If the Scooby Doo angel on top of Alex Lawson’s Christmas tree could speak, he would tell a magical story of precious family moments.
For the cherished childhood memento has been at the heart of Alex’s Christmas since she was a little girl when family and friends would gather in the living room for a carol concert while Santa handed out presents.
Now her beloved pizza-eating Scooby Doo tree topper is about to spread joy across the country as the festive figurine takes on a starring role in BBC Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year show.
Casa Christmas
Nicknamed “Casa Christmas”, Alex’s beautiful three-storey Aberdeen townhouse is set to light up our TV screens as judges Anna Campbell-Jones, Michael Angus and Kate Spiers decide whether it’s the country’s best Christmas home.
“I’ve always been Christmas crazy, I’m even known as the Christmas elf in my work as I’m always the one wearing my Christmas jumper in the office in November,” laughs Alex.
“So when a few people tagged me in a post on Facebook suggesting I should apply for the show, I thought why not.
“I’m a huge fan of Scotland’s Home of the Year as I always think the homes are amazing on it.
“But I never in a million years thought they would choose my house to appear in the show, so I was over the moon.”
Christmas arch
From the huge handmade festive arch across her doorway – that miraculously survived the recent storms – to the beautiful garland running the length of her stairs, it’s clear that Christmas means a lot to Alex.
“It was a miracle that my Christmas arch survived the recent storms, I couldn’t believe it,” said Alex.
“I made it myself using baubles, thistles and Christmas spruce before securing it to the house.
“In my hallway I’ve got mini vases full of twigs I collected from the forest and I’ve got a garland going up the stairs which I made using real foliage, spruce and baubles running.
“And in my kitchen I’ve made a huge hanging decoration out of branches which is above the dining table so we always joke that you might find a pine in your glass of wine.”
Childhood memories
Gas engineer by day and DIY enthusiast by night, it’s no surprise that Alex’s festive home decor caught the attention of TV producers.
For Alex has sprinkled Christmas magic on every inch of her new-build home using her creative talents to make mostly everything by hand.
And the inspiration behind her winter wonderland is her beloved late father Jim Lawson who would always go the extra mile to make Christmas very special for her.
“I lost my dad two years ago,” said Alex.
“He absolutely loved Christmas and would always make it really special for me.
“So he used to put this inflatable Santa in a helicopter on our front lawn.
“My dad and mum used to also host a Santa party at their house with carol singing and my dad’s friend, who was also my high school music teacher, used to dress up as Santa and give out presents, it was amazing.”
Scooby Doo
One decoration in particular which takes Alex back to those joyful family Christmas days gone by is her Scooby Doo angel which sits on top of the tree in her living room.
“The Scooby Doo tree topper is in all our Christmas photos when I was a little girl which is really nice,” said Alex.
11k Instagram followers
Creative by nature, Alex has amassed over 11,000 followers on her Instagram page Casalawson where she shares her interior and DIY tips.
“I moved into my house in 2019 and like most people, during lockdown I got really creative and started watching YouTube videos on DIY,” said Alex.
“My first project was creating a dressing room out of a cupboard then I moved on to paneling the house, so I started with the master bedroom then I moved on to the hallway and then the spare room using mostly MDF and pine.
“I also made my own herringbone coffee table.”
The judges
Alex’s home is one of five properties the judges have visited as part of the TV show.
“It’ll be so funny to see them standing in the hallway of my house on TV,” laughs Alex.
As well as Aberdeen, viewers will also see the judges visit homes in Dumbarton, Glasgow, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, marking the finalists on everything from architectural merit and stylish interior design to festive flare and Christmas spirit.
Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year is on BBC Scotland on Wednesday December 22 at 8pm.
Think your home is even more festive than Alex’s? Send your pictures to pictures@ajl.co.uk
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