangling on thread is a heart-warming thing”

he moment when festive excitement first hits can be unexpected. It could be a frosty morning on the way to work, hearing a snatch of a carol playing in a shop. Or the day you buy the tree and bring it home trussed up in white netting. Or it could be when you bring the decorations down from the attic, and take them out of their box. Rediscovering familiar decorations and untangling strings of lights is a sure sign Christmas is close. A veteran bauble – maybe generations old – dangling from a thread of cotton is a heart-warming thing to see, as is deciding where to hang it. Alongside the old favourites, it’s always nice to invest in one or two show-stopping baubles to add to the collection, a new string of lights or even a fake tree.

The trend for natural looking greenery and Nordic forests means a palette of green, white and silver is everywhere and is easy to replicate at home. Plunder your garden (see Grow Your Own Christmas, page 112) or nearby park for ivy and berries, or pick up a faux garland to weave through banisters or drape along a mantelpiece. Embellish with pine cones, lights and decorative woodland creatures and it’s like you’re just back from a walk in the Black Forest.

The decoration of the tree can be an enjoyable group activity, though there is a high possibility of squabbles. A designated tree for children to decorate as they like (see Stanley’s on page 110) could avoid this and keep your own tree classy. Keri Sheehan, who runs Christmas tree workshops at Heal’s, has a couple of recommendations to avoid the tree looking messy: string fairylights vertically through the tree, starting close to the trunk then along the branches, rather than wrapping around, and you will create an ‘inner glow’. Hang plain baubles of one colour half way along branches saving the ends for showier ones. And supplement decorations with clippings from the garden to add scent and texture: sage and rosemary can be tucked in among other decs.