It’s July, the sun is shining, and right now the only things on my radar are beaches, beer gardens, finding ways to keep my home cool and … Christmas?!

In the interiors world, and magazine world for that matter, Christmas in July is quite normal. As a journalist, I’m used to previewing baubles and tinsel in 30-degree summer heat. But this year, Christmas in July seems to be spilling into a home decor trend, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Is July too early to start thinking about Christmas? Is thinking about the festivities now proof of a pro planner, or is it a gimmicky excuse to spend money? The Ideal Home team is split - and we need you to help us decide.

'It's good for bargain hunters'

As someone who works in media, I’m well accustomed to the concept of Christmas in July. It’s the time of year when all the brands hold previews for their A/W and Christmas collections, and while it might seem early to some, I’ve become a fan of the time it gives me to get my Christmas decorating ideas in order and start getting prepped for the festive season.

As someone with expensive taste but a small budget, starting my Christmas prep in July not only means I can spread out the expense of buying new decorations and gifts, but I can also usually buy last season's decorations at bargain prices. The best time to buy Christmas decorations on sale is in January, but there are still deals to be had in July. This year, I’ve spotted bargains at The White Company, with decorations going for under £5, and Balsam Hill is also holding massive sales on its gorgeous faux Christmas trees.

I love going all out on my decorations, so starting my Christmas planning and shopping in July is my savvy trick to make sure I can achieve that in December

'Can we not just enjoy summer?'

I’ll start by saying that I completely agree that shopping out of season is a great opportunity to snap up sale bargains that are likely to go back up in price for Christmas. I’ve also been known for starting my Christmas present shopping in the summer months because it prevents last-minute panic buying and spreads the cost of Christmas over a few months - which I know my bank balance really appreciates.

But can we stop wishing the summer away? I know it’s been a hot one, but every time I go on TikTok or Instagram, I’m bombarded with nostalgic videos yearning for Christmas and cosy season. I hate the cold, and I’m not one to wish my life away - please, can we stop?

In June, EastEnders had one of its core characters celebrate ‘half Christmas’ complete with a decorated tree and turkey dinner, and it made me feel quite unwell. I’m all for sourcing a bargain, but I’m starting to feel like I can’t escape Christmas in July, and do we really need another excuse to spend money?

If you’ve actually snapped up a festive bargain, fair play, but to me, Christmas in July is just another sales trick to make you part with your hard-earned cash.

What do you think?

The baubles are down, the tinsel and fairy lights packed away, and the empty Christmas tree stood in the corner looking bare and bereft. But instead of bundling it into the car and dropping it off at the local dump, there are plenty of eco-friendly options for what to do with your old Christmas tree that can help out local wildlife over the winter months.

Winter can be a lean time outdoors for wildlife, but by giving your tree a second life in the garden, it can provide wildlife with a place to shelter, roost or feed or can be shredded, mulched and used in garden borders to suppress weeds, enrich soil and give things a head start for the gardening year to come.

‘Recycling your Christmas tree isn’t only a sustainable choice, it’s an opportunity to give something back to local wildlife,’ says Nigel Lawton, plant buyer, at Dobbies. ‘With thoughtful reuse, a real tree can be repurposed in your garden to make shelter for insects and small animals like hedgehogs and birds during the colder months, enriching the garden ecosystem long after the festivities have ended.’

1. Create sheltered areas around the garden

If you are planning on re-using your old Christmas tree outdoors, it’s essential that you start by removing all the decorations first, such as tinsel, baubles and metal hooks, which could harm wildlife. For the easiest re-use option, which is great if you have a large garden, simply lay the tree on its side in a secluded area to create a ground-level habitat for creatures. Branches and needles will soften over time and form a layer of decomposing material that will attract beetles, woodlice and other insects and provide wildlife with warmth and shelter.

Alternatively, you could chop the tree into smaller sections to be used throughout the garden to create sheltered areas, suggests Nigel. ‘Wear gloves to protect your hands, then starting from the top of the tree, use a good quality pair of secateurs to remove each branch, cutting as close as possible to the main trunk,’ he advises.

‘Once you’ve removed the branches, you can stack them together to create mini wildlife sanctuaries. Use four or five pieces layered on top of one another and place under large shrubs, trees or hedges. Do this throughout your garden until all the branches are used up. This will give insects and small animals a safe place to shelter from the cold winter weather.’

2. Make a log pile for bugs

‘To use the main trunk section of the tree, use a pruning saw to cut it into 30cm lengths,’ suggests Nigel. ‘These can then be stacked together to make mini log piles that are a brilliant wildlife garden idea and a great habitat for hedgehogs and birds, as well as being beneficial for insects such as ladybirds, centipedes and solitary bees, which play vital roles in pollination and pest control.’

Position your log pile in a shaded area with partial moisture - too dry, and it won’t support decomposers, too wet, and it may rot too quickly. Over time, fungi and moss will colonise the wood, creating a microhabitat that supports a range of small creatures.

3. Make a bird feeding station

It can be hard for our feathered friends to find food and shelter over the winter, so setting up a bird feeding station is a great way of making use of your old Christmas tree and a place where birds can gather and feed in the garden.

Use the upright trunk of your tree with a few select branches left still attached strategically positioned for birds to perch on and where you can hang feeders or suspend suet balls, seed cookies and fat blocks. It will create a rustic, natural-looking feeding station that will encourage birds to visit regularly and a spot that you can enjoy viewing from inside the house.

'Alternatively, cut sections of your tree’s upper branches and use these to make a sheltered feeding area,’ suggests Nigel. ‘Fix a few branches together and attach them to a post or garden trellis, which will help create a natural windbreak where small birds can perch between feeds.’

Shop for winter bird food

4. Re-plant a pot-grown Christmas tree

If you’ve got a pot-grown Christmas tree, it will last for years to come if planted outside correctly,’ suggests Nigel. ‘Pot-grown trees are a great value option as they can be planted in your garden after the festive period is over and brought back inside year after year.’

‘As a rule of thumb, you should dig a hole the same depth as your pot but at least twice as wide, and make sure to loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole. Carefully remove the tree from the grow pot, disturbing as little of the natural rootball as possible. Then, fill with a 50:50 mix of soil and a good-quality multipurpose peat-free compost like Miracle-Gro all-purpose compost, £8.59 for 20L from Amazon. Gently firm the tree in place and make sure it is regularly watered throughout the first year of establishment.’

5. Make mulch for the garden

‘Smaller offcuts of Christmas tree can go straight into the winter compost heap. While pine needles are slightly acidic, mixing them with general garden waste and kitchen scraps balances the compost’s pH and adding these materials boosts microbial activity and introduces a source of slow-release carbon, which benefits future compost batches,’ advises Nigel.

Shredding or breaking the branches first speeds up decomposition and helps aerate the pile, and if you have access to a garden shredder, it will make the job of turning your tree into mulch or wood chippings that much easier. 'Pine mulch helps suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, and slowly enriches soil structure as it breaks down. It also releases a pleasant natural scent as it decomposes,' adds Nigel.

Shop for garden shredders

6. Support ponds and wetland corners

‘In gardens with ponds, real Christmas trees can also be used to improve structure and shelter within the water,’ suggests Nigel.

‘Submerging small branches provides cover for fish and amphibians, helping them hide from predators and rest during colder months. Ensure that all decorations and tinsel are completely removed first, and only use untreated, chemical-free trees.’

7. Recycle responsibly

‘If your garden space is limited or you prefer professional disposal, many councils and charities offer tree recycling collections in January,’ suggests Nigel. ‘Trees collected through these schemes are often composted, chipped, or used in large-scale habitat restoration projects such as sand dune stabilisation or riverbank protection.’

‘Local wildlife trusts and community groups sometimes accept tree donations for use in conservation areas, turning festive waste into environmental benefit. This ensures that even if you don’t have the space to repurpose your tree yourself, it still contributes to local biodiversity efforts.’

Did you have a real Christmas tree this year? How do you plan to recycle it...let us know.

I kind of resent the beginning of every year, not because I might fail my resolutions or because I’ve over indulged over Christmas, but because we have to take down the festive decorations. The house feels so warm and welcoming when bedecked by fairy lights, velvet bunting and a centrepiece tree.

It also doesn’t help that my beloved decorations that I have spent years collecting go into one sad cardboard box with no rhyme or reason, usually unprotected from the dust of the loft, until I need them next year. Everything just gets dumped in and I cross my fingers it won’t get bumped or moved during our renovation.

So, this year, I spoke with a couple of organisation gurus - experts in their field - to give me some tips in sorting, decluttering, protecting and how to store my Christmas decorations. Here’s what they advised…

Think about where the decorations will go

Before we begin, apparently, it’s best to sort out a clear spot for the decorations to be stored. ‘It’s worth spending some time considering where to store your Christmas decorations with the space you have available,’ says Cat, professional organiser and founder of Just like Cat.

‘Fast forward in your mind to next year and think about how easy they are going to be to get out again. Lofts are popular because decorations are only needed once a year, so a trip up the ladder doesn’t need to be a regular thing. Avoid locations where other items may be added throughout the year, as you might end up undoing all of your hard work!’

Assemble your storage containers

‘Investing in good quality storage boxes to match the size of your space can give you years of stress-free decorating,’ points out Cat. ‘A tree bag is also a good idea if you have an artificial tree; you can often fit more than one tree in a bag and even a garland if you have one.’

However, if you don’t want to buy all new plastic boxes, Chloe Wright, owner of Goddess Organising offers a cheaper and more sustainable solution: ‘Through my business, I encourage the use of things we already have rather than purchasing the expensive storage solution. You can't really beat a good old cardboard box. It's cheap, reusable for years, and you are not adding to the over-consumerism that we all participate in. Shoe boxes are a really good one as they are not too big and there’s no chance of overcrowding and items getting broken.'

My current cardboard box is looking a little worse for wear and doesn’t have a lid, so I’ve saved some boxes from my birthday at the beginning of the month to see what will fit and what won’t work. However, I’m also investing in one large box to protect non-wipeable material items.

Take decorations down in order and check for damage

With my lack of organisational skills, I tend to just take everything down at once and dump it all in one box, where things often get tangled or broken.

But Danielle Le Vaillant, head of photography and film at Cox & Cox who has taken down countless Christmas trees and decorations, suggests keeping it orderly: ‘We always recommend taking your Christmas tree decorations down in the exact reverse order to ensure every bauble makes it safely back to the attic or wherever you store them. Remove the topper, glass and more delicate ornaments first to stop them from being knocked off when you unwind the garlands and lights.’

Check for damage as you’re putting each decoration away - do any need repairing or recycling?

Protect for next year

This next step is really where I fall down; I can be guilty of shoving everything in and vaguely wafting some tissue paper around them as a whole. My lack of care really doesn’t bother me until next year, and I feel all kinds of guilt. This year, I’m going to take our professional organisers’ tips and wrap/wind/box depending on the type of ornament.

Pack away baubles

‘Bauble bags with separate compartments are a good way to keep glass baubles safe,’ advises Cat. ‘Keeping the original boxes for fragile display items or Christmas village scenes is a good idea to keep them safe and are easier to store / stack/ locate next year.’

‘Wrap baubles individually in bubble wrap or tissue paper in a single layer,’ Chloe of Goddess Organising advises.

Use softer garlands or bunting as cushioning

Danielle also suggests using softer decorations to protect more fragile baubles. ‘A layer or two of tissue paper, or even a covering of bubble wrap, will definitely help protect fancier baubles from getting damaged, especially if you no longer have the original packaging. Or you could nestle more fragile items in between soft felt or fabric decorations to cushion them - just make sure they are then stored in sturdy boxes to avoid accidental crushing.’

Wrap up lights

Normally, I just wind lights around my arm to create a loop and use ribbon to tie them together, but that inevitably leads to me detangling them again the next year. ‘I wrap my lights around a plastic clothes hanger,’ says Chloe. ‘A bit of cardboard would work in the same way.’

‘You can also get a ‘light storage holder’ (from Amazon) which tree lights can be wound around to stop them becoming tangled’ adds Cat.

'Alternatively, you can wind them around a roll of spare wrapping paper instead. Don’t forget to remove any batteries before putting your decorations away - you don’t want them leaking and ruining your favourite item. You can always keep them in a separate bag or cardboard box if you want to use them again next year (or purchase a battery case for ultimate storage goals).’

Separate based on room and order of use

When it comes to how to group decorations when storing them, there are two approaches you can take, according to the experts. You can organise by room, or by order of use, or do a middle ground approach with a '1st of December box' filled with advent calendars, which I'll be adopting. Here's how the two approaches work.

By Room

‘If you decorate more than one room, it’s a good idea to have one box per room and label it, so that next year, you can simply deliver each box to the correct room for decorating, knowing all the items needed for that particular room are in the right place,’ says Cat.

By Order of Use

‘Think about the order that you’ll need to get things out next year. For example, if you have reusable advent calendars or elves that you need to get out on the first, don’t bury them in the middle of the decorations that you won’t need until later in December; instead, put them at the top of a box, label it and store it at the front. Or, if you have the space, you could have a separate ‘early December’ box,' says Chloe.

‘This is also the case for spare Christmas wrapping paper, keep it with your Christmas decorations, but somewhere easy to access/see so you know how much you do/don’t need to buy next year.’

My storage boxes are ready to go, and I have the spot for my decorations identified in the loft. Here's to a less stressful Christmas next year when I pull them out of storage neat and organised.

If you’ll be taking your Christmas tree down soon and you opted for a real one this year, you might be wondering the same thing as me: can you compost a Christmas tree?

Well, the short answer is that you can compost a Christmas tree, if you aren’t already recycling it for mulch – but you’ll need to have a few preparations in place first. Sadly, it isn’t a case of sticking your tree on top of the pile and hoping for the best – for one, you’ll need to get chopping if you want it to decompose properly.

Here’s what you need to do.

So, can you compost a Christmas tree? According to BBC gardening broadcaster Mark Lane, you can – but it can take a while to reach that earthy ‘black gold’ gardeners dream of, especially if you don't prepare it properly in advance.

‘The simple answer is yes, but it could take years to decompose,’ Mark says. ‘Christmas trees make excellent bases for composts.’

As I mentioned before, it’s not a case of popping your Christmas tree on top of the compost pile and leaving it to do its thing. If you’ll be recycling your Christmas tree for compost, you’ll need to chop it right down first, and make sure you’ve got rid of all the tinsel and other festive bits and bobs beforehand.

‘Remove all decorations, and if possible, remove the needles and chop, ideally shred, everything into small pieces,’ Mark advises.

The Mac Allister Corded 80kg/hr 2400W Impact Shredder, £90 at B&Q, is ideal for green, soft and woody garden waste.

Once you’ve chopped your Christmas tree needles right down, you can throw them on your compost heap. Of course, you’ll need a good mix of brown and green materials to make the perfect compost – and the shredded, woody bits of the Christmas tree, as Mark said, make a brilliant brown base.

‘A good mix of both green and brown materials will balance the compost well,’ says Morris Hankinson, founder of Hopes Grove Nurseries. ‘Green materials break down well and add nitrogen and nutrients, which will help the microbes in the compost to thrive.’

Pine needles have a waxier coating than other plants you’d throw on the compost heap, so they take longer to break down. There are plenty of other ways to reuse pine needles in the garden, if you decide to remove them.

‘The needles can be added as they are to the surface of soil to increase the acidity of the soil, so they’re great around plants like blueberries and rhododendrons,’ explains Mark.

For the rest of the tree, you’ll need a compost bin…

Try these compost bins

So, you can compost a Christmas tree, as long as you chop it into tiny pieces beforehand, and make sure you balance your heap out with other ingredients. Just steer clear of the things you should never put in your compost bin, too.

When packing away Christmas decorations, I always feel pretty sad. The spaces feel barren and a little tired from the hustle and bustle that occurs in our normally tranquil kitchen and living room.

Once the tree is down and I've stored the Christmas decorations, I try to do these five cleaning and DIY jobs as part of my routine to reset my home after Christmas and to ensure no serious damage has been done. I know if I start the year off with these simple tasks, my house feels refreshed and ready for another year of use.

None are particularly taxing and only take me about half an hour max.

1. Deep clean the kitchen

First on my list is to give the kitchen a deep clean. With bunting and lights being carefully placed and hung around the kitchen, I’ve been shuffling things around, trying to keep it all where it should be. Now, the surfaces are bare, and I can go to town.

‘A deep clean after the decorations come down helps reset the kitchen so it feels calm again,’ agrees Richard Davonport, founder of Davonport Kitchens. ‘The first place to focus is the areas that work the hardest over Christmas: the hob, ovens and extractor. Grease and steam build up more quickly when you have been cooking for larger groups, so it is worth slowing down and giving these zones a thorough clean with a degreasing product that will not damage enamel or stainless steel. Pay attention to the extractor filters in particular; soaking them in hot water with a soda-based product lifts the film that dulls performance.'

You can clean an oven quickly with a bicarbonate of soda paste and white vinegar or a lemon. You can clean an extractor fan easily by hand or in a dishwasher.

‘Cupboard fronts, handles and the fridge door are the silent culprits of grime,' adds Richard. 'High-touch areas pick up fingerprints and a surprising amount of residue when you have more people in the house. A microfibre cloth and warm soapy water is usually all that is required, but it pays to work along the top edges of cabinets where dust gathers unnoticed.’

2. Dust-bust the living room

The next space is the living room. Although there’s not as much dirt and grease likely to be hiding in the corners, dust, tree needles and potential hidden splashes from spills will be lurking. I try as best I can to move furniture and give a really good vacuum and mop (we have wood floors).

If you find your vacuum isn't up to the task, this is the time to invest in one of the best vacuum cleaners in the Boxing Day sales. Trust me, a powerful vacuum is going to make the new year feel alot easier!

‘Once the decorations are packed away, it’s the perfect time to tackle the hidden areas that collect dust during the holidays - think tops of cupboards, mantels, shelving, and the spot where the tree stood,’ advises Sylwia Jacob from ScrubDaddy.

'Pine needles and tree sap can leave stubborn marks on flooring, so start with a gentle sweep or vacuum, then use a damp Scrub Daddy with a mild floor-safe cleaner to lift any residue without scratching the surface. For scuff marks on walls or skirting boards, our Eraser Daddy works brilliantly to wipe marks away while staying scratch-free.’

3. Check for paint damage

While you’re cleaning, you’ll start to notice where paint on the walls has been scuffed or where woodwork has been chipped. Now the house is clean, walk from your entryway and note down anywhere you might need to touch up with paint. From the wreath scratching the front door and shoes marking the hallway skirting board to suitcases being moved around in the spare room, these spaces will have had either a high amount of traffic and will need attention.

'Start by removing any loose or flaking paint, sand down the area with a mid to high grit to create a smooth surface,' advises Rob Green, co-founder of COAT. 'You can fill with a water-based wood filler and then sand again when dry if it was a significant ding. Clean off any dust or grease before repainting, and use an eggshell finish that is specifically designed for wood and metal to keep the repaired area matching the original woodwork's sheen and durability.

'Apply with a good quality small brush and feather the edges so the touch-up blends, the eggshell paint will level nicely. You could also use a mini-roller if you prefer, and the damage is over a bigger area.'

'Use the same batch and finish of paint for touch-ups as even slight variations from natural ingredients can show,' Rob continues. 'Clean and prepare the surface properly, then feather the new paint gently outwards to soften edges. Avoid overloading your brush and take your time. You want to avoid a messy, rushed paint dab as this will reflect in the light differently to the rest of your wall and show up the repair.'

For any small, tiny touch-ups over the rest of the year, you can invest in these touch-up paint pens from Amazon that you can load ready with your paint.

4. Clear out the fridge and pantry

One of my favourite parts of the end of the year is the sheer amount of leftovers. We’re a family of eaters so nothing goes to waste after the big day, but once the Christmas haul is over, empty the fridge and pantry to properly audit what has a use-by-date long gone and what can be used into the New year. I also use this time to clean the fridge properly.

‘Do not skip the interiors,’ says Richard Davonport. ‘A quick edit of the fridge and freezer clears out half-used condiments, cheese ends and leftovers that might be past their best. Pull out vegetable drawers and wash them in warm water with an antibacterial product. The same applies to cutlery trays and utensil drawers, which collect crumbs far faster than you expect during the festive period.’

