Deck the halls and crack open the Christmas candle holders, it’s time for interiors to get festive, writes Jacqueline Wake Young.
There’s no getting away from it any longer – December is here and that means it’s time to talk about Christmas. There, I said it.
It’s time to get the tree up, put the fairy lights out and hang the cards – if you have any that is, they seem to have dropped right out of fashion in recent years.
It’s a shame because unless you’re prepared to stand in the living room with your mobile phone held aloft for the duration of the festive season, there is no practical way to display a Christmas e-card.
With even Santa having to tighten his belt this year, many families are thinking of ways to make do and mend when it comes to decorating the house and it will be interesting to see how many people go for big garden light displays given the cost of electricity.
The good news is, festive decorations don’t have to be big or, excuse the pun, flashy.
Keep things soft and cosy
In fact, breaking out the big box of baubles that has been in the family for years, sometimes generations, is the stuff that memories are made of.
If you’re really décor-savvy, you’ll already have a stock of festive soft furnishings ready to switch in to your existing themes, such as cushions, throws and Christmassy bedding.
If you don’t, now is a good time to start a collection, just make sure to put them all away in dust-proof storage once the festive season is over so they come up fresh again each year.
If you’re stuck for space, invest in some vacuum-sealed storage bags so you can squish soft fabric items down to a fraction of their size.
Anything that provides warmth, such as a fleecy throw or festive bedspread is a smart investment at any time but especially this year.
The motto “heat the human not the home” becomes a lot more fun when you have a reindeer blanket and a faux fur hot water bottle to hand.
Top picks
Conversation