CHRISTMAS TIMER FULL

Photograph: Wanwimon Krasankul/Getty Images/iStockphoto When preparing any special meal, “you have to choose the thing you’re happy to spend: time, money or effort”, Metri says. “We thought that Rudolph had left his antler behind.” The meal: ‘We all know people who love the soggy chip’ “My aunt and uncle once went and stamped out little hoof prints in the dirt outside and they found an old antler,” Blomfield says. It could involve making a Santa sack together, or leaving cookies out. Extra special, hotel-like touches – say slippers or a robe – can double as gifts.Īnd if children are attending, focus on creating a bit of magic. Whether you have people staying over in a spare room, on a blow-up mattress, or on the couch, Blomfield says small touches make a big difference: nice linen, a side table with a phone charger and a glass of water, maybe even a pair of earplugs and a sleeping mask, or a chocolate on the pillow. Photograph: anyaivanova/Getty Images/iStockphoto

When guests stay over, hotel-like touches can double as gifts. Blomfield suggests tying or folding napkins – whether paper or linen – and resting them on a plate with a handwritten name card “on a beautiful piece of paper”.

Arena adds that extra tree decorations work scattered along the table, or as gifts atop each napkin. To decorate, Blomfield searches for flowers, branches and Christmas bush cuttings to create a big bouquet, or stretch along the table “in little bud vases”. Crockery and cutlery doesn’t need to belong to the same set as long as there is “consistency in terms of colour or shape”. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morningĪs for the table setting, if you need to hit up an op shop for more serving ware, Blomfield suggests sticking with a theme. Once your tree is lit, start with the largest and most special decorations, giving them prime position, followed by the tree topper, then the rest from largest to smallest. “I also leave more lights through the interior … so it glows from the centre out.” “I start from the back of the branch then zigzag it to the front,” she says. While Arena says pre-lit trees “save so much time”, if you’re lighting it yourself she suggests going from side-to-side to “hide the cords more easily”. When setting up the tree, prioritise a spot with power access, in view of the living room or dining table.

If you want it to heave with lights, tinsel and ornaments, find one with “sturdy, thick tendrils” as they’re perfect for decorating. If buying a new tree, Arena suggests choosing a fake one – “real trees should stay in the ground”. This will save money and storage space come 26 December. “The tree goes up straight after Halloween” in Arena’s house, but there’s no need to worry if you’ve left it a little later this year.ĭon’t own a tree or decorations? See what you can borrow from nearby family and friends before you go shopping. For her clients, “sparse trees are just not a thing”.įind a tree with ‘sturdy, thick tendrils’ if you’d like to load it with big decorations, says decorator Alana Arena. The produce is really fresh to boot.” The decorations: ‘Start from the back then zigzag out’Īlana Arena’s Dancer and Dasher create opulent, ostentatious, OTT trees for celebrities. “It’s the most personalised help you could receive and you don’t need to plan much. Blomfield notes this step will also allow you to ensure you have appropriate serving ware.īut if you thrive in last minute-ness, Metri suggests heading to a farmer’s market a few days before 25 December and asking vendors for their recommendations. If planning eases (rather than exacerbating) stress, start contacting local producers, such as butchers and fishmongers, now and map out a menu. Chairs, tables, crockery and glassware can all be rented and returned too, if you can’t source them for free.Īs for the meal, Angela Metri, founder of produce box the Spread Method, recommends first deciding whether you’re actually a planner, or just someone who would “ like to be a planner”.

CHRISTMAS TIMER FULL

She proposes making an achievable list of chores that can be chipped away at over the next few weeks, such as hanging art or finally replacing that lightbulb, checking bedding sets (“sometimes pillow cases go missing”) and inspecting serving ware for holes, chips and cracks.Ĭheck you have a full set of cutlery and, if not, try to borrow before you buy. “At home we just popped her down for her normal nap before everyone arrived.”Īs the owner of a design and decorating studio, Emma Blomfield is in charge of planning parts of Christmas every year – no matter who is hosting. Checking your cutlery drawer well in advance will save 11th-hour panics.

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