5. Reintroduce some fun into the interiors

My least favourite part of the whole reset for the New Year is that everything feels very… empty. Where there was cosy tinsel around my dining table, there’s just a light shade, and where a wreath and outdoor lights welcomed me home every day, there is just a knocker and bare wood. So, I try to add in or swap up some of my ornaments and interior decorations.

I don’t go mad buying all new things, but if I can make something that fills a space and makes the transition between festive fun and the January blues easier, I’ll do it. I keep candles out because, while the family has gone home, the nights are still cold and dark. A new bouquet of dried seasonal flowers will fill my vase. And I’ll put new pictures in our frames above the mantle to give it a new feeling of life.

Add to basket

Rather than being disappointed that the decorations are coming down, it's the perfect time to regroup, reset and get ready to welcome in the new year.

Wave goodbye to 2025 with a New Year’s Eve dinner party to help you celebrate in style. String up lights and party décor, set a table to be proud of, and spend time thinking about the food you’ll serve for a special evening with good friends or family.

Not sure where to start? I've styled countless dining tables for photo shoots and parties, so I've rounded up the 6 ingredients you need for the perfect NYE party decorating ideas. It all starts with picking a theme, whether it’s a colour or a pattern and seeing whether you have items you could already use that fit the brief. You could opt for sparkling metallics, a smart black and white affair, or go all out with a colourful table, for instance, to transition your Christmas decor to New Year's.

Take into account whether you’ll be serving a sit-down meal or more of a buffet-style spread, and enjoy turning your dining room into a space that’s full of party spirit. Finally, remember to stock up on ice and your guests’ favourite drinks, and plan your party playlist!

1. Add festive details

Christmas may have gone, but there’s still a call for some of the table décor, like crackers, mini trees and even a bauble or two when it comes to New Year. Decide on your theme and colour scheme and choose some pieces that complement it, along with some beautiful crockery and table linen.

2. Hang decorations

Nothing says new year quite like some glittery garlands, which will help to put everyone in the party spirit and make great photo backgrounds. Hang them on a wall so you can see them from your table and opt for more than one design to make your display more of a statement.

3. Create a drinks station

Whether it’s some celebratory champagne, fun cocktails or some good wine, keep drinks accessible for guests by creating a drinks station from which they can help themselves. A bar trolley is ideal, especially one on castors that you can wheel to where you need it. Just add some twinkly lights and stock up on glasses, straws and any cocktail tools you might need.

4. Display a menu

Elevate your meal with a written New Year’s menu for guests to see what you’re going to be serving. If you don’t want to print individual menus, then try one large one, like this chalkboard, which you can prop up on a sideboard or console.

Give it a festive touch with a faux foliage garland and some fairy lights, and use the same surface for a little after-dinner tea and coffee station.

5. Set the mood

Lighting is key to creating a good New Year’s Eve party atmosphere, so dial back any bright overhead lights and look for other ways to give a glow to your room. Floor and table lamps are ideal for lighting dark corners, while fun strings of lights along the table help add some sparkle.

6. Give it a party feel

Confetti-filled balloons, oversized decorations, glitter balls, neon lighting… they’re all ideal for creating a party vibe. Put them at different heights for interest, whether you have some sparkly baubles on shelves, balloons floating on the ceiling or a group of glitter balls at floor level.

Get the look

Fans of BBC One’s Interior Design Masters will recognise Briony Ace from the most recent series, where she made it to the quarter finals with her love of neutrals and vintage finds. This Christmas, we were lucky enough to look around the interior designer's home, all dressed up for the festive season and discover the inspiration behind her Christmas decorating ideas and a few styling tips along the way.

The interior designer lives in the three-bedroom semi-detached barn conversion on the Kent/Surrey border with her partner Joe Chandler and their sons. Briony is not only an interior designer (@brionyaceinteriors), but she also designs and imports homeware, working alongside Joe. So her home is a treasure trove of vintage and new finds.

Below, Briony reveals how she transformed her stunning home for Christmas, from her hack for creating oversized bows to adding bountiful greenery in every room.

'Rich red reinvents my colour palette'

‘For my tree, which stands in our open-plan living-dining space, I’ve layered up my go-to neutrals of green, nude and cream, nestling in some beautiful claret red glass baubles to echo the fabric bows I’ve used everywhere! Oversized cream satin bows provide more glam,' says Briony.

Style tip: Supersize your tree with large bows and baubles. Hang all over, rather than just on the lower branches, to make the most of the impact their larger size provides.

'My Christmas table is always really special'

‘When it comes to Christmas, I’m all about the layering, especially for my dining table. To me, Christmas is about the gathering of friends and family – the chaos, the mess, and the joy. Our table came from an antiques fair,' she adds.

'I think everything looks better when it’s lived a little, and this table felt like it had a wealth of history about it. Not wanting to cover up that beautiful wood, I use a gathered linen tablecloth as a runner.’

‘When I spotted six green vintage bowls at a charity shop, I knew they would be the “jumping off point” (as I call it) for my Christmas table. Paired with off-white plates, textured mats and vintage cutlery, they are simply gorgeous,' she adds.

'I can definitely get on board with bows'

'While I’m not one to follow a home decor trend, the beauty of a bow at Christmas is something I love. This year, I found old shirts and bed sheets in the same rich red as my baubles and napkins in my local charity shop, which I cut into bow-ready strips. I’ve popped these everywhere – from my vintage wall lights to a wooden board on my coffee table (made from an old pallet).’

Style tip: Bows can be added all around your Christmas home for instant impact, but take extra care when tying them around candles – you’ll need to make sure the candles don’t burn too low

'I collect vintage all year round'

‘I have a cabinet of “vintage wonder”, which sits next to the dining table, where I stash pieces I’ve collected – either to add to a project I’m working on or to save for the right moment at home,' she explains. 'Inside, you will find an insane amount of brass candlesticks, in addition to the ones on show. They are a great way of adding height and warmth to any corner of your home. Candlelight is a must for me at Christmastime.’

'I love to prep the kitchen'

‘The kitchen is the hub of Christmas – and it doesn’t escape without its own decorations, with bows added to vintage chopping boards,' Briony adds.

'I use an old chest as my workstation – it holds all of my most needed items. The beautiful captain’s chair is where friends or family can sit and chat while the prep work happens.’

'Our hallway gets a warm welcome'

‘We added panelling to our hallway, which makes the space feel more inviting. We also replaced door handles and hinges with black ones – small touches that matter to me. The striped stair carpet looks super smart, with the pre-lit garland dressed with more red “bed-sheet bows” and vintage brass bells,' she explains.

Style tip: Follow Briony’s lead and use plenty of greenery – from fresh pine to faux garlands and foliage. Try a few oversized stems of fake eucalyptus, which can be bent to shape, in rustic vases.

'Kids’ bedrooms are where you can definitely have festive fun'

'My boys’ bedroom is like a wonderland,' says Briony.

'Chace and Colby’s desk area becomes a little grotto with garlands, candy canes and stockings. I drew the house directly on the wall with charcoal – and, of course, we ate more popcorn than made the actual garland.’

'Add warmth with bold pops of colour'

‘Framing a mirror with a few garlands makes an easy and beautiful addition to our bedroom at this time of year. The green of the pine foliage picks up on our olive-green bed and ottoman.’

Style tip: Even a small piece of vintage artwork gets its own bow for Christmas, with a flouncy length of cream linen ribbon tied in to a casual bow and stuck to the top of the frame

'I love having a tree in our bedroom'

‘Our converted barn bedrooms have incredibly high ceilings, so can easily take an 8ft tree, bedecked in warm lights. I dress it simply with an oversized bow made from a length of remnant fabric,' says Briony.

Style tip: Make a tree bow from a long length of fabric, like Briony has, nestling it in among the tree’s branches to hold it in shape. Use fabric in a contrasting texture as a tree skirt.

'Styling up the spare bedroom for guests is a must for me'

‘Aside from layering the bed with throws and cushions, I also like to layer up the side table and vintage washstand in our spare room with mini clay trees, foliage, vintage frames and – of course – table lamps. Another one of my favourite things to collect!’

Which is your favourite room?

You say tomato, I say tomato. You say bin your pine needles, I say don’t you dare! Whether it’s blanketing paths and borders, or a Christmas tree dropping its needles all over your living room, that instinct? The one to pull out the broom and green waste bin? It means you’re missing out on a major garden hack.

Oh yes, I'm deadly serious. So, before you consign every last pine needle from your garden or your Christmas tree to the compost pile, consider this: all of that messy debris is actually a hidden treasure. In fact, those same needles that carpet your floor or line your borders can benefit your garden and the wildlife that calls it home.

Sure, they don’t rot down quickly like fallen leaves, and they can be slippery or stubborn underfoot. But it's actually that same slow decomposition, combined with their structure and natural acidity, which makes them so valuable.

Whether they're left in place or used strategically around your garden, pine needles – even those from your post-Christmas tree – can improve clay soil, help wildlife garden ideas, and reduce the need for purchased mulches. Win!

1. Provide a lifeline for wildlife

Don't bin your pine needles! Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries, says that 'pine needles create excellent shelter for wildlife such as hedgehogs, frogs, beetles and spiders, allowing them to hide from predators and stay warm'.

Morris goes on to explain that, when piled loosely under shrubs, hedges, or in quiet corners, pine needles form insulating layers full of tiny air pockets. These trap warmth and protect creatures from frost and heavy rain, not to mention create habitats for beetles, spiders, frogs, and other valuable minibeasts.

Birds, too, also make use of pine needles, often collecting them in late winter and early spring for nest-building.

Leaving needles where they fall rather than stripping the garden bare, then, creates a more forgiving environment at a time of year when wildlife needs it most.

2. Turn into mulch

Beyond their wildlife benefits, pine needles are one of the most underrated mulching materials available to gardeners.

'Pine needles can continue to do a job even when they’re not on the tree,' says Morris. 'They can be spread under shrubs, trees, or along garden borders where they act as a natural mulch, helping retain moisture, suppress weeds and protect soil from erosion.'

This is especially useful in winter, when heavy rain can compact bare soil and wash nutrients away. A layer of pine needles cushions the surface, reducing splash-back onto plants and helping soil structure remain intact. Then, as they slowly break down, they add organic matter, improving drainage and soil health over time. Yet another reason not to bin your pine needles.

3. Keep plants looking neat

One of the reasons pine needles are so useful is their stability. Unlike lighter organic mulches, they interlock as they settle, meaning they don’t blow away easily in winter winds.

'Unlike some organic materials, pine needles don’t blow away easily and they decompose slowly,' says Morris. 'This makes them a long-lasting and low-maintenance option for gardeners looking for a mulch that also looks neat.'

Steven Bell, gardening enthusiast and founder of Paving Shopper, agrees wholeheartedly, even going so far as to describe pine needles as a 'garden secret weapon.'

Steven says that the slow breakdown of pine needles, while often seen as a downside, is actually what makes them so effective.

'Over time, they knit together into a surprisingly cohesive layer, making them ideal for informal paths, muddy patches, slopes prone to runoff, or areas under trees where grass struggles to grow,' he says.

They also lend a soft, woodland feel to a garden – natural rather than messy – especially when used deliberately rather than scattered randomly.

How to collect pine needles from Christmas tree

You shouldn't vacuum up pine needles from your Christmas tree, especially if you want to use them in the garden. Instead try one of these handy brushes.

FAQs

Don't bin your pine needles this winter, then. Instead, resist the urge to sweep your garden spotless. By leaving plenty of needles under shrubs, in a quiet corner, or across borders and paths, your soil will stay healthier, your garden will feel more natural, and local wildlife will move in almost immediately.

Not bad for something you were about to throw away, eh?

Ah, Christmas, a time most special for getting all your loved ones together under one roof, and one of the best bits - the Christmas dinner, of course! And when cooking for the masses, a little extra help is always appreciated - but is it socially acceptable to bring your air fryer to Christmas dinner?

The best air fryers have revolutionised how we cook in this day and age. I’m not lying when I say I couldn’t function without mine. And one thing these hand appliances are a Godsend for is cooking a roast dinner.

With some models able to roast a bird, and guaranteed crispy potatoes and parsnips, using an air fryer to help with your festive food preparation is a no-brainer. But if you’re heading to a loved one's this Christmas, I wanted to find out if it’s socially acceptable to bring your trusty air fryer with you to lend a hand.

Is it socially acceptable to bring an air fryer to Christmas dinner?

The concept of bringing an air fryer to your host’s Christmas dinner may seem like a good idea if you’ve been enlisted to help with the cooking. If you can’t live without your mum’s roast potatoes, it makes sense to ask her to help you with them on the big day. Plus, it means the host isn’t confined to the kitchen on their own, whilst everyone else is enjoying a Bucks Fizz in the living room.

A second air fryer (assuming the host already has one) means you can cook more food at one time. For example, you can use both machines to handle the roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots and pig in blankets (and more if you have one of the best dual-zone air fryers).

Of course, it can be a little tricky lugging a bulky air fryer to a second location, so we’d recommend a smaller, portable model like the Ninja Crispi (£129.99 at Amazon). But don’t let the size fool you, our review found the machine to be seriously impressive.

This all sounds great, right? And it is, provided you’ve discussed this with the host ahead of arrival. In other words, don’t just show up with your air fryer.

‘A quick message to the host beforehand makes all the difference. It shows you are bringing it to ease the pressure, not to take over. Hosts usually appreciate anything that frees up oven space or speeds up the sides, especially in smaller kitchens where every centimetre of worktop matters,’ says Gemma Logan, Christmas party expert at Book a Party.

‘When it is offered politely and used with good humour, bringing an air fryer feels like turning up with an extra pair of reliable hands. In that spirit, it sits comfortably within the modern, collaborative Christmas and rarely raises an eyebrow.’

Asking makes all the difference, and if your host accepts, it makes it perfectly acceptable to bring your air fryer to Christmas. It’s when you don’t ask that this act can start to be thought of as rude.

‘It's only rude if you march in without saying hello and start taking over by air frying everything in sight. It's also rude if you make little jibes that the host's cooking can't be trusted and that your air fryer is here to save the day. Framing it as a backup or saying 'you bought a little extra help if needed' will be appreciated,’ says Pippa Masson, a freelance Christmas party expert at Book A Party.

Alternatively, an air fryer can make a wonderful gift for your host - especially if they love cooking. If you’re planning to lend an extra pair of hands and an appliance for this Christmas dinner, the key is to ask first. This way, everyone is a winner.

A Christmas tablescape is the star of the show. The dining table is where everyone lingers over the course of the Christmas period, soaking up endless hours of chatter and food - so you want it to look good. Luckily, Jamie Oliver's team has the answer to an easy (but still beautiful) Christmas tablescape.

What's even better is that this festive tablescape idea doesn't involve you frantically heading to the shops to procure a fancy centrepiece or extravagant candleabra - all you need is a cake stand, and this can easily be found in one of your kitchen cupboards.

Christmas is all about having family and friends together under one roof, and while we want our homes to look beautiful, using something we already own or will get lots of use out of is the way forward. Here's how you can recreate the look.

In an Instagram video posted by Jamie Oliver HQ, Rachel from Jamie's food team runs through some creative and inexpensive ways to zhuzh up a tablescape for Christmas.

There's often immense pressure to have seasonal crockery that comes out for Christmas. However, this requires the kitchen storage ideas to house all of this crockery, which many of us don't have. Using everyday pieces can feel just as special, and all it takes is a few tweaks for it to feel brand new again.

A cake stand is something I never thought of using as a centrepiece, but it makes so much sense. It's naturally raised, which adds height to a tablescape - key for making sure there's still plenty of room for food and drinks.

A cake stand is also something you're likely to already have stashed in a cupboard, and it can later be utilised for your Christmas pudding or yule log.

I own Jamie Oliver's Big Love cake stand, available at Amazon, which is made from beautiful ceramic and looks much more expensive than it is. In the video, the cake stand has been decked out with festive fruit, which serves as both decoration and a handy way to encourage children (and adults) to eat some easy-peelers.

You can use any festive snacks you have to hand for this centrepiece - nuts and clementines will look sophisticated, while some baubles delicately placed on the cake stand will add a glitzy touch.

Shop the look

This is a trick I'll definitely be trying out this Christmas - it's the perfect way to use what you have while still adding wow-factor to your table.

For the past twenty years, Queen Camilla has hosted a festive bash at her Clarence House home for seriously ill children to help decorate the Christmas tree. 2025 has been no exception, with the royal host accepting her guests on 11 December, but nearly two weeks later, we can’t stop thinking about the beautiful, sparkling Christmas tree.

I love a little glimpse into how celebrities decorate their homes for Christmas. Whether that’s to pinch a few of their decorating ideas, or feel inspired by which Christmas trend they’ve plumped for, but the Royals’ Christmas tree is a little different.

The Queen welcomed ten children and their parents, who are being cared for by Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity and Helen & Douglas House, and the resulting decorated tree is a sparkling display of love. It’s one of my favourite trees of the season, here’s why.

‘This is a tree like no other Royal tree, feeling more as though it has been made with love in a family home rather than as a stately display’ says Natalie Evans, founder and CEO of home styling and staging company Little Barn Door.

‘Unlike the usual ornate glass droplet decorations seen on other palace trees, this year’s Clarence House showpiece feels wholesome, using mix-and-match decorations in a style more commonly found in our day-to-day homes than in a Royal Residence.

‘From woollen festive figures to coloured string hearts and candy canes, the tree brings warmth and magic in an approachable way. While a luxurious and regal ‘don’t touch me’ tree certainly has its own wow factor, nothing touches the heart quite like a tree decorated with love.’

In what is now an annual tradition, the children helped adorn the tree with mismatched felt decorations, colourful star garlands and of course, lots of sparkle. And the result looks fantastic. It looks homely and warm, as Natalie pointed out, which makes the style more accessible for us at home. Not to mention, the tree was erected in honour of a very worthy cause.

‘Royal Christmas décor offers familiarity in a fast-changing world. It reassures people through tradition while subtly evolving year to year. There’s also a sense of storytelling: viewers enjoy spotting historic influences, symbolic choices and the understated personal touches that reflect the identity of the household. It feels aspirational, but still grounded in shared seasonal customs,’ explains Lydia Alty, YouTuber and Royal Expert at Royal Reporter Lydia.

‘Royal décor has long shaped festive trends, and this tree is likely to encourage a renewed appreciation for classic decorations, particularly tinsel, glass and metallic finishes, used in a thoughtful way. It sends a clear message that Christmas style doesn’t need to be excessive to be impactful; elegance, meaning and a nod to tradition are more than enough.’

I’m particularly taken with the felt baubles, which are not only adorable but look traditional and stylish. If you like them too, I’ve found a few more you can snap up now.

Queen Camilla’s tree is a perfect example of a traditional, homely tree that still looks stylish. It’s going straight to our moodboard for next year.

When you’re hosting Christmas dinner, one of the most frequently asked questions will be, ‘For how many?’ The response often results in worried winces. Don’t be concerned; with a few simple additions, it’s easy to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table.

Extendable tables are among the best dining table ideas, as they can be adjusted to suit your needs. However, buying a new table the days before Christmas is not ideal.

Instead, with a simple piece of MDF, any table can be extended for extra guests, providing an instant fix for your dining room.

You will need

• A dining table
• A large piece of MDF
• Non-slip matting – like this from Amazon
• Tablecloth – this linen-look design from Amazon should arrive before Christmas.
• Blankets (optional)
• Console or side table (optional)

1. Choose the right piece of MDF board

Extending your table is key to creating the perfect festive dining space.

‘Aim for 60cm table width per person to allow each diner to eat comfortably, without them feeling cramped – you can just about get away with 55cm for occasional extra seating,’ says Amanda Huber, creative director at The Dining Chair Company. ‘The depth of the table should be around 90cm wide (85cm at a minimum), so there is plenty of space for plates, serving dishes and decor.’

These measurements can also be applied when buying a new table or building your own. ‘Also factor in at least 90cm of space around the table for movement,’ she adds.

You may need to use two different sheets of MDF – joined at the centre of the table.

The MDF should be 25mm or thicker if you are going to have a lot of overhang. B&Q stocks MDF in a variety of sizes, including 18mm and 25mm.

