Many people consider Christmas to be the biggest holiday of the year, and you can never overdo its planning and preparation. If you need a little more help, here are some handy hacks - from avoiding family drama to getting your tree right.
Discover our latest podcast
1. Make your tree look amazing
Christmas trees can look amazing, but they can also appear underwhelming.
Interior designer Catherine Hollin offers a range of ideas, like making sure every branch is ‘dripping in sparkle’, keeping the flashing coloured lights to a minimum or just leaving them in their box altogether, and the right balance of large and small baubles with a whole range of textures.
She also advises ditching brightly coloured tinsel of reds and greens to avoid ‘tackiness’. Subtlety is key. If you’re going for a frosty theme, then match it up with silver tinsel.
2. Make your home smell as good as it looks
Scented candles and room diffusers in festive scents can bring a finishing touch to any room in your house, and Rachel Epstein, Interiors Expert and Creative Director of CARME Home, advises going for classic Christmas fragrances – including cinnamon, pine, and gingerbread.
She said:
Whether you’re a fan of cinnamon, pine, roasted nuts, gingerbread or even mulled wine, including fragrance in your home is the final touch! Try to avoid anything too fruity or fresh, for Christmas, it’s all about the luxurious, earthy smells.
3. Make sure you discuss presents in advance
With many people not being able to do the usual gift-giving this year, these things must be discussed in advance, to avoid awkwardness on the big day, lower others’ expectations and release them from feeling obliged to buy something for you. You can always put it in a kind email and send it beforehand.
If you are struggling to splash on presents this year, here are some clever ideas for how to help the situation.
4. Make a perfect playlist
Don’t expect Spotify and Apple Music to fix it for you, instead create your own playlist to avoid hearing songs that give you toothache during your Christmas dinner. Does your family like keeping it jazzy or dancy? Or perhaps, Mariah Carey's hit has beenplayed a little too much this year? It’s up to you to make a perfect mix.
5. What about the Christmas dinner?
Christmas dinner is the most important - and stressful - part of the big day.
Make sure that everyone has something to their liking and don’t assume that fish is vegetarian or that everyone eats meat during the festive season. Be open about any animal ingredients included in the dressings and toppings to keep your guests at ease.
6. Keep your family traditions going and make new ones
Christmas traditions are essential to many. There may be some things your family does at Yuletide - like attending a Nativity play - that you can't really explain the origins of but can't imagine a family Christmas without.
However, it's also important to make your own, new traditions. So maybe this year, set yourself the task of doing a Christmas activity that you've never done before. Perhaps it's time for you to finally pluck up the courage for the Boxing Day swim.
7. Bring everyone together with a game or two
With technology playing such a huge part in the family Christmas, there are times when it's important to put mobile devices to one side and come together, and a board game is a perfect tool to make that happen.
Some game ideas include sticking the names of famous people on your forehead and one that involves using a packet of Maltesers and a tape measure.
8. Avoid the family drama
Avoiding unnecessary fights is the key to a peaceful, happy Christmas.
A catch-all apology to anyone you may inadvertently have ‘beefed’ with over the course of the year is always a good idea. A smart way to get out of ‘the washing up' or any awkward moments that may occur is offering to take the dog for a walk, which is also beneficial for working off all those Christmas dinner calories.
Sources used:
- The BBC: '12 top tips for the perfect Christmas'
- Mirror: 'Interior designer says tinsel is out this Christmas as ‘sustainable’ decor is in'
