Decorating your house for Christmas, in three simple steps

Decorating your house for Christmas, in three simple steps

Christmas comes but once a year – and yet every time it seems to creep up on you. This time, though, could be your chance to get the edge on the festive celebrations; and with a recent study suggesting that putting Christmas decorations up early can improve your mood, what more do you need? Still, decorating your house for Christmas is a creative endeavour, and it can be difficult to dream up new ideas. In this post, we’ll take a look at three steps to decorating your home in time for the holidays and the various ways in which you can employ them.

Family choosing a tree at a Christmas tree farm

Choosing your tree(s)

There are many shapes and sizes of Christmas tree for you to choose from, as well as the decision of whether or not to purchase a live tree at all. Your selection will depend on the placement of the tree – or indeed trees, in your home. The dimensions and décor of a given space can make a world of difference with regards to how your tree looks. More traditional, mid-century living spaces would benefit from a live Christmas tree, and larger spaces could fit a well-sized Balsam Fir. If your living room is more contemporary in style, you might want to consider a smaller Scotch Pine – which comes with the added benefit of longer-lasting needles.

If you’re intending to go for a live Christmas tree in your living room this season, follow these steps to make sure you get the longest-lasting tree you can: firstly, take a needle and try to bend it between your fingers. A fresh pine’s needle would bend, whereas a fresh fir needle would snap. Now, tug on one of the branches, and see how many needles fall off. If many do, the tree isn’t fresh and may lose its vibrancy before the big day!

Mantlepiece decorated for Christmas

Interior decorations

Your first step when it comes to decorating inside for Christmas should be to remove any visible clutter. This is a great opportunity for a clear-out, after which you’ll be left with the perfect canvas for your creative vision. Start with tinsel across door frames and over to light fittings and consider using fairy lights as an alternative to secondary lighting for an extra festive twist.

An inexpensive way to decorate your living space is to utilise your Christmas cards; there are many solutions for displaying Christmas cards prominently, whether you prop them up on a mantelpiece or windowsill, or create a garland out of twine and small pegs to hang over your fireplace.

Illuminated Christmas decorations in a front yard

Exterior decorations

Lastly, you come to the outside of your home. What you do here is hugely dependent on the kind of space you have available. With a full front garden at your disposal, you have an excellent opportunity to introduce Christmas-tree-style decorations to your garden trees and install Christmas dioramas on the grass. If you don’t have a garden, you can still exercise your creativity with a doorstep nativity scene or even a mini lighting-display above your front door.

Inflatables are an easy and outstanding way to decorate the outdoors of the house for Christmas as well. They come in all shapes and sizes, from Santa Claus to reindeer, and can be custom-made to unrepeatable specifications. What’s more, unique custom-made inflatables are easy to set up and take down, making them a great option for busy home-owners. Inflatables are also a great way to add some festive cheer to your yard or garden, and they can be enjoyed by both young and old. Whether you’re looking for a traditional Santa Claus or something more unique, inflatables are an ideal way to decorate your home for Christmas.

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How to welcome party guests

How to welcome party guests | H is for Home

It’s Christmas, the time where the biggest and the best parties are happening all over the world. It’s a time for family and friends, and for get-togethers with people you haven’t seen all year.

If you’ve thought about, or are planning, your own party at home this year, then there are some things you’ll need to think about in advance. We wanted to provide you with some tips when it comes to welcoming your party guests.

Ideas such as hiring a festive booth from Photo Booth Rental Fort Worth as a fun way to create memories of the occasion.

Clean, fresh bedding

Prepare the guest room

Even if you haven’t planned for anyone to stay, there might be that person whose lift doesn’t turn up, or a train gets cancelled, or someone decides they’d prefer to stay and have a couple more drinks instead of drive home. You should always be prepared just in case someone decides they’d like to use the guest room.

You can do this by preparing the bedding, and maybe even buying new from somewhere like Julian Charles. Even if you buy new, make sure you wash it before putting it on the bed to give that amazing ‘fresh bedding’ smell.

You’ll need to make sure the room has all the basics like a wardrobe with hangers and bedside lamps. You might also want to add some homely touches such as candles, plants and throws.

Christmas dining table

Prepare the food

Depending on the tone you want to set for the party, you’ll need to decide on your food choices. Are you going to do a sit down meal? Are you going to do a casual buffet? The former is more effort for you, and you’ll need to think of the number of people you’ll be inviting. Can you realistically cook a two- or three-course meal for 15 people? If you’d rather have more people there in a casual setting, a buffet is the easiest way to go.

You’ll need to consider the vegetarians, vegans and anyone with allergies. Will you do a vegan dessert for everyone, or provide multiple options? There’s so much to think about!

Mopping a kitchen floor

Spring clean

In a survey done by Julian Charles, they found that 85% of people will be doing last minute tidying and preparing right up until their guests arrive. This could include lighting candles, laying out snacks or plumping up pillows. People care about their homes and what the rooms look like to guests. It’s a time to wow people and give them an amazing impression of your home.

The day of the party is the time to vacuum and dust any room guests might enter. This includes both the downstairs and upstairs bathrooms; make sure there’s enough toilet roll,  soap and a clean hand towel in there too. Floors should be mopped, and if you’ve done any food prep in the kitchen, it should all be cleaned away and set in the fridge for when you need it later.

There’s tons to think about when you’re having a party, but you want to welcome your guests and make them feel instantly at home.

How else might you prepare your home for when you have guests over?