2. Place your MDF on top of the table

You can either place the MDF on top of your single existing table or use it to create a seamless bridge over two or three smaller tables. Use a non-slip mat – like these from Amazon – between the board and table to prevent slippage or marks.

If joining two or more tables of different heights, place blankets between the tables and the board to raise the height until everything is level.

If you have a small dining room, consider moving your table into a larger room like your living room to make the most of the available space.

3. Dress with a table cloth

Once in place, cover the board with one large tablecloth to create a harmonious look. We love this Sanderson Cantaloupe design from John Lewis, it's reminiscent of the vintage-inspired tableware trend of last year.

You can then elevate the scheme with some decorative tablescaping, simply dot a few candles and a little foliage in vases around the table for a pretty festive look.

A length of fabric offers a versatile alternative to a tablecloth – hem the edges with a decorative trim for a finished look. Or if your table is too long for a single tablecloth, layer lots of smaller ones for a patchwork look.

4. Maximise space for chairs

If you can, trade individual chairs for benches – doing away with inconvenient chair
arms and sides lets you maximise the real estate on at least one side of the table. It also means people can squash up a little more to make more room.

What are other ways to maximise space?

Set up a dedicated table for children and dress it with a colour-in tablecloth – like this from Amazon – pots of pens and child-friendly Christmas crackers to keep them entertained.

Serving side dishes from a trolley helps to keep the table clutter-free, allowing maximum space for diners. Gold and glass constructions – like this from Amazon – make stylish choices.

Garden furniture is a world away from the white plastic designs that were prevalent in the 1990s. If you have invested in more luxurious wooden or dainty metal designs, they can be brought inside and sit harmoniously alongside your usual set-up.

With a little ingenuity and some DIY supplies, it more than possible to ensure everyone has a comfortable seat at the table this Christmas.

The run-up to Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year. From present shopping to socialising, to the festive food shop and of course, getting the house tidy for visiting guests. It can feel like you don’t stop during the whole month of December. And if you feel like you’re running out of time or a little burnt out, don’t worry, as I asked decluttering and cleaning experts how to get the home ready for Christmas in just one hour.

One thing that a lot of the best decluttering methods require is time. Time to sift through multitudes of stuff, time to consider the meaning of each item and time to reorganise at the end. If you’re running out of time or decluttering makes you feel overwhelmed, don’t worry, it is possible to make your home presentable in just an hour.

So, save the big cleaning and decluttering jobs for January, and follow our expert advice for tidying your home in an hour. So, you can enjoy Christmas with your family, without thinking about the next cleaning job.

How to declutter a home in one hour for christmas

While it’s always lovely having guests for Christmas, it can feel overwhelming getting the house ready for their arrival. With decluttering a guest room also added to your list of chores, it also pays to know how to declutter a house fast.

‘If time is tight, treat your hour as a guest entrance edit. Focus first on the spaces guests will see and use, such as the hallway, living room, guest bathroom and main seating areas. Clear visible clutter, fluff cushions and throws and place essentials like extra towels and guest toiletries in obvious, accessible spots. These quick wins create an immediate sense of order,’ says Max Wilson, Co-Founder at Pocket Storage.

‘Guests rarely notice meticulous detail. However, they do notice flow and function. By prioritising zones they interact with first, you remove the visual noise that makes a space feel chaotic, and you make comfort effortless. It’s about perceived order, not perfection, so that the entire home feels welcoming without hours of work.’

It’s also handy to break down your hour into bite-sized chunks. This form of micro-decluttering gives you 15 minutes or so to tackle certain zones like your living room, and you will be surprised at what you can achieve in just a short amount of time.

Catherine Green, sustainable cleaning expert at smol, shares what she would do if she had just 20 minutes to clean her bathroom ahead of guests arriving.

‘A clean bathroom feels like you’ve done far more than you actually have. For a regular spruce up, aim for about 10–20 minutes, focusing on surfaces and mirrors (5 minutes), wiping down the shower/bath (5 minutes) using a foaming bathroom spray with a low pH to break down limescale, and the toilet (5 minutes),’ she says.

‘If you have issues with limescale in your loo, a great hack is popping a dishwasher tablet into the toilet bowl to dissolve overnight. For those with less time looking to make some visual impact, clean the taps; sparkling chrome instantly makes a bathroom look cleaner.’

She also recommends taking a targeted approach to cleaning, whereby you only clean where necessary.

‘Damp dusting surfaces, using a simple multi-purpose spray and a cloth, will make your home look more polished, filling the room with a clean scent. Always work top to bottom, dusting first to let the vacuum catch disturbed particles,’ she suggests.

‘Skip cleaning the whole house. Instead, quickly vacuum the high-traffic zones like the hallway, stairs, and around the sofa.

‘Fluff up sofa cushions and fold throws; this living room equivalent of making the bed is unbelievably effective for the time it takes. Nothing ruins festive party vibes like an overflowing bin, so empty all rubbish containers.’

Is it possible to get a home guest ready in one hour?

It may not sound like enough time, but believe me, it is possible. Working to a timeframe can help prevent procrastination, while having a clear plan allows you to cut through the noise and get the job done.

‘An hour is enough to create a sense of calm and readiness if you work with purpose and prioritise around how your guests will move through the space. Quick, targeted edits make the biggest impact. Trying to tackle every drawer or shelf in that time usually doesn’t move the needle visually, but focusing on key areas does,’ says Max.

‘A space looks good when the eye can rest, uncluttered surfaces, thoughtful textiles and a few curated accents go a long way. Swap out heavy décor for a simple winter arrangement or seasonal greenery, tuck blankets into baskets and position seating to feel inviting. It’s less about decorating every inch and more about intentional simplicity.’

You need time to relax over Christmas and enjoy time with loved ones. You don’t want to spend a whole break scrubbing when an hour will suffice.

When decorating your home for Christmas, more often than not, the kitchen is one area where we don't tend to hang our favourite festive decorations. But not this year, as there is one viral tea towel hack taking social media by storm, and it makes it so easy to give your kitchen some Christmas magic.

I’m talking about the bow tea towel hack, whereby two tea towels are fashioned into a pretty bow to sit on your oven door, and it’s one of the easiest Christmas decorating ideas I’ve spotted this year.

The simple hack is an easy way to use your existing kitchen essentials and make something beautiful. It’s practically free and incredibly easy, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking to make their kitchen feel a little more festive this year.

How to make a bow with tea towels

Bows have been a huge Christmas trend over the past couple of years. From the ever-stylish XL bows topping our trees to hundreds of Christmas ribbon ideas, bows are inescapable, adding an elegant finishing touch to our festive decor.

The tea towel bow hack is perfect if you’re looking to create magical christmas decorations on a budget. And it’s so simple, requiring just two tea towels (ideally matching like these beautiful, matching gingerbread tea towels from Pottery Barn).

To make your tea towel bow, first take one of your tea towels and fold it twice horizontally and in half. With your second, fold it horizontally twice to make a long rectangle. Pinch the first tea towel in the middle to form your bow shape, before hanging the longer second piece across the middle section. It should now look like a bow and rest on your oven door.

‘It really feels like the season of the bow, both IRL and URL - they’re everywhere, and people are embracing them in a big way this year. The tea towel bow works so well because it uses something everyone already has at home, turning the everyday into something that feels instantly festive and a little more magical,’ comments Michael Allsopp, Ideal Home’s Social Media Editor.

‘It's taken off because it’s so relatable and easy to recreate. You don’t need to be particularly crafty to try it, which makes it super shareable and perfect for socialising. I'm fully onboard with this trend and will be trying it out myself.’

At Ideal Home, we rate this trend as it is so budget-friendly and simple, yet it can create a festive and stylish look in an often-forgotten area of the home.

‘I love seeing all the different creative and innovative ways people have been incorporating this trend into their homes this festive season - this bow tea towel hack is the perfect example, as the kitchen is often a slightly neglected area of our homes when it comes to Christmas decorating. And this brings just enough festive spirit to the space in my opinion,’ says Sara Hesikova, Ideal Home’s Room Decor Editor.

I know you’ll be unwrapping your bow as soon as the time comes to cook your roast dinner, but given how easy they are to make, I don’t think it matters. It’s a cheap, easy decorating idea that will make your home feel a little more festive - a win in my book.

I have a love-hate relationship with sellotape over the Christmas period. While I need it to wrap presents, there never seems to be enough of it, and it has a nasty habit of ruining my precise wrapping when I do have it.

That is why over the last couple of years I’ve committed to a clever wrapping hack, which uses just one piece of sticky tape. And I guarantee it looks like I put in a lot more effort than I actually did.

I started using the one-piece of tape hack about three years ago after finding a tutorial for how to make Christmas wrapping quicker on Instagram. The gist is that through some clever paper folding, you’ll end up with a present that needs one piece of tape to secure the loose end. I’ve found it’s not only faster, but it makes my gifts look like they've been wrapped by a professional.

So how does it work? I’ll start by saying this hack is best for square or rectangular gifts; if you're wrapping something with curves, this is not going to work. You need to take a large piece of wrapping paper. As a guideline, if you are wrapping a book, the length and width should be three times the size of the book. For the paper, I usually keep things simple with brown paper that I can jazz up with ribbon, gift tags and even slices of dried oranges.

How it works

You’re going to start by folding the paper upwards to cover half of the gift. Then, starting on the right side, pull the fold of paper up so that it runs along the edge of the present, and you have two triangle-shaped flaps. Do the same to the left-hand side.

Now comes the part I call the ‘folding plait’, fold the first triangle on the right over the present, followed by the left-hand side. Then repeat with the second triangle of paper on both sides.

At this point, you should be left with the present fully covered, and all you have to do is fold the remaining paper to create a point and fix the loose end with your one piece of tape. I’ve recently started using a double-sided table for a completely seamless finish.

The finished result should have little pockets along the plait that you can then tuck a gift tag into, and any other bits of decoration. You can see the process step in the gallery above.

It takes a little practice, but I’ve now been using it for three years, and it’s got me out of many a tough spot on Christmas Eve.

Unfortunately, I’ve yet to find a solution for wrapping unusually shaped gifts with one piece of tape, but that’s what gift bags are for, right?

Gift wrapping essentials

Decorating our gardens for Christmas has become an increasingly popular decorating trend this year, and Richard E. Grant has just blown us away.

I have to say Richard E. Grant’s Christmas decor has absolutely smashed it this year. So much so, I’ve been repeatedly checking his Instagram for my own festive inspiration. From his eclectic festive explosion inside the home to his showstopping outdoor baubles, Richard is setting the Christmas trends, not following them.

Festive garden decor has become more popular than ever as we seek to embrace Christmas in every area of our homes. So I’ve asked the experts how to achieve this bold and brilliant look this Christmas.

'Over the past few years, the influence of social media has seen Christmas interiors grow brighter and bolder, but this year we are seeing the magic flow from inside our homes into our gardens. Decorating the exterior of our homes is nothing new, but unlike curb-facing displays that light up the street, Christmas garden décor feels more intimate and magical; a secret festive haven to admire from the kitchen window,' says Natalie Evans, founder and CEO of home styling and staging company Little Barn Door.

'Richard E. Grant’s garden décor ticks all of these boxes, with subtle sparkle and magical baubles that appear to levitate amongst the trees.'

This year, a few celebrities have applied their Christmas decorating ideas to their outdoor spaces. Shirlie Kemp made her greenhouse look magical, while chef Clodagh McKenna embraced cosy, rustic decor in her garden pub.

Richard’s offering is a more maximalist approach. Opting for absolutely humungous silver baubles to hang from a tree for a look that is playful and instantly eye-catching. And framed by the twinkling, warm lights of his pergola, it’s beautifully festive, too.

‘Decorating gardens for Christmas has really taken off in recent years because people want to extend that festive feeling beyond the front door. It’s about creating a welcoming atmosphere for guests and adding a sense of joy that can be enjoyed both inside and out. After spending more time at home in recent years, homeowners are looking for ways to make every space feel special, and the garden is no exception,’ explains Victoria Robinson, style and trend expert at Hillarys.

‘I love the XL baubles trend because it’s bold, playful, and instantly eye-catching. They work so well because they create impact without needing lots of smaller decorations. Oversized pieces feel luxurious and make a statement, which is why they’ve become so popular this year. People are embracing maximalism and looking for ways to make their festive décor feel unique and Instagram-worthy.’

How to get the look

'Creating your own XL Christmas bauble display is easy. Their size and impact mean fewer pieces are needed, and with careful zoning, you can create something magical without covering every inch of your garden. When designing statement festive displays, I recommend choosing just one key area of your garden, this could be the base of a tree, either side of the front door, or along a central path leading to it,' says Natalie.

Of course, to get Richard’s exact look, you’ll need a big tree in your garden, and of course, some giant baubles (Cox & Cox’s Supersized Baubles are a pretty close match). However, not all of us are blessed with a tree of this scale, especially if you have a small garden, which is where it pays to be a little creative.

‘To get a similar look, start with a few large-scale decorations rather than lots of small ones. Choose weatherproof baubles in metallics or jewel tones for a chic finish, and cluster them together for maximum impact,’ suggests Victoria.

‘Pair them with warm outdoor lighting like fairy lights or lanterns to create a magical glow. If you want to tie the look together, consider adding a wreath or garland to your windows or doors so the theme flows from outside to inside.’

Shop giant baubles

Richard E. Grant’s XL garden baubles might be my favourite celebrity design choice of the season. They’re fun and creative whilst perfectly encapsulating the spirit of the season.

Make guests feel at home with thoughtful touches and festive décor to get them in the holiday spirit when getting your guest bedroom ideas ready this weekend.

Whether it’s swapping in some new Christmassy patterned bedding, hanging some personalised stockings, or adding a seasonal fragrance and their own mini fir tree, Christmas decorations are one of those things you should always include in a guest room at this time of year. You can instantly transform your guest bedroom into something that makes visitors feel special and gives them a space they’ll be happy to retreat to.

It doesn’t have to be costly either – small touches such as a bowl of pine cones or baubles, little Christmas ornaments dotted about, or even a garland or fairy lights strung around a window or door frame can make a big difference – and help to bring that magic alive for guests to enjoy in private.

1. Go for a glow up

Ambient bedroom lighting is key for a guest room that’s inviting, so include lamps with a warm light, rather than anything too harsh. And, because it’s Christmas, why not add fairy lights, maybe on a wreath on the back of a door, strung across a headboard or around window frames?

2. Add festive decor

It’s the small touches that can really make guests feel welcome: a bowl of lustrous baubles, a snow globe, small reindeer ornaments or seasonal foliage in a vase. A stocking with their initials on, stuffed with little presents, is a nice gesture, too – you could even wrap up some overnight toiletries or a festive sleep mask.

3. Introduce a mini tree

Space may be limited, but your creativity doesn’t have to be, so add a mini potted Christmas tree to your guest room to make visitors feel really special. Leave it bare, decorate it with micro lights or a couple of personalised baubles – whatever you choose, it’s a great way to add texture, colour, fragrance and ambience.

4. Swap in holiday bedding

Make going to bed fun with a festive-print duvet set that’s sure to bring a smile to their faces. From more traditional red gingham or tartan to novelty patterns, give your guests’ bed the finishing touch with some Christmas cushions and a coordinating blanket or two. Habitat also have a great range of festive bedding that impressed our Sleep Editor.

5. Focus on fragrance

Nothing says Christmas like the aroma of cinnamon, sweet citrus, frankincense or even woody pine, so fragrance your guest room with a room spray or candle that instantly creates the Christmas spirit. It will also make a nice gift for guests to take away with them.

Alternatively, for a more sophisticated and calming scent, look to fir tree, eucalyptus and sandalwood to make a guest room smell amazing this Christmas.

6. Include cosy touches

When the temperature dips, ensure you have snuggly blankets at hand to keep guests warm. A hot water bottle is a great idea, too, and they look sweet stacked on a bench or chair or hung from a mini wall ladder.

So get the stockings out, the festive room spray and get your guest room Christmas ready.

It’s not uncommon for a Christmas tree to have some bald patches, whether it’s a real one or an artificial one. But it’s certainly annoying. If your tree has some patches, you don’t have to just accept them; there is a way to fill Christmas tree patches that many experts swear by – and that’s using foliage.

I’ve been seeing interior stylists and content creators use this Christmas tree idea more and more this year, whether that’s the burgundy tree of Roti Brown (@rotiibrown on Instagram) or the eucalyptus-filled tree from Alfonso Gomez Sempere (@asempe on Instagram).

And you can go for anything from dried foliage to faux designs, including Christmas garlands which is a trick that Laurie Davidson, interior stylist of The Style Makers, swears by.

‘I like to use a mix of garlands and extra foliage. A garland is a great way to hide gaps, and if you wrap it around the trunk of the tree and then bring some out onto the branches it will give an extra bushy look,’ Laurie says.

What kind of foliage should you get?

When using extra foliage to make your tree look fuller, there are two ways you can go. You can opt for a foliage that brings a bit of well-considered textural contrast (which is my preferred approach), for example, using eucalyptus or flowers to add a splash of colour.

‘A great trick I’ve used is dried hydrangea bloom,’ says Aurélien Farjon, interior stylist of Style Makers. ‘At this time of year they need to come off the bush so it’s perfect timing. You are bound to have a friend or a family member whose garden you can pick from.’

Alternatively, you can match your foliage to your tree to create a seamless look and blend it in. ‘Match the foliage type to your existing tree,’ advises Chloe Barrow, interior expert at Laura James. ‘Faux trees are best paired with faux foliage for consistency in colour and texture, and the same with real trees and real dried foliage.’

How to arrange the foliage

When you get to filling your tree’s patches with the foliage, Laurie advises using floristry wire, like this one from Amazon, to keep everything in place. ‘If you're using foliage, whether real or faux, I'd advise tying three or four pieces together with some green floristry wire, and then place them onto your branches to fill some of the gaps. It makes them fuller, rather than just having individual sprigs.’

Where exactly you place your stems or bunches of foliage is likely going to feel quite instinctual, much like decorating a tree with Christmas decorations. But creating enough depth should be at the front of your mind. ‘For stubborn patches, position foliage slightly deeper into the tree rather than just on the surface, which helps create depth and disguise empty areas,’ says David Sumner, sales manager at Christmas Tree World.

And just like that, before you know it you’re going to have the most stylish and just the best Christmas tree around.

With Christmas right around the corner, poinsettias are everywhere right now. If you want your plant to welcome guests with festive spirit, it’s worth knowing where to place a poinsettia according to Feng Shui principles.

If you look after your poinsettia properly, its red bracts can make a beautiful Christmas centrepiece. One of the most important care tips, though, is choosing the right spot for a poinsettia – and besides giving your plant the best chance of surviving the festive season, there’s one room that experts recommend in particular for positive Feng Shui.

I asked them where to place a poinsettia, just in time for Christmas.

Feng Shui is all about arranging furniture, plants and other parts of the home in a way that promotes positive energy, harmony and improvements in other areas of life, too. Just as you can position your Christmas cactus according to Feng Shui, there are recommendations for poinsettia placements, too.

Besides being classic symbols of Christmas, poinsettias represent good cheer. That’s exactly the energy we want at this time of the year – so finding the right spot is key.

I spoke to Feng Shui expert Dr Michael Oon, who singled out one room in the home as the perfect place for poinsettias according to Feng Shui – and contrary to popular belief, it isn’t the living room.

‘It’s very simple – place it just by the entrance hall,’ Dr Oon said. ‘It’s red, so it’s welcoming and striking.

‘If you put it in the living room, it gets cluttered. I mean, you’ve got Christmas decorations, and it doesn’t stand out. If it’s there as you come into the home, it’s a welcoming gesture to guests.’

So, if you’ve got room in the hallway for your poinsettia plant, that’s the spot to go for. You’ll need to make sure you’ve ticked off other locational boxes first, though, because the priority should always be your plant's health.

‘In Feng Shui, healthy plants are key, so placing a poinsettia somewhere bright but not in harsh sun is generally prioritised over strict directional rules,’ says Jo Lambell, founder of houseplant retailer Beards & Daisies.

It’s also best to avoid placing your poinsettia near draughty areas and radiators (central heating can affect Christmas cacti, too). Poinsettia mistakes like these can cause a host of problems.

Jo says social spaces like the living room can work, because poinsettias are associated with warmth and positivity – but make sure the space isn’t too cluttered, as Dr Oon suggested earlier on.

