’Tis the season to decorate

Choosing a palette and theme is the first Christmas decorating decision to make, writes Kate Alexander.

Ihave a friend who unleashes her Christmas spirit on November 1 every year. She decorates nine trees, one in each room of her house. She is an art teacher, so creativity pumps through her veins, but it’s her enthusiasm that inspires me.

In recent years, I’ve dragged my Christmas boots to the ‘‘let’s skip the decorations’’ camp barely one sleep before the big day.

Among the increased pace of family life I’ve given up on decorating my home.

But it’s time to reinvigorate the inner elf. I’m going to have fun and give decorating thanks this season. Are you with me?

Choosing a palette and theme is the first Christmas decorating decision to make. Will it be silver with a retro twist? A beachy take on black and white? Perhaps a contemporary spin on red and green?

Take your colour cue from your interior vibe, and your Christmas additions will fit right in.

Weave Christmas around your existing decor, transforming everyday items into Christmas decorations by displaying them with a nod to celebration – fill a green vase with Jaffas or pile silver baubles under a cloche.

With a strong colour theme, even a stack of books can become Christmas, especially when you add fairy lights.

For a joyous experience, expand Christmas beyond the tree.

My friend surrounds her entrance with greenery.

Inside, her greenery winds its way along the picture rails of her bungalow. There are baubles on doorknobs, a wreath on each door, and metres of tinsel connecting the dots.

Whether your tree is real, artificial, silver, or pink, the same rules apply.

Start with the decorations, such as lights, that go head to toe – I like to wrap my lights around, some prefer to drape them from top to bottom.

Fill in the gaps with added foliage (these are perfect if you have gold in your palette), and finish with hanging items in a variety of shapes and sizes.

‘‘More is more’’ for a well-styled Christmas tree, as is the saying ‘‘anything looks great en masse’’.

And don’t forget the shoes. Cover your tree base with fabric or paper and surround it with mockwrapped presents to fuel the anticipation.

On the topic of wrapping, I give a polite no to the offer of ‘‘would you like that gift-wrapped?’’.

Wrapping brings me joy. Possibly it has something to do with my addiction to stationery shops.

I bought this old piano purely because I wanted a mantelpiece for my Christmas vignette.

One of nine magical Christmas trees in the home of art teacher Ruth Christie. The silver, white and green palette provides an inviting contrast to her bungalow’s bold wooden features.

I wrap my gifts in a style that matches the Christmas tree – presents are a legitimate decorating device after all.

Try one of these ideas: add a personalised poem on your gift tags, re-purpose a carry-bag into a Santa sack, or fill the insides of your wrapping with confetti.

Leave your perfectionist tendencies at home for this job, it’s all about having fun.

Utilising your natural resources is a way to be mindful at Christmas, with the added bonus of saving money.

Find a friendly neighbour with an ivy hedge (that’s me), and use it as ribbon. Add painted pine cones to your tree. Pumice is perfect for a laid-back table display, as are driftwood and shells.

One year, I saved my toilet rolls to make Christmas crackers, and this season I’m creating a wreath with my flowering succulents.

Do you have a room that you’ve been

Miss Christie exchanges her raincoats for elf coats during the festive season. This lovely detail makes you smile. Fun is what Christmas is all about. contemplating making over? Why not use Christmas as the springboard and paint a feature wall to match your decorations. Or give a vintage stool a lick of paint and use it to display your seasonal vignette.

My friend, who has nine Christmas trees, enjoys the ritual of annual reacquaintance with her decorations. There is a comforting nostalgia in seeing the familiar faces each year.

As a child, the same three Santa mice would take pride of place on the mantel during gifting season. The sight of them still warms my heart.

Whether you choose to build a collection over the years or, like myself, re-invent each year, may tidings of great joy be with you on your Christmas decorating adventure.

Kate Alexander is the stylist behind Places & Graces, and the author of interior styling book, Finishing Touches.

Fossicked ivy is a simple, and cost-effective way, to tie your Christmas setting together.