Gaudy gold tinsel, tacky plastic mistletoe and garish neon Santas. This Christmas there's no excuse for your home looking like a badly-dressed kebab shop.
The trick is to keep it simple, for trees especially, less can really mean more. Choose a colour theme and stick to it. Pairing up complimentary colours can work well, from this season's sultry reds and passionate purples to shimmering silvers alongside steely greys and blacks.
Light up your life
Christmas lights are an area where lots of people go over, or under board. Firstly lights are a necessity to the Christmas ambience so don't leave them out. Secondly, when you are choosing lights, classics are best - we're talking static or softly twinkling, in one colour that matches your tree's accessories. Furiously blinking lights endlessly chiming Silent Night are enough to give the most tranquil household a headache.
To create inviting lighting, stand three or four church candles on a plate or cake-stand encircled with pine cones. The aroma of scented candles will only add to the atmosphere.
Remember, turn them off and blow them out before you go to bed - for safety's (and greenness) sake.
Tree's a crowd
Tinsel, although very common, can make trees look very busy. Classier alternatives include lamenta (thin strips of shiny material), beads and ribbons. For a finishing touch, some snow spray at the end of the each branch can add a frosty, festive feel.
Real trees are the classic choice and can add a seasonal smell to to the home. Just make sure you get one with non-drop needles to avoid getting the hoover out every 12 hours.
If lugging a real tree down your street doesn't appeal, there are many synthetic trees in stores that are more classy than trashy. John Lewis and M&S have some particularly nice varieties for reasonable prices.
Kids will love to pick sweet treats from the tree so to make them look pretty, add a few chocolates to tiny colour-coordinated mesh bags, tie them up and hang with bows with thin satin ribbon. Other classics include candy canes which you can simply hook to the end of the branches.
As an alternative to a tree, spray twigs and tree branches silver, arrange them in a glass vase filled with baubles and hang decorations from them To up the style stakes, hang a collection of your favourite baubles from different lengths of thread and secure to the ceiling.