‘Be cautious in bedrooms, too,’ warns Jo. ‘Strong reds are often thought of as visually energising, so many people prefer to avoid them in bedrooms if they want the space to feel calm and settled. Lighter varieties tend to feel more appropriate here.’

You can buy a poinsettia for just £3.97 from Gardening Express, and it’ll arrive before Christmas if you place your order by 21st December.

So, the perfect place for a poinsettia according to Feng Shui is the hallway. Other rooms are fine if they aren't cluttered – but placing your plant in an entrance hall welcomes guests with plenty of festive spirit.

With a growing family and dreams of having more space, Rebecca and Simon swapped their charming 1940s house for a new build with potential and transformed it into a warm, character-filled forever home.

‘Our previous home was a 1940s ex-local authority house. It had big rooms, a great plot and even a pantry and outhouse, but as our family grew, we needed more space. We wanted a detached house, in a more rural location, with lots of storage, a garage, and the potential to create a sociable kitchen, dining and snug area that worked better for our young family.’

‘The house ticked most of our boxes. Although it was a pretty bland new build, it had a charming double front and was tucked away with no passing traffic. I could see the potential, and Simon was won over by the generous garage space!’

‘I could see that reworking the layout would suit us better, creating a large, open-plan kitchen, dining and snug area. I also wanted to improve the flow between rooms and ensure every space had a clear purpose.'

'The existing kitchen felt boxed in, so we planned to knock through, add a large rear extension and relocate the utility. The house had magnolia walls throughout, so I was keen to add warmth, texture and personality, and shape it around family life.’

‘We took on the renovation completely ourselves – no main contractor, just a clear vision and a lot of determination. Simon, who used to be a joiner, handled the entire build, digging the foundations and laying every brick.'

'I project managed, overseeing the budget, sourcing materials and coordinating trades. It meant learning about things like building regs and insulation as we went along, and I spent hours researching finishes that would impact the final look.’

‘Managing the project ourselves meant we didn’t have the right contacts, so trying to track down specialists was stressful. The trickiest issue by far was figuring out how to lift a 167kg skylight into place – too heavy for people and too delicate for trial and error. It sat beside the house for months while we searched for a solution.'

'Eventually, we found a contractor with specialist lifting equipment who did an excellent job. Seeing the skylight finally go in was a favourite moment.’

‘I feel incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved – it’s not easy to add character to a new build, but we’ve worked hard to give it personality. I like to think of my style as elevating the ordinary!

'The house really comes into its own at Christmas. Whether it’s making wreaths with friends or baking mince pies with the children, it all feels like magic.’

Take the room-by-room tour of Rebecca and Simon's home below and follow her home journey @homeonthetrees

The living room

‘Opening the interior doors creates a lovely, free-flowing layout – especially at Christmas when all the family is here. When they’re shut, it feels like a cosy, quiet grown-up space and the ideal spot to relax.’

‘We bought the navy sofas during lockdown without seeing them in person – a gamble that thankfully paid off!’

The kitchen

‘The kitchen was originally a cramped, functional space with no island, a noisy utility, and a layout that felt disconnected. Extending into the rear has created a light-filled space.’

'Simple changes like swapping the stainless steel handles on the cabinets and the tap for brass have made a huge difference to the warmth and character of this space.'

'I’ve always wanted a kitchen island. I love how social and practical they are. I sit here to have a quiet morning coffee before the children wake up, then it’s a hive of activity with breakfast and packed lunches.'

Dining area/snug

‘The space has been cleverly zoned – we enjoy views of the garden from the green sofa, while the dining table is positioned beneath the skylight, a bright and inviting spot.’

The playroom

The original dining room was reimagined to help keep toys out of the living areas. Rebecca used an off-the-shelf storage system, adding trims and playful handles to give it a completely bespoke look.

The bathroom

‘We haven’t changed much in here, just replaced the vinyl flooring with classic Devonshire print tiles. We also swapped the busy frosted glass for satin glass, which lets more light into the small space.’

The main bedroom

‘I wanted this space to feel like a boutique hotel room, so we added classic touches, such as matching mirrors above the bedside drawers, and striking artwork above the headboard.’

Daughter's bedroom

‘I chose dusty pink for the walls and paired it with a forest green bed, then added fun details.’

Son's room

'I loved Farrow & Ball’s Oval Room Blue, but it was too heavy for all the walls, so we used it in wide horizontal stripes, balanced with white to keep it looking fresh. The result is a fun, cheerful space our son absolutely loves.'

FOCUS ON… Lighting

Your choice of lighting can completely change how you use the kitchen. Get the balance right, like Rebecca has done, for a multi-layered look

• AMBIENT LIGHTING This is your main source of light that sets the overall brightness and tone of the room. It can come from ceiling pendants, track lighting or flush-mounted fixtures. Choose dimmable lights to provide flexible yet effective even coverage.
• TASK LIGHTING Essential for food prep and daily chores, it ensures work areas are safe and functional. LED strips under wall units, spotlights over the hob, or adjustable wall lights all provide focused light in key places.
• ACCENT LIGHTING Adds atmosphere by highlighting features like shelving, splashbacks or alcoves, instantly elevating the mood. Wall lights, LED strip lighting, table lamps and toe-kick lighting at the base of cabinets are all great ways to introduce this layer.
• DECORATIVE LIGHTING Pendants over an island or dining table help add character, define zones and create a strong visual focal point. Whether your style is classic, vintage, industrial or sculptural, the right fitting will introduce a soft focused layer of light.
• NATURAL LIGHT Completely lifts the mood of a space. Skylights, floor-toceiling doors and picture windows all help make a kitchen feel brighter and airier – even on gloomy days.

Molly Mae has taken to Instagram to reveal she has a Christmas tree in her bedroom this year, and I think it makes a strong case for introducing festive decor to every room of your home.

For many of us, our Christmas decorating ideas stay within the heart of the home: the living room, dining room and sometimes the kitchen, but taking to Instagram, Molly Mae has shown that she’s also extended her decor to the bedroom, with twinkling red and white christmas trees.

While we know and love the influencer for her minimal, stripped-back style, her festive decor has got me pondering the opposite. Is more better at Christmas? Should our celebration of Christmas be visible in every room of the house?

This December, Molly posted on her home’s Instagram, @mollymaison, her beautifully classic Christmas decor. She's embraced the Ralph Lauren Christmas trend, opting for lots of red ribbons, green foliage and some adorable gingham stockings.

However, it wasn’t her execution of the year’s biggest Christmas trend that caught my eye; it was the second post on her Instagram carousel, which showed us she had a full-size Christmas tree, decked out with ribbons, baubles and bells in her bedroom

While many of us won’t be blessed with the space to stuff a full-size best artificial Christmas tree into our bedrooms, I do think her decor shows there is a case to be made for adding some festive magic to other areas of the home, whether that be a small table top tree on a dresser or even a few ornaments propped on a bedside table.

‘Christmas is such a special time of the year, and welcoming a festive touch to each room will uplift the whole house. A subtle burst of Christmas to each space can be very impactful, keeping a festive flow from room to room,’ Natalie Evans, founder and CEO of home styling and staging company Little Barn Door, agrees.

‘A tree in your bedroom can bring magic and joy into your grown-up room. From being able to relax in bed to the twinkling lights or just being reminded of the spirit of Christmas when you wake up, having a Christmas tree in your bedroom is a beautiful addition in the festive season.’

A Christmas tree in your bedroom can make the space feel even more cosy, while festive decor spread throughout your home can create a cohesive and comforting atmosphere.

‘I’m a big believer that Christmas shouldn’t be confined to just one or two 'show' spaces,’ says Lisa Henby, interior designer and founder of Lisa Hensby Design & Build.

‘When festive touches are layered gently throughout the home, it creates an immersive, comforting experience. That doesn’t mean every room needs to be heavily decorated, but even subtle nods to the season help the whole house feel cohesive and considered.’

How to get the look

‘The key is restraint,’ says Lisa. Bedrooms should still feel restful, so I’d always lean into a soft, tonal palette rather than anything too bold or shiny. Neutral baubles, warm metallics, subtle textures and warm white lights work beautifully.

‘In Molly Mae’s bedroom, the colour palette is spot on. Those soft whites and gentle metallics echo the finishes, which means the tree feels like a natural extension of the room rather than an add-on.’

We’ve always rated Molly’s style as minimalist due to her masterful styling of neutral tones (just look at her coffee set-up, for example). And her bedroom Christmas tree works so well because it complements the room’s existing layout. It blends in perfectly, making the Christmas decorations look like they’re meant to be there.

‘When decorating a bedroom for Christmas, it is essential to take into consideration the reason for the space: rest and sleep. Whilst favoured Christmas colour schemes may be rich and bold, the impact of these on your sleep and mood will greatly fight against your desire for rest,’ Natalie adds.

‘A seasonal red is psychologically proven to enhance stimulation and alertness in the mind, making it very hard to shut off and relax. Careful consideration of the festive styling in your bedroom is key; keep it light, minimal and neutral.

‘Molly Mae's subtly decorated tree is the perfect example of how Christmas can be brought into the bedroom. The light neutral decorations and soft glow of light feel comforting, calming and warm.’

Honestly, I’ve never really thought about including festive decor in my bedroom, but Molly has me feeling seriously inspired. Even if the smallest changes, such as a room spray or Christmas tree ornament can make a difference.

I’m all for a handy houseplant hack, but do Christmas cacti like sugar water? Really?

If you want your Christmas cactus to bloom for a long time, you’ll want to steer clear of this one. Feeding the plant sugar water can play host to a number of Christmas cactus problems, and it can even ruin the festive blooms altogether.

Here’s why Christmas cacti absolutely don’t like sugar water – and what to feed them instead, if you want plenty of blooms over the next month or two.

Do Christmas cacti like sugar water?

Sugar water is sometimes recommended as a quick hack for encouraging more Christmas cactus blooms. It might be an expert-approved ingredient in butterfly food, but for Christmas cacti, it’s another story – and actually, feeding your plant sugar water can do more harm than good.

‘It’s not recommended to use sugar water on Christmas cacti, as it can stop the plant from absorbing important nutrients,’ warns Asta Foufas, floristry lead at ethical flower retailer Arena Flowers.

It’s all down to the moisture balance in the soil, which sugar water can very quickly disrupt.

‘Sugar changes the way water moves through the soil, making it harder for the roots to take up what they need,’ explains Jo Lambell, founder of houseplant retailer Beards & Daisies.

Sugar water can also draw moisture out of the plant’s root cells, Jo adds, leading to limp pads and fewer buds. The last thing you want is to be googling how to perk up a droopy Christmas cactus at this time of the year, so it's best to put this questionable Christmas cactus care tip to bed.

Beyond the impact on the plant itself, sugar water can attract a host of other problems.

‘Sugar water is not good for Christmas cacti as it can cause mould or attract pests,’ says Andy Little, houseplant buyer at British Garden Centres.

Plus, there’s just no substantial benefit to feeding your Christmas cactus sugar water in the first place.

‘Christmas cacti can’t use sugar in a way that meaningfully supports growth or flowering,’ says Jo.

A Christmas cactus is one of the longest-flowering Christmas houseplants, but using sugar water can forfeit the blooms.

If you know how often to water a Christmas cactus, and keep it in a spot with a consistent temperature, that’s a good start – but if you’re keen to promote even more blooms, it’s wise to get your hands on a good fertiliser…

The best fertiliser for a Christmas cactus

Now that we’ve established that Christmas cacti don’t like sugar water, we can look for a fertiliser that actually will give the blooms a boost.

‘Use a balanced fertiliser made for houseplants or cacti during the growing season,’ says Andy from British Garden Centres. Westland Cacti & Succulent Feed Concentrate, £2.59, is Amazon's choice for cacti fertilisers.

So, which ingredients should we be looking for?

‘Go for a balanced, water-soluble houseplant fertiliser,’ advises Jo from Beards & Daisies. ‘Something gentle and even, such as a 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 formula, works well.

‘Look for magnesium, iron and manganese on the label; these help maintain healthy colour and steady growth.’

Baby Bio Houseplant Feed, which you can grab for just £1.99 at Amazon, is a balanced, highly-rated fertiliser.

It’s important to know when to stop feeding indoor plants before winter arrives, and the same goes for Christmas cacti.

‘Feed lightly,’ says Jo. ‘Dilute to half strength and use every two to four weeks from spring to late summer, then pause feeding in early autumn to help with bud formation.’

Jo even recommends orchid feed as a good alternative, thanks to its low, steady nutrient levels, which are perfect for a Christmas cactus’s sensitive roots. Westland Orchid Feed Concentrate, £2.59 at Amazon, is a good choice.

Avoid giving your Christmas cactus sugar water and stick to a balanced houseplant feed, and your plant will stand the best chance of flowering success.

Can you believe that Christmas is next week already?! I’m still in denial to be honest. And while I would like to think we all have all of our Christmas decor sorted, I know that’s not the case.

So if you don’t, there’s no need to feel bad as you’re not alone. And if you still have yet to inject some festive cheer into your entrance area, I know just the thing – a gingerbread house Christmas doormat which I’m seeing everywhere at the moment, and most of which can still be with you in time for the big day.

Last Christmas, gingerbread house doormats were a popular DIY Christmas decor idea that was all over Instagram and TikTok, with tutorials on how to turn plain doormats into a gingerbread house design (like the one below from @bekmarsden). But this festive season, you don’t have to do that as many brands jumped on the trend and now sell gingerbread doormats ready-made for as little as £4 from Lakeland (among others).

I think gingerbread-themed designs are one of the biggest (and certainly the most delicious-looking) Christmas decor trends of this year that’s largely flown under the radar – nobody’s really been talking about it. Yet Next’s gingerbread Christmas tree skirt sold out almost instantly after dropping online and the likes of Pottery Barn’s Christmas collection are filled with gingerbread-looking tableware.

So if you still need to get your doormat for this festive season or you don’t like the look of the one you currently have and want to replace it - as in the case of one member of the Ideal Home team - this is your chance, probably the last one if you want to make it for Christmas.

My top gingerbread house doormat picks

Needless to say, it’s down to the wire. So if you see a doormat you like, don’t delay placing your order. As it might be too little too late if you do.

The biggest compliment anyone can give me is telling me how great my home smells. I put a lot of time and effort into scenting my home, I have diffusers dotted around strategically and a candle burning in the hallway to deliver that initial burst of welcoming scent. But it's one thing to create a first impression; it's another thing to keep a guest room smelling incredible for a couple of nights.

This Christmas and New Year, I have my in-laws coming to stay n my guest room, so I've been refining my methods to identify the four things that will ensure their room space smells amazing over the festive period.

I've discovered that you can easily make a guest room smell nice without candles, and there are more effective alternatives that can be layered together to create a deliciously scented space. So I'm letting you in on my tried-and-tested method, along with some extra gems of advice from a home scenting expert on tricks to impress your guests.

1. Scent booster beads

Before actively adding scent into the guest room, I always start by making sure the key element of the room - the bedding - smells great. This is something people with great-smelling guest rooms always do; they start by airing out the room and ensuring the bedding smells clean and fresh.

'Creating a beautifully scented guest room begins with subtlety. The goal is a delicate, welcoming background note, not an overwhelming aroma,' says Jane Helliwell, founder of the Scent Styling Co.

While clean bedding alone will do the trick, I like to introduce a touch of scent by throwing some Lenor unstoppable scent boosters (available on Amazon) into the wash. The Fresh scent unstoppables are my favourites with their light citrusy scent, which is perfect for layering with other festive scents.

I also try to dry the sheets quickly on the best heated clothes airer to avoid any damp, musty smells.

2. A reed diffuser

When it comes to injecting a base scent into the room, I always turn to a reed diffuser over a scented candle. While the idea of welcoming guests with a warm, flickering, festive candle might sound dreamy, in reality, it just isn't practical.

'While festive candles are beautiful, for a guest room, we often recommend opting for a reed diffuser,' Jane Helliwell agrees. 'A reed diffuser offers a continuous, low-maintenance scent throw without the worry of an open flame.'

When choosing a scent, opt for something festive but calming, like The White Company's Fir tree diffuser. You can pick up the whole home scenting set for £65. 'For the festive season, guests appreciate scents that evoke warmth, comfort, and nostalgia, but try to move beyond the ubiquitous cinnamon and gingerbread,' recommends Jane.

'We love using sophisticated blends such as Fir Needle, Cedarwood, and Mandarin, which offer the traditional feeling of a Christmas tree and winter citrus without being overly sweet.'

3. Room spray

Right before guests arrive, I always dial up the scent wow-factor with a few spritzes of room spray. I then leave the room spray in the guest room so that whoever is staying can spritz away to adjust the level of fragrance to their preference.

I usually try to match my room spray to the diffuser, so I opt for The White Company Fir Tree room spray. However, you can try a mix-and-match approach and layer a different festive room spray over your base diffuser scent to create your own unique fragrance.

4. Pillow mist

The final element of my guest room scenting process is leaving a pillow mist on the bedside table for guests to use. I use the This Works deep sleep pillow spray (available on Amazon) on my own bed, and always keep a second bottle on hand for guests.

It is a calming blend of lavender, chamomile and vetiver, and claims to have been proven to help you fall asleep faster and wake feeling more refreshed. This is my small gesture to allow guests to transform the feel of their room as night approaches, and help them get as good a night's sleep as possible.

The scenting kit

I've found the mix of nailing the perfect background scent, and then providing my guests with the ability to dial the fragrance up or down never fails to illicit complements.

Fixing the wreath on the front door is the perfect festive finishing touch. And while there are some fabulous ready-made Christmas wreaths to buy in the shops right now, there’s nothing more satisfying than putting together your own creation with berries and greenery foraged from outdoors. For a bit of a festive twist this year, I tried my hand at putting together a ‘living’ wreath for the front door, and I’m super-pleased with how it’s turned out.

As the name suggests, a ‘living’ wreath is made using living plants like succulents, ivy, winter bulbs or smaller cold-loving flowering plants, set on a moss or wire frame. Unlike a traditional wreath decorated with dried foliage, using mini living plants in small pockets of compost should keep greenery looking fresh and the flowers in bloom for a longer period.

Choose a selection of plants for your living wreath, depending on the look you want to create. A Christmas wreath idea decorated entirely with mini succulents in various shapes and sizes can look striking, or go for a wreath with a culinary twist, using a selection of fragrant potted herbs. For mine, I've opted for festive colour with cheery mini cyclamens in pink and white, with trailing ivy to add lush greenery.

What you'll need

• a wire wreath ring, like this 12-inch wire ring wreath frame, £6.46 for two, Amazon
• selection of small flowering plants - I've gone for a cyclamen garden plant mix, £8.99 for three, B&Q; and trailing variegated ivy plants, £7.99 for five, Gardening Express
• length of hessian or linen - try this hessian fabric bolt, £6.45, Amazon
• scissors
• wire cutters - these precision sharp clippers, £7.99, Amazon get great reviews
• garden twine
• florist's wire - these pre-cut florist wire stems, £4.89, Amazon, are easy to work with
• ribbon to hang (optional) - I like these green shades of organza ribbon, £13.99 at Amazon

1. Make fabric pockets for the plants

To make your wreath look super-festive, opt for colourful winter flowering plants that bloom at Christmas, such as cyclamen and winter pansies. Start by cutting squares of fabric, which will be used to create mini bags to hold your plants. Use loosely woven fabric like hessian or linen, anything that you might have a few leftover pieces of. I used old dust sheets that were in the garden shed.

Then grab a plant, brush off some of the excess soil from around it and place your plant centrally on a square of fabric. Gather the fabric up around the plant to create a mini bag and tie the top of it with string to secure.

Do this with just a couple of your plants to start with, so you can work out how many you need and then add more as you go along.

2. Position your first plant in the wire ring

For how to make your Christmas wreath, start by taking one of your bagged-up plants and position it on the wire ring, pushing it inbetweeen the inner and outer ring so that it is held snugly in place between the two. If you are struggling, you might need to cut away some of the wire. Just use a pair of wire snips to carefully do this.

Once your first couple of plants are in place, trim away any excess fabric around the top of the bags and arrange the foliage so that the bags are concealed.

3. Add more plants around the ring

Then simply continue adding more plants into the ring and working your way around it. My aim was to create a cluster of colourful pink and white cyclamen to cover roughly one third of the wire ring, with festive evergreen plants like trailing ivy to cover the rest of it.

