As of today (25th November), it is exactly one month until Christmas and if you’re anything like me, you’ll have been excited since the 1st of September, but now we can officially start the countdown and start preparing for the most wonderful time of the year. Get those advent calendars ready… Christmas starts here!
With only 30 days left (Eeek!) there is lots to get done, and time flies when you’re having fun. Whether you’re yet to even start your Christmas shopping, or if you’re about to take on the mammoth task of wrapping, everyone can need a bit of encouragement to get your home feeling festive and have everything ready for the big day.
For me, I can only really get into the Christmassy Spirit when the decorations go up, so that’s often where I like to start. I often set aside a whole day to clean, and then decorate my home. Personally, I always opt for a real tree, because nothing says Christmas like the smell of fresh pine wafting through the house. Having chosen and collected my tree, it’s time to get it up and get decorating.
With ‘Love Actually’ on in the background and a hot chocolate in hand, I work my way through the house, finding places for each decoration, until the place feels like my very own Santa’s Grotto.
Choosing a certain colour scheme or theme can be really effective when it comes to decorating your home for Christmas. This year, I’m going for rose gold and dark green. Collecting decorations over time can also be a really nice way of doing things, and often gives your decorations more of a sentimental feel.
With the house now decorated, it’s time to delve into the Christmas wrapping, but that can obviously only be done once I’ve got everyone’s gifts. I tend to start Christmas shopping early on, which is a great way of spreading the cost, and avoiding not being able to get the gifts you want. Having a list of everyone you’re buying for and ticking off as you go along can be a really useful way of keeping track of what you’ve bought and who you still need to buy for.
If you enjoy getting creative with your Christmas wrapping and making each gift into a work of art, then this can be a really enjoyable task. Similar to with the decorating, I like to start by choosing a theme. This year I’m going for brown parcel paper, sealed with colourful Craft Twine, tied into neat bows. If you’re buying for lots of people, or have children, you might want to consider setting an afternoon or evening aside for this. Pop a feel-good Christmas film on and make an activity out of it. This way, it won’t feel like such a chore.
If you’re planning on sending out Christmas cards, this is another thing that you might want to start sooner rather than later. Make a list of everyone you’re planning on sending a card to and tick them off as you go. If the card is for someone you don’t think you’ll see in the run-up to Christmas, get them addressed and sent as soon as possible, to make sure they arrive in time for Christmas.
As December draws ever closer, you might want to start filling your house with yummy Christmas treats, or even doing some baking. I love making home-made ginger-bread men and Christmas cookies. Baking your festive treats also gives you another opportunity to put your creativity to the test and try out different ways of decorating. Using Bakers Twine can be a really effective way of making your cakes and biscuits stand-out. It’s also perfect for tying bakes into neat parcels, if you’re planning on gifting any of your home-made goods.
And finally, once all of your pre-Christmas tasks are complete, you should be able to enjoy the festivities without any stress or distraction. Christmas is about spending time with the people you love the most and celebrating the end of another year. Everyone does Christmas differently, which is what makes it so special. By getting ahead and being prepared, you’ll be able to make Christmas 2023 better than ever.