6th December 2017
Christmas is fast approaching and will soon be upon us, in all of its sparkly, indulgent glory. In the run up, there’re gifts to buy, shopping that needs to be done, food preparation to consider.. The tasks can seem endless! Whether you’re nervously anticipating the onrush of seasonal exuberance, or find yourself already singing “Jingle Bells” and unable to wait for the festivities to start, we’ve put together some ideas to help make your Christmas organised and attractive.
You say tomato cage, we say Christmas tree
Tomato cages are perfect candidates for a festive transformation; wrap with artificial pine garlands, then add tinsel, baubles, bows, or whatever else takes your fancy. Since they’re designed for outdoor use, these are perfect to flank your front door or cheer up your garden.
Small tree? No worries!
Whether the tree is real or artificial, sometimes once you get it set up in your room of choice, it looks a little small and sad. Make a small tree more of a feature by putting it on top of something (paint cans or a large upturned plant pot for example) then cover with festive fabric to create a skirt around it. No spare festive paper? Try sticking bows, holly and other ornaments to a plain sheet.
Pad out that tree!
Live Christmas trees can start losing needles and looking a bit sparse as the season goes on. Pep yours up by winding green tinsel or artificial pine garlands around the existing limbs to beef up the existing foliage. You can also use this trick to enhance a fake tree.
Start spray-painting
Green strings of lights are great when you want them to blend in with your tree, but to make them stand out, try spray painting them gold or silver for that extra touch of sparkle. This is a quick and easy way to perk up all sorts of decorations, from old dusty baubles and wreaths to pine-cones.
Table top glamour
Want to make your table look extra special for Christmas dinner? A wreath chandelier is a striking decoration, simply suspend it from the ceiling using a hook and ribbon. Check out our post which explains how to make a festive wreath to get started. For extra seasonal cheer, try making smaller versions to hang on the back of each guest’s chair with their name displayed.
Perfect photos
Are your photos of the family unwrapping presents around the tree always littered with screwed up gift wrap? A great tip is to cover a large empty box with patterned paper, providing you with an attractive wrapping paper bin – much nicer to look at than a black bag!
Storage hacks
To make getting ready for Christmas easier next year, store baubles and other small tree decorations in egg cartons. This will help stop them from being broken, as well making them easier to locate when the time comes round again. Wrap strings of lights and any tinsel you’re saving around coat hangers to prevent the yearly struggle to untangle the lights.
Greeting card gift tags
Last of all, a tip for all of the upcyclers out there; hang on to the greetings cards you receive, they can be reused next year as gift tags by simply cutting off the front design and cropping as required.
The weather is getting colder and colder; why not check out our tips for winter roofcare and check your property is ready to beat the elements!
6th December 2017