Focus on creating a warm and welcoming home full of good cheer, whatever the weather outside. So turn up the heating, turn down the lights and get ready for sociable evenings with family or friends, or quiet nights with a book or a box set.
Create atmosphere with lighting
At Christmas, lighting is all about creating a gentle glow. Fairy lights around the tree will be a focal point, but you can also string them along shelves, across the mantelpiece or around windows to bring a golden twinkle to any room.
Turn off harsh central lights in favour of side lights, table lamps and floor lamps, and add features such as illuminated wreaths, stars or garlands. Candles – real or battery-operated – are another essential: group them in clusters of varying heights or choose lanterns to cast flickering shadows.
Add seasonal scents
Enhance the mood by using scent – the most evocative of the senses. Citrus and spice are Christmas classics: simmer a pan of orange slices, cinnamon sticks and cloves, or some mulled wine, for a natural fragrance that fills the house.
Add drops of essential oil to a bowl of pine cones for a lovely table centrepiece, or make a traditional pomander by pushing whole cloves into an orange and hanging it from a ribbon. The easiest way of all is to add scented candles, wax melts or reed diffusers in suitably festive aromas.
Layer tactile textiles
Cosiness is about texture as well as temperature. Pile up throws in chunky knit or crochet, warm wools, soft fleece and quilted velvet for irresistible warmth, and scatter plump cushions in tactile fabrics like faux fur. Drape sheepskins over chairs and throw down a deep-pile rug or two to help block out draughts and add softness, colour and pattern. If possible, go a little further by exchanging lightweight, pale curtains for heavier versions in deeper colours and swapping summery bed linens for sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases and quilts in stronger shades.
Introduce homemade decorations
On your next winter walk, gather greenery, pine cones or holly and ivy to add rustic charm at home. If you enjoy crafts, make your own ornaments and hang them from your Christmas tree. This is also where those cute angels or reindeers the kids made at school will be just perfect. Beyond the tree, dress mantels, shelves or banisters with eucalyptus garlands, or fill glass jars with fairy lights and sprigs of red berries.
Style a festive table
Start with a linen cloth or runner for texture, then add a centrepiece – perhaps a wreath with candles, a bowl of shiny baubles or an arrangement of dried flowers. Other variations could include a grouping of lanterns or pillar candles or a row of small, wooden Christmas ornaments. Fold napkins neatly, topped with a cute addition such as candy canes, mini wrapped gifts or small wooden stars, and complete the look with crockery, placing bowls on top of side plates on top of dinner plates; perfectly aligned cutlery; and glasses for water, wine and bubbly, arranged just so.
Wrap gifts wonderfully
Nothing says Christmas like a stack of beautifully wrapped presents piled under the tree. For impressive results, use coordinating wrap (paper or fabric) and consider alternatives to conventional tape, such as Japanese washi tape, raffia or jute string. For very large or awkwardly shaped presents, choose sacks and gift boxes or bags. Add pretty ribbons, tags and festive charms such as tiny pine cones, evergreen sprigs from the garden, miniature baubles or slices of dried citrus fruit. Every small touch helps create that special Christmas magic.