An alternative option would be to position cyclamen and ivy alternately all the way around, or mix it up with other small plants like winter pansies and violas. It’s a good idea to play around with different plants before you start, to give you a rough idea of the look you want to create.

4. Add trailing greenery

Once happy with the position of the cyclamen or flowering plants, add pockets of ivy until you are happy with the composition and coverage. Tease out strands of ivy if you can so that they trail down and cover any wire or fabric.

Keep standing back and looking at the wreath as you go, so that you can see if there are any areas that are looking a little sparse.

5. Use moss for extra coverage

Bear in mind that using lots of plants will make the finished wreath quite weighty. I decided to add a plainish area of sphagnum moss that is super-light, attaching it to the wire ring using green florist’s wire.

6. Finish with a fabric bow

For a pretty finishing touch, I decided to add an on-trend Christmas bow, tying a length of fabric ribbon around the moss section of the wreath and leaving long tails of ribbon to trail down. This selection of pretty green shades of organza ribbon, £13.99 at Amazon will look perfect.

7. Hang your wreath on the door

Once everything is in place and you are happy with the plants and greenery, then all that is needed is to hang your wreath on the door. When it comes to how to hang a wreath on the front door, I'm a big fan of sturdy metal over-the-door wreath hangers that are suitable for wreaths large or small, but you could also try Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight's wreath hanging trick.

Keep your wreath hydrated by spritzing it with water regularly, gently spritzing the flowers and greenery at the front and then also spritzing the linen pockets on the back of the wreath to keep the soil moist.

I'm so happy with the finished result that I intend to make something similar come springtime with spring-flowering plants and then maybe do the same for summer and autumn too.

Shop for wreath hangers

Are there any DIY Christmas wreath ideas that you've gone for this year? Let me know.

Who doesn’t love a traditional festive paper chain?! It’s a piece of festive childhood nostalgia, taking us back to our younger years when we used to craft these easy Christmas decorations. But there is a new take on the nostalgic look that’s currently trending on Instagram and TikTok, using velvet ribbon instead of paper for the ‘paper’ chain.

This simple and easy swap of material takes this DIY Christmas decor idea from school crafts and turns it into an elevated and sophisticated piece of grown-up festive decor instead. ‘You get the handmade charm of primary school Christmas crafts, but velvet instantly drags it into grown-up territory and makes it feel intentional rather than last-minute,’ says Sam Sutherland, Flitch interior stylist. ‘It also photographs far better.’

I first came across this budget Christmas decorating idea on social media via content creators like Melissa Ritchie (@its.melissa.ritchie on TikTok and Instagram) and a few others who have embraced this look this festive season.

Melissa’s even filmed and posted a tutorial (below) showing how to make one of these chains. She also shares some top tips, including her advice to use a 2.5 centimetre-wide ribbon (or ribbons as she’s gone for a multi-coloured style), cut into 16 centimetre-long strips, and using ribbons in seven different colourways.

What you’ll need

When choosing the shades of your ribbon, stick to your existing Christmas colour scheme and tones that go well with your home’s existing colour palette.

‘Deep shades work best, think dark red, forest green, inky navy or chocolate brown. Mixing two closely related colours looks far more elevated,’ Sam at Flitch recommends.

And once you’ve created your chain, you can decorate anything from the staircase (like Melissa has done) to your fireplace mantelpiece. ‘Drape them loosely along a mantel, stair rail or bookshelf rather than forcing them onto the tree where they can look fussy. Paired with foliage, paper stars or simple white lights, they read festive but calm,’ Sam says.

Melissa’s attached her velvet ribbon chain to the staircase bannister with pieces of thinner satin ribbon, which is another trick you can borrow from her. Alternatively, you can also opt for the ribbon used to create the chain itself.

Is this an insider tip for creating a fabulous Christmas you’re looking to recreate? I'm sure tempted to!

As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, you might think my house is kitted out with the best sleep setup going.

However, despite testing the best mattresses on the market for a living, the one thing I definitely haven't given enough attention to is the sleeping arrangements in my guest bedroom.

In my small home, that extra bedroom has to perform a lot of uses, from storage space to laundry drying area, and it also houses a single bed equipped with a mattress that has been passed from one relative to another as various family members moved house or downsized.

Most of the time, that bed has clean laundry piled on it waiting to be folded, so it doesn't really matter that the mattress has seen better days, but Christmas is coming, and overnight guests are on the horizon. This is what I'll be doing to make my guest bed more comfortable and improve my visitors' sleep.

1. Adding a mattress topper

Now, the main reason I haven't replaced this guest room mattress is that it's still in pretty good nick. It might be ten (possibly even fifteen!) years old now, but although experts say you should replace a mattress every seven years or so, because it doesn't get used much, it doesn't feel like it's quite reached the stage where I need to get rid of it.

However, it's a pocket spring mattress, and when you lie on it, a few springs are now slightly more prominent than they used to be.

Luckily, this can be easily solved with a mattress topper. The best mattress toppers can cost anywhere from £30 to £300, but I'll be opting for a relatively budget-friendly solution via the Panda Topper.

This is a 5cm deep memory foam topper that adds a decent layer of cushioning to a bed – certainly enough to mask those springs. And although I often find memory foam can trap the heat, this option features cooling micro gel capsules, which combat heat retention.

The bonus is I can also use this topper over my air bed when I go camping in the summer, so it will serve two purposes, which (to my mind, at least) makes it a better investment.

If I had a bigger budget, I'd opt for the all-natural Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper. That's a wool-filled topper that adds cushioning and even better temperature regulation, but for now, the Panda Topper is more in line with my bank balance – especially pre-Christmas!

2. Using an adjustable pillow

I'll also be letting my guests borrow my Simba Hybrid pillow for their stay. This is an adjustable pillow whereby you can add or remove memory foam 'nanocubes' from its interior to make the pillow the exact right height for your sleeping style.

This pillow isn't cheap, but it has been a big hit with my guests in the past, so if you regularly host, I think it's well worth the investment. After all, in my opinion, there's nothing worse than having to sleep on an unfamiliar pillow when you go stay somewhere overnight, and waking up with a cricked neck doesn't put anyone in a good mood.

Whether they're a side, back, or front sleeper, my guests can make this pillow the right fit for them, which hopefully means a better night's sleep.

3. Dressing the bed with festive bedding

And lastly, although I will definitely need to declutter my guest bedroom before anyone arrives, I'll be aiming to distract them from any remaining items I have to keep stored in their bedroom by dressing the bed in some festive bedding.

I actually don't usually like Christmas bedding, but this Habitat Robin Foliage Neutral Bedding Set is only £20 for a single, and I couldn't resist it. Plus, I think its design is more 'winter' than 'Santa', so I'll be able to keep it on the bed for longer than just the month of Christmas.

Hopefully, it will get my guests in the mood for the festivities, although I've also rounded up a few other options that have caught my eye below.

Hopefully, all these amendments will ensure a successful hosting season and mean my past-its-best mattress gets full marks from my visitors.

And if all else fails, I'll just have to make sure their Baileys servings are especially generous so they're less likely to notice a few lumpy mattress springs!

If you’re gearing up to be the hostess with the mostest this festive period, you’ve probably got a to-do list as long as your arm. So, I hope you’ll forgive me for adding more cleaning tasks to that list. But I have no doubts that you (and your guests) will thank me for it, as the things you’re forgetting to clean could make your house STINK.

Yes, there’s a high chance that you’ve already deep-cleaned your appliances before Christmas and have plans to tackle the bigger cleaning jobs that are impossible to ignore in the run-up to the big day. However, I’ve recently learned that we’re all noseblind to our own homes, which means that we don’t actually know what our house smells like - even when it smells awful.

In many cases, using candles and air fresheners won’t combat these bad odours either. That’s because these lingering smells are always caused by something, including dirty, germ-filled areas and items in your home that you’re not cleaning as much as you should. This even includes your Christmas tree.

1. Your fridge

It’s always worth cleaning a fridge in the run-up to Christmas, as it’s one of the best ways to take stock of what you have, remove anything that’s out of date or won’t be eaten, and free up space for festive foods. But it’s also worth ticking this task off your to-do list to prevent any nose-wrinkling odours.

That’s why Lynsey Crombie (AKA @lynsey_queenofclean), ITV This Morning's resident home expert, suggests focusing your attention on the drain hole and the shelves. She advises, ‘Remove drawers and wash in hot, soapy water and wipe the interior with white vinegar and warm water. Then, clean the drain hole using a cotton bud dipped in vinegar.’ You could even use a specific tool, like this Fridge Drain Hole Cleaning Tool, £6.99 at Amazon, to get the job done.

But cleaning a fridge alone won’t stop certain pongs. After all, there’s a high chance that you’re going to fill your fridge with foods that already have strong smells over the festive period - like cheeses and meats. Thankfully, there is something you can do about that.

Lynsey says, ‘Store strong cheeses in double-sealed containers, and pop an open jar of bicarbonate of soda inside to absorb odours. You could even store lemon peels or a vanilla pod in a small open dish for subtle freshness.’ And my advice would be to use something like this Medium Fridge Storage Box, £10.99 at M&S.

2. Your under-the-stairs cupboard

Let’s be honest; nobody likes the smell of cheesy shoes or musty coats. So, you should definitely add cleaning the under-the-stairs cupboard to your to-do list before the big day if you’re hosting this year - and if you’re not hosting, too!

Katie Jones, Founder of UK home fragrance brand Hunter and Walker, says, ‘One place people often forget about lingering smells is the under-stairs cupboard. Guests open the door to hang their coats, and the first thing that hits them is the smell of gym trainers or old boots. Store stinky shoes well out of the way and give the floor a good vacuum.’

You can use one of the best vacuum cleaners to do this, and you might want to take a moment to declutter your under-the-stairs cupboard as well, so you’re not holding onto anything you don’t need (or anything that could be adding horrible odours to your home).

Then, Katie suggests, ‘Use a gel pot air freshener for a lasting scent or a room spray for a quick last-minute spritz. Choose a fragrance with sharp citrus notes like lemongrass or grapefruit to cut through stale odours and give your cupboard an instant refresh.’ Something like this Glade Fragranced Gel Air Freshener, £2.30 at Amazon, would be ideal.

3. Your bins

You probably keep on top of emptying your bins regularly, but smelly bins aren’t always the result of the festive food you throw in your bin bags temporarily. Oftentimes, it’s also caused by more permanent aspects of the bin, like the bin lids, rims and foot pedals that aren’t cleaned nearly as much as they should be - especially over Christmas.

Lynsey says that guests will wrinkle their noses when they smell the ‘sweet-sour leftovers, even when the bin is empty,’ which is why it’s well worth adding a bin cleaning session to your to-do list before and during the Christmas period.

She says, ‘Wash the entire bin weekly with hot water and disinfectant, and wipe the lid and pedal daily during hosting season. Then, sprinkle bicarb or scented bin powder at the bottom, and use citrus-scented bin liners.’ This will not only combat odours, but also add new, fresh fragrances to your home at the same time.

These things don’t cost a lot, either. This Bin Buddy Fresh Pink Grapefruit 450g, Bin Deodoriser Powder (£4 at Amazon) comes very highly reviewed, and can be used in both indoor and outdoor bins.

4. Your extractor fan

It’s a no-brainer that you should clean an oven before Christmas (and you should make sure to clean this often-forgotten area of your oven, too). But if you want to ensure your guests don’t have to put up with awful smells in your home this hosting season, you should be cleaning your extractor fan, too.

Katie explains, ‘Festive cooking odours can cling to the kitchen for hours, especially if the extractor fan hasn't been cleaned for a while. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and get the filter grease-free before the big day so it’s working properly.’

This doesn’t have to be a mammoth, time-intensive cleaning task, though. You can easily clean an extractor fan with soda crystals, and many of the filters are often dishwasher-safe. If you don’t have a dishwasher, you can simply soak in washing-up liquid and warm water. Doing this will prevent any horrible odours over Christmas, but Katie says you should also take extra steps to keep your home smelling amazing this festive season.

She says, ‘Cleanse the kitchen air after cooking by opening the window for five minutes, then use a scented candle or wax melt to reset the room without overpowering it. A scent like spiced orange works brilliantly this time of year. It has enough zestiness to cut through lingering smells, and the spices make it feel seasonal and warm.'

5. Your Christmas tree

If you’ve opted for a real Christmas tree over one of the best artificial Christmas trees this year, you’ll know that they require a fair bit of maintenance. But one thing you might not realise is that Christmas trees can stink up your house if you don’t keep on top of cleaning them. However, it’s not the tree itself that needs cleaning. Instead, it’s the water.

Lynsey explains, ‘Real tree water isn’t changed often enough, and warm rooms turn it swampy fast. Guests will smell a faint but mouldy, pond-like smell, especially near radiators or if the tree is standing on under-floor heating.’

In fact, underfloor heating is your real Christmas tree’s sworn enemy. As well as wafting a disgusting smell around the house, it can also drastically reduce the lifespan of your Christmas tree, which means it probably won’t look its best when the big day comes around.

That’s why Lynsey suggests, ‘Empty and refill water every 2–3 days and rinse the stand weekly. Add one teaspoon of sugar and one capful of white vinegar to keep the water fresher for longer, and keep the tree away from heat sources.’ You can use a heat mat like this Silicone Microwave Mat, £7.99 at Amazon, to do that.

6. Your cloths and tea towels

Although we all try to keep housework to a minimum when our guests are in the house, you often can’t avoid the mountain of washing-up and the gravy spills that need to be tackled during the festivities. But some things you’re forgetting to clean that’ll make your house stink this Christmas are your used cloths and tea towels.

Lynsey says we should be cleaning them way more than we do, and that ‘festive cooking = damp cloths hanging too long.’ In fact, she says that they’re some of the worst (and stinkiest) offenders over Christmas, as the musty, sour scent near the sink is subtle enough to be ignored when you’re noseblind in your own home, but noticeable enough for your guests to smell.

To combat this, she advises, ‘Change tea towels daily during hosting and microwave damp sponges for 60 seconds to kill bacteria. Then, wash cloths at 60°C with a splash of vinegar and dry fully - no draping over taps!’

Because of this, it might be worth stocking up on some extras so you won’t be without them this Christmas. This Set of 4 Cotton Rich Basket Weave Tea Towels, £8 at M&S, and these Marigold Let it Shine 4pk - Extra Thick Microfibre Cloths, £5.69 at Amazon, should tide you over.

Odour-busting Christmas essentials

The TV chef and his wife, Sarah ‘Sas’ Burns, alternate Christmases between their homes in Padstow, Cornwall, and Sydney, Australia

IN THE HOT SEAT

• Traditional or modern decs? Traditional.
• Tree: real or artificial? Real tree in the UK, artificial in Oz.
• Themed tree decs or a mixture? A mixture.
• Presents – do you treat yourself? No. I love to treat others and Sas is super-generous.
• Stockings – yes or no? Yes, containing satsumas, nuts and chocolate money. Extravagantly, my wife has introduced pillowcases!

Pinterest’s yearly trend-predicting report, Pinterest Predicts, has tipped ‘Opera Aesthetic’ as one of the biggest ‘celebration’ trends for 2026. But I’m already seeing this trend being embraced this festive and hosting season – and experts agree that Opera Aesthetic is perfect for Christmas (and pre-Christmas) gatherings.

As the name suggests, Opera Aesthetic references nights at the opera and the elements and textures associated with it, which is why it translates so well as a Christmas decor trend.

I’ve seen it all over social media, from content creator Marco Zamora (@want.zamora on Instagram), who should be the poster child for this aesthetic, to Roti Brown (@rotiibrown on Instagram) and her burgundy Christmas tree decorated with tonal amaranthus and other florals. And it's also the look from the Pinterest Predicts 2026 report that the team brought to life last week at the Pinterest Predicts dinner celebrating the release of the trend report, which I attended.

‘Inspired by the elegance of historic opera houses and the romance of vintage theatre design, the Opera Aesthetic swaps simplicity for spectacle,’ says Sydney Stanback, global head of trends and insights at Pinterest. ‘Think velvet drapes, rich colour tones, sculptural silhouettes, metallic finishes and candlelit corners – all ideal for cosy, festive celebrations.’

Pinterest reports that this trend was based on the sudden rise in searches for terms like ‘opera theatre’ (increasing by 35% compared to last year), ‘midnight masquerade’ (which rose by 95%) and ‘masquerade decor’ (with a 40% increase). Sydney adds, ‘Even though we’ve identified it as a key 2026 trend in our Pinterest Predicts report, it’s already gaining real momentum this festive season. People are craving joy, ambience and a touch of escapism, and this romantic, dramatic style feels perfectly at home.’

And this is how to embrace the opulent look this festive season, whether that’s through your tablescape or home decor.

Top picks

How to incorporate the Opera Aesthetic trend

This is a home decor trend that you can really get creative with and use your imagination for. But the starting references are all about the right Christmas colour schemes and the right textures, along with a few extra elements that are easily associated with the opera.

‘Think rich visual storytelling, drama, elegance, and escapism – sumptuous velvets, sparkling chandeliers, decadent metallics, and a colour palette that feels both opulent and welcoming,’ explains Lucy Mather, interiors expert at homeware brand Arighi Bianchi. ‘Embrace the trend through texture and tone for Christmas decor. Start with a rich, jewel-toned base – burgundy, emerald, plum, sapphire or teal – and layer up with tactile accents like velvet ribbons or bows and antique gold ornaments.’

Don’t forget about a dramatic table centrepiece or the right cosy lighting. ‘The emphasis is on glamour, warmth, and atmosphere. Serve up an opera-inspired vibe with standout statement pieces like an oversized sculptural candelabra or even a dramatic floral arrangement – Pinterest highlights red roses in particular – to pull the whole scheme together. Soft, ambient lighting is key, whether that’s clusters of glowing candles or warm fairy lights woven into garlands.’

Sydney at Pinterest concludes with a few more Christmas decor ideas and ways to dress the table to embrace the Opera Aesthetic trend. ‘In the dining room, set the scene with a dramatically draped tablecloth, tapered candles, cut glass and ornate napkin rings. Then finish with vintage-style treasures – from gilt frames to antique-inspired candlesticks – to add character and make everything feel thoughtfully curated.’

And if this still isn’t enough inspiration for you, you can also check out the Pinterest board dedicated to the Opera Aesthetic trend.

I genuinely think there is no better style to embrace this festive season than the Opera Aesthetic – do you agree?

If you’re looking for a festive houseplant that flowers for a really long time – I’m talking most of the winter, and sometimes even longer – you’ll want one particular succulent on your radar: the Christmas cactus.

Sure, lots of the best Christmas houseplants are renowned for their long flowering period – but once you know how to look after a Christmas cactus properly, the blooms can last for months.

To find out more and how you can maximise your Christmas cactus’s flowering potential, I spoke to the experts.

According to plant experts, Christmas cacti are among the longest-flowering Christmas houseplants, and they're an easy-care choice for beginners, too.

‘The Christmas cactus is one of the most reliable for longevity, often producing waves of blooms for several weeks,’ says Jo Lambell, founder of Beards & Daisies.

With the right care, Christmas cacti can flower from late November to late January – and if you’re really good at looking after them, and nip any Christmas cactus problems in the bud, the blooms can last even longer.

Jo says consistency is key to keeping a Christmas cactus blooming for as long as possible.

‘Steady, light, gentle watering, and avoiding temperature shocks are the simplest ways to keep blooms going through December,’ she says.

‘If the soil ever feels heavy, pause watering for a few days – it usually protects the next round of flower buds.’

Besides knowing how often you should water a Christmas cactus, you’ll also need to make sure it isn’t being affected by central heating, and keep it away from any radiators or draughty spots. A plant humidifier, which you can buy from Amazon for £13.99, can help to keep humidity levels up.

‘Good light, the right amount of water, and some humidity are what the cactus really needs to stay healthy and bloom well indoors during the heating season,’ agrees Andy Little, houseplant buyer at British Garden Centres.

Christmas cactus essentials

What about poinsettias?

Many people assume that poinsettias are the longest-flowering Christmas houseplants, and while that’s true, it isn’t for the reason most of us believe.

