Christmas can be a stressful time for those who are hosting or organising a Christmas event. One of the things that should be fun, it styling your home for Christmas. I love transforming my home for the festive season. Everyone wants a stylish Christmas!
Make your celebrations sparkle and less stressful with our inspiring tips and ideas.
- Choose a colour scheme. Kids love colours and getting them interested in all aspects of the celebrations is easy to do. It is also fun to change it every year and decorate accordingly. If there are too many of you to decide between, write all the colour suggestions on paper scraps and do a draw…Whichever colour is pulled from the hat is that year’s scheme. So…get busy making homemade decorations using that colour, dress up in it on Christmas Eve or day. Wrap all your presents in it and use it on your Christmas table.
- Choose a theme. Not keen on colour themes? Choose another theme such as Snow, Star of Bethlehem, The Nativity, Jingle Bells or traditional.
- Snow: Make or buy decorations that resemble snowflakes, snowballs and icicles. Frost your windows with spray on snow and hang glittery strands of white and silver tinsel on the tree and around your home. Accessorise with Snowmen and sleighs or other ornaments dressed in mittens and winter woollens.
- Star of Bethlehem: Decorate with stars of all shapes and sizes stuck on walls, windows or hanging from the tree or fireplace. Use star patterned table clothes and napkins. Make star shaped table centres/ napkin rings and bake star shaped cookies.
- The Nativity: create your own nativity scene with toys and hay. Go rustic and try to create a mini stable in your home. Use raffia/ dried fruit, popcorn and wood/twigs to make your decorations. Use natural or handmade ornaments to decorate the tree.
- Jingle Bells: Decorate with silver and gold bells and ribbon. Make paper bells in different sizes. Create a wreath using bells threaded together. Attach tiny bells to napkin rings and to gift labels.
3. Allocate jobs. Even your young ones can be given responsibilities to ensure your celebrations are less stressful for you and they are surprisingly good at remebering to do the tasks if they are fun. I like to make my 3 year old responsible for switching on the tree lights each day. (don’t worry-it is safe and she is supervised).
- switching on Christmas lights each day
- helping making/decorating biscuits
- making homemade wrapping paper
- filling the treat bowls
- opening the advent calendar
- looking after younger siblings while you cook
- writing Christmas cards
- watering indoor plants or flowers
4. The little extras: It is easy to let the little things get lost in the chaos of planning the perfect day. Do these things to help you stay on top of things.
- Write up a Christmas card list and keep it in a safe place so that you can refer to it (and add or delete names) year after year.
- Plan to write your Christmas cards in late November or early December. Book a date in your diary so you don’t forget.
- Overseas mail at Christmas time takes longer to arrive. Arrange to send cards or presents in the first half of December, to avoid disappointments (and long queues at the post office).
- For great savings, buy Christmas necessities (such as cards, wrapping paper, ribbons and decorations) at post-Christmas sales
5. Use holiday themes tableware for every meal in December.
- Why only use your Christmassy tableware on Christmas day? Take them out and use them everyday during December. This will ensure that everyone knows that something special is happening and your special festive tableware will get some use! Look out for mismatched or end of range platters or serving dishes in the January sales and save thm for the next year.
- Start a set of holiday dishes with dinner plates that coordinate with your everyday dishes. Add new pieces each year, like salad plates and mugs. Buy 1 or 2 place settings each year or more if you can afford it, and before long, you’ll be able to serve a feast.
- If you like something different and quirky, choose a different pattern and one place setting each year. Arrange the different dishes around the table .
I am a preschool and primary school teacher and mum to 3 children. I have been involved in education since 1997 and have trained in a variety of educational specialist areas. It is with this expertise that I write articles to help parents and educators provide quality learning experiences for the children in their care.