That’s because the red ‘flowers’ the plants are famous for aren’t actually flowers at all – they’re bracts, which are a kind of modified leaf. Poinsettias do have flowers, though – they’re the tiny yellow-green blooms that sit in the middle of the bracts, and they're easily mistaken for pistils.

Although the bracts aren’t true flowers, they can last a really long time – months, if you care for your poinsettia properly – and if you know what to do with a poinsettia after Christmas, it could even bloom again next year.

There are plenty of other expert-approved festive houseplants that flower for a long time, too – but the Christmas cactus is a brilliant choice for beginners.

After seeing Richard E. Grant’s beautifully decorated home for Christmas, I’m convinced that no one loves the festive season as much as he does.

It’s a bold claim, I’m aware, but Richard’s Christmas decor feels like an explosion of festive cheer to the point where it’s almost an assault on the senses. I’m not sure if I adore his Christmas decorating ideas or if I hate them.

But while his decor may not be everyone’s taste, or be the epitome of the year’s Christmas trends, you can’t deny that the actor’s home doesn’t put a big smile on your face - and that’s what Christmas is all about, right?

Richard is known for his bold, eclectic style. It was only last summer when he drenched his snug in hot pink (he used Little Greene’s ‘Leather’ to be precise). It’s safe to say that fans were obsessed (and so were we) with the result. Richard is a master at filling a space with personality and charm, and his Christmas decor is no exception.

‘I love his decorations. I think they’re going to be the type of style that people with either love or hate because it does go against all of the norms of what we’re told over Christmas – we’re told to declutter our house, make space for Christmas to come in, but it feels like he’s just gone ‘do you know what, I’m not going to make space for Christmas to come in, I’m going to bring Christmas into my life,’ comments Natalie Evans, founder and CEO of home styling and staging company Little Barn Door.

‘He’s had so many incredible experiences and treasures from travel and work, so rather than pack everything away, he’s celebrated it, put everything out with a Santa hat on top of it. It feels really charming, almost a museum-esque feel to it. Is it going to be to everyone's taste? Absolutely not, but does it show that he is very comfortable, happy, content in life and proud of all his treasures – absolutely! If I had half the experiences that he had, I’d be wanting to show them off.’

‘I’d say Richard is actually bang on trend. This year, we’ve seen a broad swing toward maximalist, vintage-influenced decorating, and I think that reflects a collective desire for escapism, fun and nostalgia,’ says Whinnie Williams, interior designer and Trends Forecaster for Balsam Hill.

‘People are ready to embrace a Christmas that feels more chaotic, more emotional, more expressive than the stripped-back minimalism that has ruled in past seasons. Richard’s home embodies that shift beautifully. It feels joyfully individual, lived-in, and loved-in.’

Not only does Richard’s decor look incredibly personal, but his Instagram post itself is a homage to the memory of his late wife. It's a perfect example of a shift we've seen this year in people using Christmas as a time to celebrate cherished memories and family.

How to get the look

The best way to nail Richard’s style is to embrace maximalism and forget everything you know about pretty, colour-coordinated minimalism.

‘To recreate Richard’s aesthetic, you need to embrace a more-is-more mindset. Mix novelty ornaments with vintage baubles, add pieces with theatrical flair, and don’t be afraid to work in handmade decorations that carry meaning,’ says Whinnie.

‘For a tree that looks like it’s just stepped out of a magazine shoot, it’s all about the layering. Tuck your bigger baubles deeper into the branches to create a sense of depth, then build outwards with smaller pieces to fill in the gaps. It makes everything feel more dimensional.

‘However, the biggest piece of advice when creating a look like Richard’s is don’t just hang baubles wherever they land and definitely don’t let matchy-matchy decorations sit next to each other. The trick is to keep the eye moving; mix textures, tones, and finishes so the tree feels layered and full of character.’

Shop the style

‘We’re seeing a lot of retailers be quite playful with decorations this year, especially John Lewis,’ says Natalie.

‘We’re not going for a tonal Christmas anymore. We’re really encouraging bold kinds of fuchsia, teal and blue, along with reds and colours you wouldn’t normally put together. He’s very much done that, it’s a real eclectic whimsical mix. I think it has a real charm to it.’

Christmas decorations are close to selling out at many retailers, but here are some that are still in stock and will help you achieve Richard E. Grant’s look.

Personally, I love this decor more. It’s bold, expressive and unique. What we like about Richard’s eclectic style is that he doesn’t follow the crowd. And this is why his Christmas decor will be a showstopper for years to come.

Like many others, my family members and I are at points in our lives where we simply buy what we want, when we want, throughout the year. And while we’re very fortunate that we get to do this, it does make Christmas gifting difficult, as we end up buying each other things we don’t need that clutter up our homes. Now, we’re putting a stop to that.

Yep, my role as Ideal Home’s expert in all things storage and organisation seems to have rubbed off on my family this year, as we’ve all vowed to ditch the impractical, clutter-inducing Christmas gifts for items we’re confident the other person will actually use. And in many instances, we’ve tried to buy gifts that will actively combat this clutter.

As I know that we’re not alone in wanting to keep our homes as streamlined as possible, I thought I’d share the gifts that I’m picking up this year for my loved ones. And I’m confident that all of these items will elevate their daily routines without adding unnecessary clutter.

Say no to clutter this Christmas!

An unusual Christmas decoration organising hack is doing the rounds on social media, and it’s safe to say we’re obsessed with the idea here at Ideal Home HQ. If you’re looking for a creative new way to store Christmas lights, then all you need for this hack is a bottle of prosecco…

While it may not be the proper way to store Christmas decorations, this boozy hack consists of wrapping your festive lights around a bottle of prosecco, so you can have a celebratory drink as you put up your decorations the following year.

Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, I asked the experts to find out whether this is a clever storage idea we can all get on board with.

How the hack works

Honestly, when I saw this hack, I was a little annoyed at myself that I hadn’t thought of this idea before. Having now spotted dozens of videos across TikTok and Instagram, they all follow a similar theme. Fairy lights are carefully wound around the neck of their favourite prosecco (I like Della Vite Prosecco, £25 at John Lewis), before the bottle is carefully stored ready for next year.

A few videos also show cash being carefully slotted into the wires, too, so that the household can get a takeaway the following year, too.

‘This is a great storage hack on multiple levels! Not only does it keep your fairy lights nice and tidy, ready to simply unwind and use come the festive season, but it also allows you to store your lights with minimal fuss,’ comments Greg Carlisle, Managing Director at The Sliding Door Wardrobe Company.

‘The bottle stops your fairy lights from becoming the sprawling mess we all struggle to untangle year after year, thereby actually minimising the amount of space needed to store them. A nice bottle of Prosecco will slide nicely into any attic space, into the bottom of a wardrobe or will even sit in the back of your drinks cabinet without looking out of place.’

It’s a great way to store decorations without a box, and you get a little reward at the end of it. Of course, if you don’t drink alcohol, a bottle of Nozeco can work just as well. Or, if prosecco isn’t your tipple of choice, this hack also lends itself well to any wine or spirit bottle.

‘If you have more than one string of lights, you can even try colour coding your bottles to match your colour scheme! Festive red lights? Wrap them around a red wine bottle. Classic white lights can go around a white wine bottle, while fun multi-coloured lights can match up with a bottle of Bucks Fizz,’ suggests Greg.

However, as is the risk with dealing with any glass, there is the chance you could accidentally smash the bottle, which could damage your Christmas lights permanently. If this is a risk you want to avoid, pop your takeaway cash in an envelope that can go in with these Christmas lights storage solutions. Prosecco can be picked up nearer the time…

I love a prosecco, especially when celebrating, and this storage hack not only keeps your lights safely stored for next Christmas, but helps kick off the start of the festivities in style. I will certainly be trying it for next year.

For Clare and Gary Waghorn, Christmas will feel very different this year at their family home – a five-bedroom detached house in Surrey. ‘We moved in at the beginning of November last year,’ says Clare, ‘and it felt like Christmas arrived very quickly. I’m definitely looking forward to making the most of the season this year.’ And they certainly have with this year's Christmas decorations.

Clare and Gary’s home, which they share with their two children, is a very unique place: the couple designed and built it themselves, using a closed-panel timber system from the Czech Republic. Of course, it helped that Gary co-owns a construction company and knew the MD of the UK division of the build company, while Clare has a great eye for design, having studied for a diploma in interior design.

‘This was the first opportunity for me to do everything from the ground up, though,’ says Clare, ‘deciding on every single detail, from skirting boards to window latches, lighting to cabinetry.’ But before Clare could work on the details, she needed to put her trust in Gary’s vision.

The couple had long dreamed of designing a new-build home where they could use their skills to create something really special, but the plot – a former commercial site tucked between houses and at the rear of a car park – was far from special.

‘I’ll be honest, my first impression wasn’t great,’ says Clare, ‘but I believed in Gary’s vision for this completely dilapidated site. And the location was just too good to pass up.’

So in 2022, the couple bought the land, which had planning for a four-bedroom contemporary home. ‘We felt the design could be improved,’ says Clare, ‘so we spent time refining the plans before resubmitting, and ultimately gaining approval. It was also essential to us that our future home would be fully powered by renewable energy, so we incorporated solar panels and an air-source heat pump.’

The build started in January 2024, and thanks to the system they were using, there was a house with a roof standing within five days! ‘It was amazing to see it go up,’ remembers Clare, ‘and to be able to walk around its shell with the children on day two of the build was so exciting.’

The family could see their must-haves – a playroom, a study, a utility room and a luxury main bedroom with en suite – start to take shape. ‘And due to the nature of the build, we were able to make changes once the structure was up,’ says Clare.

The couple stole space from the bathroom to increase the main bedroom and decided to convert the loft into a guest bedroom and upstairs playroom for Ophelia and Hugo, turning the planned one downstairs into a snug.

When it came to the interior, Clare took the lead, designing the bespoke kitchen, drenching the study walls in green and incorporating hidden storage.

‘Our home has been a springboard for my interior design career,’ says Clare. ‘I absolutely loved every moment of the design process and am very proud of the home we have created. It was important for the space to be warm and inviting, while enduring and functional, too. The final result gave me the confidence to launch my own company – Amanda John Design.’

Living area

‘We have an open-plan kitchen-diner/living area, which gets its own tree at Christmas,’ says Clare. She’s echoed the room’s calm colour palette and metallic accents in the cream, gold and silver baubles.

Style tip: Go large with an organza bow on top of your Christmas tree to soften its branches, while visually framing its shape. Drape the tails down over the wrapped presents.

Kitchen

‘It was important that the spaces flowed naturally and for each detail to feel intentional,’ says Clare.

Style tip: Clare chose practical LVT flooring throughout the downstairs, picking a lovely herringbone design with just the right amount of distressed timber effect to balance her calm style.

Dining area

‘The dining table looks out onto the garden, which needed lots of hard landscaping due to the nature of the plot. We mixed fencing with cream rendered walls to hold back the dirt,’ says Clare.

‘This space is made for entertaining – and not just at Christmas,’ says Clare, who’s used colours from the artwork to inspire her Christmas tablescape.

Style tip: Echo metallic highlights used throughout a room – such as wall lights, furniture and any picture frames – in your table decorations, bouncing the shimmer around your table, too.

Snug

'This is my favourite room in the house,’ says Clare, ‘thanks to the colour, the panelled TV wall and the indulgent upholstery.’

'The snug is a lovely place to sit and relax in at the end of the day.'

Style tip: Go for a slimline tree in a second living room, which can tuck neatly into the corner. Clare’s is flocked and pre-lit, which make it appear fuller than it is.

Study

‘I drenched the study – which Gary and I share – in green, including the ceiling,’ says Clare.

Hallway

‘We designed the staircase ourselves using StairBox,’ says Clare.

Main bedroom

‘A luxurious bedroom with en suite was on my list of non-negotiables,’ says Clare.

'Looking out of our bedroom windows, it’s hard to remember how bad the plot was when we first viewed it.'

Style tip: Dress your headboard with a simple faux fir garland and use smaller arrangements of foliage, bows and baubles to bring a touch of Christmas magic to bedside tables.

Guest room

'We converted the loft into a spare bedroom and playroom for Ophelia and Hugo,’ says Clare, ‘giving us two extra rooms.’

Bathroom

‘The family bathroom combines elegance with practicality, with marble-effect tiles across the walls and floor and a free-standing bath,’ says Clare.

Now that the family are fully settled in their home, they are looking forward to enjoying a more relaxed Christmas together this year. ‘It’s amazing to see the house sparkle with Christmas magic,’ says Clare, as she brings in fresh foliage, baubles, bows and two Christmas trees – ‘Well, why not,’ she laughs!

Beautiful, festive and invaluable to wildlife, Christmas plants with berries have so many benefits in a winter garden.

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your front porch with Christmas plants that produce berries or you’re on the hunt for the berry-bearing shrubs for wildlife that boost your garden's Christmas aesthetic, too, fruiting plants are among the most festive and beautiful at this time of the year.

So, I thought I’d round up a list of the best Christmas plants with berries that guarantee beautiful displays over the holidays.

1. Mahonia

Gardening expert and author Sarah Raven is a keen advocate for adding bird-feeding plants to your garden, and mahonia is one of the very best Christmas plants with berries for both birds and winter colour.

‘The fern-like foliage of Mahonia ‘Volcano’ creates a lovely year-round interest,’ says Sarah. ‘It’s low-maintenance and provides vital food for birds at the toughest time of year.’

Mahonia is one of the best outdoor Christmas plants in general, in my opinion, and varieties like ‘Winter Sun’ flower over the festive period, too.

Where to buy mahonia:

• Thompson & Morgan: Mahonia x media 'Winter Sun', from £12.99, is one of the most popular Christmas varieties.
• Gardening Express: Buy Mahonia eurybracteata 'Meteor' in bud and bloom for £12.99.

2. Beautyberries

Beautyberries, also known as callicarpa berries, really do live up to their name: the purple berries are beautiful, and although they appear in autumn, they often stick around well into the winter months.

For the best displays, it’s worth planting beautyberries alongside other cold-loving plants.

‘By combining evergreen plants like conifers, magnolia, eucalyptus, boxwood, holly, and ivy with vibrant accents like pyracantha or callicarpa berries and colourful dogwood stems, you can create impressive winter container displays,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres.

Where to buy beautyberries:

• Crocus: Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii 'Profusion' produces vivid violet berries in the autumn which last over Christmas on most plants.
• Gardening Express: Callicarpa 'Pearl Glam' is another beautiful variety.

3. Skimmia

Skimmia is one of the best evergreen plants for garden borders thanks to its reliable glossy foliage, but its berries make it a showstopping Christmas plant, too.

‘If you want to add some visual interest to your winter garden and provide food for wildlife, consider incorporating plants with colourful berries,’ says Emma Fell, head of horticulture at Hillier Garden Centres. ‘For year-round evergreen elegance, you can't go wrong with skimmia.’

You’ll need to grow a male plant beside a female plant (which produces the berries) for the best displays.

Where to buy skimmia:

• Crocus: Skimmia japonica 'Redruth', £29.99, is a popular female variety.
• B&Q: Skimmia 'Rubella', £10.49, is a male variety, so it doesn't produce berries, but it's an important companion for female plants.

4. Holly

Of course, holly had to make my list of the best Christmas plants with berries, but that doesn’t mean it’s overhyped – it's a festive garden stalwart, with perfectly Christmassy berries and foliage.

‘Holly with its small bright red berries is especially good for birds to grab some energy and go,’ says Rebecca Bevan, the National Trust’s senior national specialist in environmental horticulture, and author of The National Trust Book of Nature Friendly Gardening.

Where to buy holly:

• Thompson & Morgan: Holly 'Alaska', from £12.99, is a traditional variety.
• Gardening Express: This pair of holly trees with contemporary white planters is perfect for a front porch, and you can grab them for £39.99 right now.

5. Hawthorn

If you’re looking for plants that attract birds to your garden, hawthorn is another brilliant Christmas plant that produces berries in autumn, often retaining them well into the new year. The fruits are rich in antioxidants for birds, too.

‘Plants that produce berries, like hawthorn, are perfect for wildlife as they provide both food and shelter,’ says Chris Bonnett, gardening expert and founder of Gardening Express. ‘You can plant them now, as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged.’

Where to buy hawthorn:

• Thompson & Morgan: Buy as much or as little hawthorn hedging as you like, from 99p.
• B&Q: Order a 1-2ft bare-root hawthorn hedge for £20.99.

If you're looking to grow edible berries in your garden next year, there are plenty of unusual fruits you can grow here in the UK.

When Rachel bought her Victorian cottage in rural Leicestershire, despite the run-down state it was in, she could see its potential. Previously belonging to the Crown Estate, she shares her three-bed semi-detached home with her partner Peter and their two Dachshunds, Mabel and Matilda.

Rachel was drawn to the property’s original features and its sense of imperfection and with a top-to-bottom renovation on her hands, she set out to transform the space into the cosy cottage it is now, and the perfect backdrop for a country-style Christmas.

Here, Rachel talks us through her renovation story, as well as her design choices...

'Make the fireplace the focal point'

‘I discovered the cottage's story as I peeled back the layers. We opened this fireplace, adding reclaimed terracotta tiles and a new fire surround.'

'Embrace the quirks and character'

'The low doorway and step down from the second living room into the kitchen is just one of the many features that we have learned to live with; they are part of the cottage’s unique charm.’

'Ensure your kitchen still works well for everyday life'

‘The trickiest part of fitting our new kitchen cabinets was dealing with the cottage’s wonderfully wonky walls. I spent ages trying to get things perfectly level before realising the best approach was to settle somewhere between what looked right and what actually was.'

'To make the space work harder, we converted the old outhouse into a utility room and loo. That extra space has been invaluable, meaning the small kitchen doesn’t need to accommodate things like the washing machine, dog food bowls and all our food storage.’

'Natural wood runs throughout the cottage's interiors'

‘The original beams made me fall in love with our home, leading me to some of my favourite vintage buys such as the pine cupboard and farmhouse table in the kitchen. This space has seen many happy Christmas gatherings.'

'Make the most of all the tight corners and spaces'

'The landing has a surprisingly high ceiling, giving me the perfect opportunity to add a statement pendant, while the shelf is a simple way to bring interest to a tricky space. There’s even enough room here for a miniature Christmas tree.'

''Choose classic pieces instead of following passing trends'

'I like to work with the style and character of the cottage, selecting vintage furniture for a warm and textural look with an uncluttered feel. And for Christmas, I decorate each room, including the guest bedroom, with locally foraged greenery.'

'Layer tactile finds for a warm feel'

'For the guest bedroom, I kept the decor simple with plenty of throws and cushions to add a cosy, welcoming vibe. The stripped original pine door gives the space natural texture and character.'

'Use natural texture in every room'

'I found a rattan bed frame from Feather & Black for our main bedroom, and continued the theme with a woven pendant light and storage baskets.’

'Add charm to a practical bathroom'

'One of the best decisions we made was having a sliding barn door for the bathroom. It is perfect for saving space, such a simple idea and brings a lovely rustic feel. While I like to use salvage pieces wherever possible, we went for new traditional-style fittings for the bathroom.'

Follow Rachel’s cottage renovation @the_old_cottage

Even though it only comes around once a year, I can guarantee that many of us have a few too many Christmas decorations. But instead of disposing of them in your bin, you could take them to your local charity shop instead.

With the Christmas trends cycle evolving every year, it feels like there is always something new to buy, especially when it comes to your Christmas decorating ideas. With tinsel falling in and out of fashion, bows getting larger and larger, and of course, the millions of different baubles and ornaments to choose from, the style-obsessed may be decorating their tree differently every year.

Now, if you’ve ended up with too many decorations than you need, and are wondering ‘Do charity shops take christmas decorations’, the answer is yes. And if your decorations are in good condition, you absolutely should donate them to your local charity shop.

Do charity shops take christmas decorations

‘At British Heart Foundation, we love seeing festive treasures find new homes. If you have decorations that deserve a second chance to shine, we’d be thrilled and grateful to receive them. From baubles and garlands to twinkling Christmas lights, every item sold in our shops helps us fund our lifesaving research, keeping families together for Christmases to come,’ says Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director at British Heart Foundation.

‘Simply drop them into one of our 680 shops nationwide or download a freepost label from our website and send them to us. We accept festive donations and unwanted gifts all year round and if you’re considering donating to us, we kindly ask that items are in saleable condition,' she adds

Most charity shops will accept undamaged, saleable Christmas decorations; however, it's best to check with your local store that they’re accepting donations before you pop round.

‘Items that are broken or damaged - such as cracked baubles, tangled or faulty lights, decorations missing parts, or electrical items that may have been altered - unfortunately can’t be accepted. These can pose safety risks and often cost the charity to dispose of, so it’s much more helpful to recycle or responsibly dispose of them instead. If you’re ever unsure about an item, our retail teams in-store will be happy to advise,’ adds Ste Wiggins, Website Manager at The Air Ambulance Service.

When is the best time to donate Christmas decorations?

‘There are a couple of ideal times to donate decorations. After the holiday season, in January, many people prepare for the new year by clearing out, which makes it a good moment to donate. Another great time is in the autumn (from late September), when we begin preparing for the next Christmas, making sure festive decorations are available for early buyers,’ says Ste.

However, as Allison explains, some charity shops, like The British Heart Foundation, accept Christmas decorations all year round, so you should add your Christmas decorations to your decluttering checklist, or even have a clear-out when you put up your decorations or take them down.

If you aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to your Christmas decorations, some storage solutions will save you extra space.

Giving is the spirit of Christmas, so it makes perfect sense that we should donate decorations to charity shops. It’s eco-friendly and will bring a smile to another’s face for sure - what’s not to love?

The countdown is on to get your Christmas shopping done if you want it to arrive in time to be wrapped up and under the Christmas tree by 25th December. The last delivery date by first-class mail from the Royal Mail is 20th December. However, the last order day for Christmas delivery at most retailers, including John Lewis, is the 18th. That means you have less than a week to order those final gifts.

I’m about 70% done with my shopping, but I still have a small handful of friends and family to get presents for. I know first-hand that most last-minute gifts are usually a result of indecision and struggling to find the perfect gift for someone, especially if funds are on the tight side. If all you need is inspiration, you are bound to find something in the Ideal Home Editor-in-Chief’s Christmas gift guide.

However, if you’re in a pinch and are looking for crowd-pleasing homeware gifts that will arrive in time for Christmas Eve, I’ve rounded up my top 12 last-minute gift go-tos. Whether it is an olive oil dispenser (which our kitchen editor is buying for everyone on her list this year) or the bestselling cast iron pot from Habitat, these gifts are still designed to feel thoughtful and considered.

I’ve checked the last delivery date on each item, so as long as you order it by the 18th December, it should arrive on time.

If you're on the hunt for the best Christmas gifts for gardeners, you'll know already that finding the perfect present for someone who spends their days digging, planting, and pruning isn’t always easy.

Unlike casual hobbyists, serious gardeners have a keen eye for practicality, quality, and usefulness, not to mention an admirably keen intolerance for gimmicks. They know what works, what lasts, and what will truly make life in the garden easier, more efficient, or more enjoyable. They're fiendishly tricky to please, essentially.

That doesn't have to be the case, however, which is why we asked a handful of professional gardeners, designers, and experts to share the gifts they genuinely love to receive, as well as the ones they’d give to others. So, from clever garden tools to indulgent accessories, you don't have to buy lots of presents to dazzle someone. Just one of these nifty recommendations should do the trick...

Zoe Claymore, Garden Designer

For award-winning garden designer Zoe Claymore, the best Christmas gifts for gardeners are those that are both practical and time-saving.

It's for this reason that she loves the humble Dalefoot double-strength compost, £16.95 from Crocus, which she calls “black gold for the veg patch,” and Kilner jars (you can get a set of 4 on Amazon for £22.79) for preserving and pickling produce, both of which are small additions that make winter gardening tasks more rewarding.

For something a tad more indulgent, Zoe dreams of a robot lawnmower. With a lawn to maintain at her new home, the mower would free her from weekly mowing, giving her more time for creative projects.

Finally, but by no means least, Zoe points out that her garden guide consultation service, her how-to guides, and even The Hampton Collection raised beds make incredibly thoughtful gifts for gardeners looking to expand or improve their outdoor spaces. We're tempted to agree, if anyone fancies being our Secret Santa...

Kate Cotterill, CEO, She Grows Veg

Kate Cotterill’s go-to Christmas gifts for gardeners combine practicality with a bit of festive fun. To start with, there's the Hori Hori Pro, from £39, at Niwaki, aka her favourite gardening tool for working in the veg patch – or, if you want to get specific, it’s a multipurpose knife that makes planting, weeding, and dividing perennials far simpler.

She also recommends Grow Your Own Compostable Christmas Crackers from She Grows Veg, which are fully compostable, packed with seeds to grow next year’s vegetables, and even include a glut of cheery veg-themed jokes.

Functional and whimsical? We love how many sides to gardening there are.

Steven Bell, founder of Paving Shopper

Steven Bell, gardening enthusiast and founder of Paving Shopper firmly of the belief that the best Christmas gift for gardeners combines planning, durability, and (surprise twist!) indoor gardening support.

A dedicated, waterproof garden journal (like this one, £18 from Amazon) is invaluable for noting sowing dates, tracking successes and failures, and sketching out planting maps. Pairing it with waterproof markers, too, ensures it can survive wet hands and muddy soil.

He also champions eco-friendly labels, £17.99 at Amazon, pointing out that 'wooden, slate or copper tags last far longer, and are far more sustainable, than standard plastic markers'.

Finally, he recommends something like a sleek indoor grow light for those itchy gardeners who can't stop, won't stop planting during the dark winter months. It's a great way to keep herbs, seedlings, and houseplants thriving.

Morris Hankinson, founder of Hopes Grove Nurseries

Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries, points out that comfort and safety are key when selecting the best Christmas gifts for gardeners, especially for those working through the colder months.

As such, waterproof gardening trousers with knee pads (like this pair, £169 from Genus) eliminate the constant search for a cushion while kneeling, and heavy-duty thorn-proof gardening gloves keep hands safe during winter pruning.

If you’re really not sure what to buy, gift vouchers are always a winner, as they allow the gardener in your life to select exactly what they want and need.

'Let your gardening recipient choose their own gift rather than guessing what they might want. The National Garden Gift Card scheme is a good choice,' he says.

Christopher O’Donoghue, director of Gardens Revived

If you're looking for the best Christmas gifts for gardeners, Christopher O’Donoghue of Gardens Revived is here to reveal the cold hard truth: durable clothing and creature comforts are always where it's at.

He's the proud owner of the Ridgeline Monsoon Classic Men’s Waterproof Smock, £156.33 at Amazon, which he promises is light, practical, and built to withstand intense gardening sessions. 'It gets serious bonus points for its deep pockets,' he adds.

Christopher also swears by a sturdy thermos for hot tea while gardening. 'Every gardener worth their salt will tell you there's nothing better than a hot cup of tea when you're working,' he points out, noting that this Thermos Revival Flask, £30 at Amazon adds a touch of nostalgia, Famous Five-coded whimsy and comfort to long hours outdoors.

Finally, but by no means least, he concedes that he never goes anywhere without his trusty black baseball cap, even if it's falling apart at the seams. 'It's my friend in all weathers, and keeps my wife from telling me off on those days I forget my suncream,' he says.

Monty Don, gardening legend

Even the most hands-on gardeners need a bit of pampering. As Monty Don noted in his Daily Mail column, even the most hands-on gardeners need a bit of pampering, recommending a good hand cream for cracked springtime hands, particularly Badger Balm, £8.12 at Amazon or O’Keeffe’s Working Hands, £9.32.

'It would be disingenuous of me not to recommend a book that combines wonderful pictures with lots of fascinating inspiration all set in the most beautiful city in the world: Venetian Gardens, £29.72 at Amazon, with photographs by Derry Moore and text by a certain Monty Don,' he adds cheekily.

So, there we have it; the very best Christmas gifts for gardeners, as chosen by the pros themselves. Which will you be asking Santa for, we wonder...?

Stacey Solomon has revealed that her children have their own Christmas tree to decorate, and experts are saying that this is a practice we should all consider adopting, allowing kids the freedom to express themselves.

For many, some of the happiest festive memories come from decorating the tree. From handmade baubles unevenly spaced on the branches of our artificial Christmas tree to putting a wobbling, wonky angel on the top, it's memories like these that can make decorating continue to feel so special as an adult.

Now, experts are recommending you allow your children’s Christmas decorating ideas to go one step further, by gifting them a tree of their own to decorate, as Stacey has. Here’s why.

Why you should let children have their own Christmas tree

This week, Stacey Solomon posted an Instagram story showing her kids decorating their own tree. While Stacey’s story showed her kids decorating a full-size Christmas tree, it’s fair to say that the majority of us will not have this kind of space. So, what we recommend is giving your children a tabletop tree (like this £4 tabletop tree from Argos) as a budget and space-friendly alternative.

‘I’m a huge fan of children having their own Christmas tree,' says Whinnie Williams, interior designer and Trends Forecaster for Balsam Hill. 'There’s something incredibly special about giving kids a space to make their own, where they can take charge of the decorating.'

'A smaller tree is ideal so tiny arms can reach the branches. If you’ve got the room, a Baby Nordmann works beautifully, or create a winter wonderland with a Frosted Alpine Fir. For smaller spaces, a little tabletop tree is perfect.'

‘It’s a wonderful chance for children to express themselves. A dedicated tree means they can decorate with the things they love, whether that’s glittery tinsel, felt animals, or decorations they’ve made themselves at school.

‘I love having a Christmas ‘crafternoon’ with my daughter, baking gingerbread decorations, painting baubles, or making paper chains together. It might be messy, but the results look absolutely magical on her own little tree.’

Lisa Henby, interior designer and founder of Lisa Hensby Design & Build agrees, reflecting on how her children enjoy and appreciate having their own tree.

‘As a mum of three, I’m a big fan of giving children their own Christmas tree to decorate. We usually pop a smaller tree in the playroom, and that’s their zone to go completely wild with handmade decorations, clashing colours, all the glitter! It gives them a real sense of ownership and makes the build-up to Christmas even more magical,’ she says.

‘It also means I can keep the main tree in the living room a bit more ‘pulled together’ design-wise. My top tip is to give kids a big box of shatterproof baubles and ribbons, pop on some Christmas music and let them take the lead – you’ll make the best memories.’

Are there any downsides?

The biggest cons of giving your children a Christmas tree to decorate are that they can be impractical and take up too much space, or they pose a safety hazard.

‘Make sure the decorations on children’s trees are safe,’ says Whinnie. ‘Steer clear of glass ornaments or anything fragile. You’ll also want to avoid anything small enough to be a choking hazard or with sharp edges. And always maintain adult supervision of children around their Christmas tree.’

A small table-top Christmas tree is great for letting children express themselves creatively, while allowing them to follow your own design ideas and Christmas trends when it comes to your main tree and decorations. Here are a few decorations to get you started.

My biggest childhood memory from Christmas comes from decorating the tree, and I’d have relished the opportunity to get my hands on my own mini tree to decorate. So, I’m thinking now is a good time to take a leaf out of Stacey’s book…

If you’ve been wondering how to put up Christmas lights without marking your windows, wonder no more, as I have an insider trick to share with you. Instead of sticky tape, a suction cup can hang your twinkling lights invisibly, leaving no marks behind - and you can pick up a pack of 30 for less than £7.99 on Amazon.

Your Christmas decorating ideas are seldom complete without your favourite Christmas lights. Whether you use them to frame your windowsills or around a doorway, one thing we all want to avoid is the marks left behind by sticky tape.

If you want to take the best Christmas lights to the next level, using suction cups or command clips to fix them to windows or a wall is a great way to achieve a professional look.

The Mini Christmas Light Suction Cups (£7.99 at Amazon) are designed to fix straight onto your window via suction. The front of the cup has a clear slit in the centre, so it can hold the wire of your fairy lights. These handy cups are clear, making them almost invisible when fixed to a window, meaning your lighting will have a magical, free-standing look.

These suction cups are designed for use on ceramic, window, mirror, glass, metal, or fibreglass surfaces; however, you should clean and dry the area first before installing. Reviews praise these cups for being surprisingly strong and perfect for fixing your lighting ideas to your windows.

However, if you’re planning on fixing your Christmas lights to the walls or other non-slick or smooth surfaces, these suction cups are not always the best fit, so you should try the Command Clips for Hanging Christmas Decorations and Fairy Lights (£3.96 at Amazon) which promise damage-free hanging whilst using an adhesive to fix the hooks to the wall, for extra security.

Like the suction cups, these Command Clips also have a transparent design, which makes them perfect for hanging Christmas lights or small decorations. Once the time comes to take down your decorations, these clips leave behind no sticky adhesive, preventing damage to your walls and making them renter-friendly, too.

‘I used these Command Mini Decorating Clips to hang cluster lights around my front door, and they worked way better than I expected. The clips are tiny and practically invisible once the lights are up, which keeps everything looking clean and intentional. The adhesive strips stuck firmly to my painted doorframe even in colder weather, and none of the clips slipped or popped off while I was arranging the lights,’ said one review.

‘What I love most is the damage-free removal, no peeling paint, no sticky residue, just a clean surface afterwards. The pack comes with plenty of clips and extra strips, so I had enough to space the lights exactly how I wanted. If you’re decorating with lightweight string or cluster lights, these are a super easy, reliable solution. Would definitely buy again.’

If you want your festive lights to look sleek and professional, clear suction cups or command clips are one of the best ways to hang Christmas lights. You don’t have to worry about damage or seeing pieces of unsightly tape, making this a winning solution in our books.

The Christmas tree and fairy lights have added plenty of sparkle inside the house, but when it comes to the front of the house, there’s nothing like a festive hanging basket to add an extra splash of colour and make things look super Christmassy.

Rather than buying a pricey ready-made planter, I’m all for grabbing some festive greenery and putting together my own. By choosing the right combination of cold-loving plants and winter flowers, it's hard to go wrong. And when it comes to any garden container idea, I’m a big fan of the 'thriller, filler, spiller' technique, which pretty much guarantees perfect planters every time.

‘A successful winter basket is all about balance,’ says Mark Sage, Head of Horticulture at B&Q. ‘Consider a centrepiece ‘thriller’ plant for height, something that will provide foliage colour all year round such as a conifer or cordyline, then add in a few ‘fillers’ planted in threes for flower or foliage colour, such as outdoor cyclamen, silverleaf, ornamental cabbage, primroses, or pansies. And then finish things off by adding one or two trailing plants or ‘spillers’, like trailing ivy or sedums, to soften the edges of the basket.’

1. Choose a selection of cold-loving plants

When it comes to choosing a good combination of plants for a hanging basket, it’s much like choosing plants for a spring or summertime basket in terms of the shapes and sizes. The big difference is that you’ll need to choose cold-hardy plants for winter gardening that can cope with frosts and freezing weather.

Following the ‘thriller, filler, spiller rule’, I always make sure I have at least one taller upright plant or evergreen as the ‘thriller’ centrepiece of the basket. Then as my ‘filler’ plants, I’ll go for winter-flowering cyclamen, pansies or violas, alongside a few bushier berry-bearing plants, then finishing off with some smaller trailing ivys as the ‘spillers’.

It’s also worth remembering that plants grow very little over winter, so I always make sure to choose good-sized plants to start with and in sufficient numbers to make an impact as they’re unlikely to get much bigger.

2. Prep your hanging basket

When it comes to how to plant a hanging basket, to make things easier, rest your basket on a pot or bucket so it doesn’t wobble around as you fill it. Make sure to pierce holes in the plastic liner to provide drainage. In winter, especially, it’s important that water can drain out as it can easily turn into a block of ice when it’s freezing, which will kill off the plants. Winter hanging baskets don’t dry out as quickly as summer hanging baskets, so they won’t require watering as much over winter.

Half-fill your basket with compost before you start putting in your plants. ‘Use a moisture-retentive compost like Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Peat-free Compost, £8.50, B&Q, and don’t forget to mix in a slow-release granular feed,’ advises Mark. ‘It gives the plants the steady nutrition they need over a long season when we’re not feeding regularly.’

3. Add height with a centrepiece plant

To give a hanging basket extra height, starting with a taller plant that will be the centrepiece or ‘thriller’ element of your arrangement is always a good idea. I’ve gone for a cheery skimmia rubella plant, £10.49, B&Q, that has bushy foliage plus pretty red flower buds.

‘In terms of making a hanging basket feel seasonal or for Christmas hanging basket ideas - a sprig of pine or some berried skimmia instantly gives a festive look,’ says Mark.

I’ve positioned the skimmia centrally in the basket, so it looks good from every angle, as baskets can often rotate a bit when they’re hanging. It’s worth thinking about what angle your container is to be viewed at when positioning plants, with a wall-hung basket, positioning the thriller at the back might be better.

Shop my 'thriller' plant picks

4. Fill up with colourful bedding plants

Once the largest plant is in, you can then start adding in the bushier bedding plants and winter-flowerers to fill out the basket, positioning them around the centrepiece plant.

I’ve gone for pretty cyclamen, £8.99 for three, B&Q and white mini violas, to add colour and contrast. The flowers can be pinched back as they fade so they’ll hopefully continue to flower all winter long.

When it comes to ‘filler’ plants for a hanging basket, go for mid-height, mounded plants with smaller leaves and flowers that will create fullness and add mass to the container. Plant fillers in groups of three, five, or more (rather than in even numbers) to give a more natural, random effect.

Shop my 'filler' plant picks

5. Add trailing plants to soften the edges

To complete the arrangement, adding in a few plants that trail over the edges of the container is the perfect finishing touch. Trailing plants or ‘spillers’ help to soften the edges and add contrast and movement and can be popped in gaps between your filler plants.

I’ve gone for small variegated ivy plants, that I picked up on offer at £10 for four, B&Q. They are inexpensive and hardy and can be replanted if you make up new container arrangements for your front garden come spring or summer.

Shop my 'spiller' plant picks

6. Finish off with a few festive touches

Once everything has been planted up and you’re happy with the arrangement, then your basket is ready to hang. Choose a spot that is sheltered from the wind and rain if you can and hang your basket on a sturdy hook or bracket.

To make it look extra festive over the holiday season, adding in a few sparkly Christmas decorations or sprigs of holly and berries can be a fun touch. Or why not weave a set of micro lights into the foliage to add some sparkle after dark as a fab garden lighting idea.

‘Check the compost regularly - even in winter, baskets dry out quicker than you’d think,’ advises Mark. ‘If the top feels dry, give it a thorough drink. Deadheading pansies and primroses makes a real difference too; it encourages fresh flowers and keeps the basket looking tidy. And after a heavy frost, don’t panic - most winter bedding will bounce back once the day warms up.’

Will you be making up a festive hanging basket for your front garden? What are your favourite winter plant varieties... let us know.

When I say my garden kneeler transformed the way I garden, I’m not joking: it made gardening so comfortable, I’m not sure how I ever worked outside without one.

The Wrendale Designs ‘Daisy Chain’ Garden Kneeler, £26.87 from Amazon, is the one I’m talking about, specifically. I’ve been a fan of Wrendale’s products for years, so I had to try out some of their garden accessories, too – and the garden kneelers include the most adorable designs, making them the perfect gift for gardeners and a must-have accessory for a stylish garden.

Here’s what I loved about the Wrendale Designs 'Daisy Chain' Garden Kneeler – and why I think you should gift one to a green-fingered loved one (or yourself!) this Christmas.

Wrendale Designs’ garden kneeler is durable, waterproof and beautifully designed. I have the Wrendale Designs ‘Daisy Chain’ Garden Kneeler, which features three rabbits munching on some daisies on one side, and a row of five sparrows sitting on a branch on the other (which Wrendale affectionately name the ‘Chirpy Chaps’).

I love Wrendale’s portfolio of designs, and as a fan of both rabbits and sparrows, I swiped this one off the rack as soon as I saw it. It certainly beats using an old pillow in the garden instead (although that does work as a temporary measure!).

There’s also a Wrendale Designs ‘Love and Hedgehugs’ Garden Kneeler, which features a lovely drawing of hedgehogs on one side and a bird and a bee on the other. Or, you could go for the Wrendale Designs ‘The Flower Pot’ Garden Kneeler, with an illustration of a rabbit in a plant pot on one side, and a bee flying over a hydrangea on the reverse. They're all beautiful!

The 'Daisy Chain' design is set against a duck egg blue background, made from coated cotton which can easily be wiped clean once you’ve finished gardening. It’s really tough, too – I haven’t managed to puncture mine yet, and I’ve used it for a good few years (although it is for your knees, not the pointy end of your secateurs – so I wouldn’t recommend putting it to the test for fun!)

The pad inside is made of thick foam, which provides complete, comfortable protection for your knees when you’re gardening. I often use it as a cushion when I’m sitting on the ground, removing weeds from my patio, too.

There’s also a really convenient handle on one end of the kneeler, so you can hang it in the shed when you’re not using it. It’s beige, which I think sets off the blue kneeling pad nicely, and it’s a brilliant way to spruce up the inside of a garden shed.

Amazon buyers agree that this kneeling pad is well worth buying (it’s got a whopping 4.7 stars!), with one reviewer mentioning it ‘Makes gardening a lot more pleasurable and comfortable,’ and another saying it’s ‘Great quality, [a] sensible size and nice and thick with [a] wipeable cover’. Several reviewers say they bought it as a gift for a loved one, too.

Other garden kneelers

If you're still browsing for garden kneelers, here are some other bestsellers I've spotted.

Wrendale’s garden kneeler has become a real staple in my garden shed, and I’ve had it for four years now. It’s really stood the test of time – of course, with a few mud stains here and there (but that makes it all the more special, in my opinion) – and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a gift for a loved one this Christmas.

If you’re feeling stuck for tree decorating inspiration this festive season, cast your eyes over Ideal Home’s Editor-in-Chief, Heather Young, who is celebrating ‘Kitschmas’ this year as her foodie-themed gold Christmas tree embraces the ‘tacky Christmas’ trend we’re loving.

One thing I’ve noticed about Christmas decorations this year is that our favourite influencers and celebrities have all opted for bold and expressive styles, from Stacey Dooley’s flamboyant disco tree to her whimsical ghost tree. In short, nostalgia has been a key Christmas trend this year, and we’ve been reaping the rewards in the form of kitsch, maximalist styles.

Heather’s bold tree is another example that deserves a spot on your moodboard (not that we’re biased or anything!). Bright, fun and a joy to look at, this tree walks the line between glamour and chaos. And this is how you can get the look, too.

The tacky Christmas trend is way out of my usual decorating comfort zone. I love a trend, but I usually keep everything quite sophisticated,' says Heather Young, Ideal Home's Editor-in-Chief.

'It was the gold tree that sparked the look – it's the perfect vintage-style shade of gold, and I loved the idea of leaning into the kitsch vibe. I wanted to introduce a tree in my kitchen this year, and as I've been seeing food-related baubles absolutely everywhere this year, so I decided to roll with it and give my tree a foodie theme.

'My husband and teen twins weren't convinced at first, but I think I won them over once I added some more decorations. I'm still waiting for another delivery of food-related baubles (including a hotdog!), and I can imagine having fun adding new ones to my collection in years to come.'

If you’re wondering which best artificial Christmas tree Heather used, it is the John Lewis Pendleton Pre-lit Christmas Tree, 7ft (£200). Unfortunately, this tree has sold out online, but at the time of publishing, it is available in selected stores. So, if this tree has taken your fancy, you can check the stores still stocking it online.

It’s easy to see why this tree has been so popular. With soft twinkling lights and a subtle gold colourway, it actually looks quite stylish, whilst embracing the ‘Kitschmas’ trend. Alternatively, the Habitat 6ft Pre-lit Snowy Christmas Tree - Beige, looks fairly similar to the John Lewis tree and right now is reduced from £60 to £30 at Argos.

‘Gold trees are having their moment because they beautifully blend retro nostalgia with modern glamour,’ says Whinnie Williams, Designer and Trends Forecaster for Balsam Hill.

‘Metallic trees have mid-century roots, so they slot perfectly into the retro revival we’re seeing with Retromaxxing and kitsch decor. They’re also ideal for the transition into the New Year, when red and green give way to added sparkle.

‘And with one in five people now putting up three or more trees, gold doesn’t need to be your main showstopper; it can be a brilliant secondary or table top tree. Another showstopping way to embrace this look is through covering your tree in gold lametta. And you’d be right on trend as Gen Z has brought back kitsch-classic, tinsel, with 27% planning to use it this year.’

Another key part of Heather’s tree is the inclusion of the food-themed baubles. With just about every high street brand offering foodie baubles this year, it’s another huge trend that focuses on fun over chicness.

‘Food has become a big part of how we express our personality - from favourite snacks to coffee orders and viral recipes - so it makes sense that this is now appearing on the tree too. Tiny takeaway cartons, martini glasses, glitter-encrusted wedges of cheese and croissants all act as little in-jokes and talking points. They’re highly giftable, very shareable on social media and instantly make a tree feel personal,’ adds Annabelle Sacher, Retail Trends Lead at MediaVision.

How to get the look

While Heather admits her tree embraces the ‘tacky Christmas’ trend, it is still considered and put together. But don’t worry, it’s not too difficult to style kitsch decor into something that looks stylish, whilst retaining its playful elements.

‘The trick with kitsch is to embrace it wholeheartedly but style it with intention. Here’s how I recommend pulling the look together beautifully,’ begins Whinnie.

‘Lean into those retro colours. Think ’50s pastels of tutti-frutti blues, bubblegum pinks, mint greens, balanced with a more traditionally festive cherry red.

‘Mix your ornaments. Blend classic baubles with novelty charms, varying the textures and tones so nothing clusters too heavily in one spot.

‘Bring in paper decorations. Paper chains and garlands are a really easy way to bring colour and a kitsch festive feel to any space. Plus, they can also be easily recycled at the end of their use (if you’re not saving them for next year!).

‘Choose colourful lights. If you love kitsch, nothing beats the glow of multicoloured lights—pure nostalgic joy!’

Shop the look

After years of pared-back, beige, scandi-style trees, many people are craving colour, humour and a bit of chaos. Kitsch Christmas décor is the antidote to the perfectly curated neutral home. It’s joyful, nostalgic and deliberately over-the-top,’ concludes Annabelle. ‘In a year that has felt quite serious for many households, there’s real comfort in a Christmas scheme that doesn’t take itself too seriously.’

And this is what Christmas is really about. You want your decoration to feel fun and expressive, rather than perfect. So go on, get the gold tree…

Hands up if you've just unpacked your Christmas decorations and found yourself wincing at the tangle of baubles, crushed ornaments and half-forgotten bits you stuffed away in a hurry last January.

If this is you, you'll know how annoying slapdash storage can be. That's why Loose Women's Ruth Langsford said she's been 'coveting' this genius solution to the chaos in the form of the Balsam Hill Deluxe Rolling Bauble Chest, RRP £279. She finally treated herself to the premium storage trolley last year to keep every bauble and festive decor perfectly organised.

On her Instagram, Ruth shows how the chest unzips to reveal drawers, dividers and labelled sections that make decorating and packing up and storing decorations so much easier. And I need one immediately.

The structured trolley has customisable drawers that can be set up for glass baubles, long baubles, oversized ornaments and even sentimental pieces you want kept extra safe.

In her reel, she unzips the chest to reveal an impressively thought-out storage system with pull-out drawers, adjustable dividers and labelled sections for everything.

Instead of rummaging through mountains of boxes, newspaper and bubble wrap, Ruth now simply wheels out the trolley, opens a drawer and instantly sees her full festive collection, colour-coordinated, categorised by size and shape and most importantly, safely intact.

And then when Christmas is over, she can store her decorations properly for next year. At a time when most of us feel the post-festive comedown, having an organised way to pack up Christmas will surely soften the blow, making it feel easier and, dare I say it, more enjoyable.

Ruth admits it wasn't cheap, calling it 'a bit of an indulgence', but it makes her very happy. She believes this 'amazing bauble holder trolley' is worth the investment. And I tend to agree, as it will last for years and save countless headaches, making both decorating and packing away so much smoother.

Ruth also revealed that she's had her pre-lit Balsam Hill tree (similar to this Silverado Slim tree, from £239 for 5ft, during Balsam Hill's sale) for an impressive 15 years. Not only has it stood the test of time seriously well, but its slimline design means it's also a great choice for small spaces or rooms where you might want height and impact without a bulky base.

Ruth's chest is undeniably premium, even with the current discount of £60, but you don't need to splurge to get the same decoration organising satisfaction. Here are a few budget-friendly alternatives.

A little smart storage now means next year's decorating starts with excitement, not chaos. And Ruth's trolley setup shows what a difference it can make.

Will you be investing in this storage trolley?

Christmas bedding can be a divisive subject; some can't wait to get a festive duvet cover onto the bed as soon as the calendar hits December, and others, like me, tend to think of Christmas decor as being more of a 'downstairs-only' affair, best reserved for the living room, dining room, and hallway.

However, there is one high street store that's won over even this Scrooge's heart when it comes to festive bedding this year, and that's Habitat's Christmas Bedding collection.

As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I'm no stranger to where to buy the best bedding, and Habitat is always one of my favourite destinations for super affordable, stylish and on-trend duvet bedding sets.

In fact, I think the brand's Habitat x Morris & Co bedding collaboration was one of the highlights of the year in terms of combining style and value for money. So it's perhaps no surprise that the brand's Christmas bedding is also a winner, nor that it's selling out so fast.

The Robin Foliage Bedding Set in Green is already sold out at Habitat, and I imagine my favourite, the Robin Foliage Neutral Bedding Set, will be following close behind, especially with prices starting from just £20 for a single duvet cover and matching pillowcase.

If you want something a little less 'modern classic' and more 'festive fun', there's also the super colourful Habitat Candy Stripe Pink & Red Bedding Set that starts from just £16.

I think it's perfect for the festive season with a few extra Christmassy accents, but it's also versatile enough that you can use it throughout the rest of the year without it looking out of place: value for money in more ways than one.

Or, if, like me, you're not into OTT Christmas bedding, Habitat is also offering some brilliant subtle nods to the festive season.

This year, I've been converted to using fun, colourful, patterned fitted sheets underneath my normal bedding, and I think Habitat's Christmas-themed fitted sheets are the ideal way to add some festive flavour without having to swap all your bedding for Santa-themed designs.

Again, these stylish seasonal buys are selling out fast. The Candy Cane Print Fitted Sheets are already sold out, but you can still add my favourite, the holly and berry print Foliage Printed Cream Fitted Sheets, to your basket.

Plus, Habitat also has plenty more Christmassy accents you can use to add a touch of festive fun to your bedroom, from winter-themed accent cushions to super on-trend patchwork quilts, which add an understated, nostalgic vibe.

And best of all, there's currently 25% off selected Habitat festive decor right now – including Christmas bedding sets – if you add the code MERRY25 at checkout.

Shop alternatives

And of course, Habitat isn't the only place worth considering if you're looking for Christmas bedding this year.

Dunelm's Christmas bedding range is also extensive and very affordable. M&S' Christmas bedding is so under-the-radar that the brand isn't actually calling it Christmas bedding, but the winter collection still has plenty of brushed cotton checks and subtle nods to the season.

Next's festive bedding should be your go-to if you're looking for fluffy Christmas bedding – the White Christmas Robin Fleece Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set is a super cute design – and if you're looking for traditional Christmas bedding that can be used year after year then, although it's an investment, Pottery Barn's Christmas bedding collection has heirloom pieces you'll use year after year.

The Christmas cactus is one of the most popular festive houseplants, but despite its name, it’s particularly vulnerable to one silent killer at this time of the year: central heating.

Hot radiators and centrally heated rooms are the underlying causes of so many Christmas cactus problems – and thanks to the chillier weather outside, they're an even bigger issue right now. Luckily, though, the symptoms are pretty obvious.

Below, you’ll find out how central heating affects a Christmas cactus, the signs it’s struggling, and a few ways to keep your plant as healthy as possible over the winter months.

What you'll need

• A Christmas cactus plant, like this red-flowered Schlumbergera, £11.69 at Crocus
• A humidifier, like this plant humidifier, £13.99 at Amazon
• Or, a shallow tray like this £6 Verve tray from B&Q, filled with pebbles like these premium clay pebbles for plants, £6.99 at Amazon
• Houseplant feed, like the Westland Cacti and Succulent Feed Concentrate, £2.59 at Amazon

How can central heating affect a Christmas cactus?

I thought we’d start by looking at exactly how central heating can affect a Christmas cactus. If you’ve noticed the buds falling off your Christmas cactus, your indoor heating system could be to blame.

‘Central heating can dry out Christmas cacti and make them lose moisture fast,’ warns Andy Little, houseplant buyer at British Garden Centres. ‘This causes the leaves to go limp, shrivel, and sometimes turn brown or red. The flower buds may fall off before opening, too.’

So, besides colour changes and bud loss, a Christmas cactus will drop its leaves when it’s under stress from indoor heating. If you want your Christmas cactus to flower, it’s crucial that you keep it well away from hot radiators.

The plant’s surprising origins have a lot to do with its resistance to artificial heat.

‘Despite its name, Christmas cacti actually originate from tropical rainforests, so they tend to like a more humid environment,’ explains Asta Foufas, floristry lead at Arena Flowers. ‘This can be difficult to maintain in the average British home, especially in winter when we have the central heating and radiators blasting out heat and lowering humidity.’

Luckily, there are a few ways to protect your Christmas cactus from the worst effects of central heating…

How to protect a Christmas cactus from central heating

If you’re afraid that your Christmas cactus is at risk from central heating, the first thing you need to do is move it to a cooler spot. In fact, choosing the right place for your plant is one of the most important parts of caring for a Christmas cactus properly.

‘Move the cactus away from hot radiators and direct sunlight to a cooler spot with bright, indirect light,’ advises Andy from British Garden Centres.

Temperature consistency is key: most houseplants hate spots where it’s cold one moment and hot the next, so make sure your Christmas cactus is far away from heaters, radiators and draughty areas.

Asta already mentioned that Christmas cacti love a moist environment, so it’s worth looking at ways to boost humidity levels, too.

‘Misting plants in winter can also be beneficial, and you could also try placing your plant in a shallow tray of moist pebbles to increase the humidity in the surrounding air,’ Asta suggests. You can buy clay pebbles for plants from Amazon to line a shallow tray, or even buy a plant humidifier from Amazon.

It can be tempting to water your Christmas cactus more to compensate for the drier environment, but overwatering can actually do your plant more harm than good.

‘Watering too much to fix the dryness can harm the roots,’ warns Andy. ‘Water only when the soil on top feels dry, and make sure excess water drains away.’

If you’ve already overwatered your plant, it’s worth repotting the Christmas cactus with fresh, well-draining soil like the Westland Houseplant Potting Mix from Amazon.

Christmas cacti make some of the very best Christmas houseplants for vibrant blooms over the winter months. Keep them away from radiators and heaters, and water them properly, and you should see a colourful display every year.

The heritage Christmas look might be trending this year with the 'Ralph Lauren' Christmas trend and Morris & Co. pattern comeback. But it's one of those looks that, if you get it right, it will never go out of fashion.

A heritage Christmas is light on the glitter and heavy on the rich reds with a healthy dose of natural greenery thrown in. It is all about creating a snug, cocooning space. No glitz and glamour is needed for this look, just a real pine tree dressed in simple, hand-painted baubles. Throw in a couple of arts and Crafts-inspired linens, some cosy faux fur throws and a bough of pine tied up with ribbon, and you have the makings of a dreamy storybook Christmas.

To help you add this Christmas trend into your home in a way that won't date anytime soon, Charlotte Boyd, an interior writer and stylist with over 20 years of experience styling photo shoots and writing for interior magazines, has shared her top tips below for bringing this heritage festive look to life with a fresh edge.

Choose your palette

You can’t go wrong with the traditional winter favourite pairing of forest green and red to create a warm and inviting festive home. This year, to give the look a modern spin, choose pine greens with smoky blue undertones – perfect on woodwork and upholstery – and pair with pink-hued terracotta reds and soft creams.

Add natural greenery

Evergreen foliage has been used to decorate our homes for centuries and brings a wonderful, timeless, seasonal feel. Hang garlands from beams, drape over mantelpieces and wind up staircases. Decorate blank walls with lush wreaths and natural branches tied with pretty velvet ribbons.

Pick nostalgic patterns

Don’t hold back on the patterned papers and fabrics; layer up heritage prints that tell a story and add seasonal charm with furnishings and accessories. Dress guest beds with William Morris-inspired botanical prints and ground the scheme with wool cushions and plain velvets.

Keep it cosy

It may be dark and cold outside but the combination of a real fire, candles and twinkling fairy lights will help create a warm and snug atmosphere inside. Ditch the harsh overhead LEDs in the dining room in favour of a pair of vintage-style glass pendants and illuminate dark corners with pretty scalloped table lamps.

Tie a bow on it

Tie oversized, blowsy fabric bows to the backs of chairs and the branches of your tree. Choose vintage inspired florals in berry reds and pinks to contrast with the cool green and natural tones of the pine wreaths and garlands.

Get the look

When writing the tech page for Ideal Home each month, I research all the ways smart home gadgetry can make your life easier. As well as automating routines to make everyday tasks more convenient, introducing smart tech to your home can save you energy, meaning you save money on your utility bills, too.

In practising what I preach, I have a pretty extensive smart home setup, and at this time of year, it's working overtime.

My smart thermostat is keeping tabs on my heating; the shorter days mean that my smart lights are set on an earlier routine; my smart plugs are attached to our electric blankets, so we have cosy beds when we turn in; and my video doorbell helps me keep tabs on all the bits and bobs I've ordered as they arrive at my door.

So when it comes to Christmas smart home tech, by far the best (and let's be honest, the most fun) of all of these smart additions will be on my tree, thanks to my Philips Hue Festavia fairy lights.

Out of the box, they look pretty unremarkable, just like any other set of fairy lights, really. But once they're in place and synced to the app, your lighting options are fairly limitless.

Not only can you schedule your lights to go on at set times, but you can also control their colour and the brightness. Fancy warm white lights? Easy. Now you want colour? No problem. Prefer them dimmed and gently twinkling when you're watching a movie? Simples!

Now, truth be told, they're not the most affordable set of festive fairy lights going (not helped by the fact you need a separate gadget called a Hue Bridge for them to work), but the Festavia lights aren't just for Christmas. They're suitable for outdoor use too, so come summertime, you can drape them from your garden wall, fence or hedge to bask in their twinkly glow once the sun has set.

One more bonus of the Hue lights is that you can also avail of the brand’s free software, Hue Sync. Perfect for parties, when you play music through Spotify, Hue Sync analyses the music and adjusts the lights on your tree, pulsing them to the beat to suit the mood and genre of the tunes playing.

But Philips isn't the only brand that makes smart fairy lights. WiZ, Nanoleaf, Govee and Twinkly all offer ranges of smart string lights that you can sling over the branches of your (real or artificial) Christmas tree, pair with your smart home system, and control using a smartphone app or via voice control.

But, if your budget won't stretch to buying smart fairy lights, or you've held out this long to buy a discounted best artificial Christmas tree this year, there are several other ingenious ways to make your tree smart.

Invest in a pre-lit tree

While pre-lit Christmas trees that operate via basic remote control are available, Twinkly dominates the straight-out-of-the-box, plug-and-play smart lit artificial tree market.

Not only does it have its own artificial pre-lit tree in three sizes on its website, but it has teamed up with luxe tree maker Balsam Hill to provide a ‘Twinkly Light Show’ on a select number of the brand’s faux trees.

Balsam Hill’s Twinkly trees cost a fair bit more than its traditional pre-lit designs; however, the functionality – from the ability to change colours and designs and switching the lights from still to animated – adds so much more to your festive set-up.

Try a smart plug

Don't have the cash to splash on a new set of lights? You can still make your tree lights smart for less than a tenner by attaching them to a smart plug.

Yes, your control over the lights will be far more limited than with smart lights, meaning you’ll just have a basic ‘on and off’ action via your smartphone. But on the upside, you can have them on a schedule so the lights go on and off at specific times, meaning you won't need to crouch down under the branches to do it manually.

Bring it outdoors

Fancy bringing some festive light to your garden this year? Twinkly’s 3D Smart Light Tree is a weatherproof flagpole-based frame with lights that wrap all around it to create a striking tree shape.

You can change the colour of the app-controlled lights, making them flash, flicker or remain solid whenever you choose. They also work with Google and Alexa for easy voice control.