Nothing shakes off the end of year blues like a merry dose of Christmas holiday cheer. The music, the decorations, the food, the crisp winter air and the overall joyful sense of community are enough to lift even the gloomiest of spirts up. And whilst it is true that this year we may not be able to venture to the snowy Swiss Alps and hit the slopes for some festive revelry – we can instead enjoy the warmth of our homes and indulge in some good old fashioned holiday fun.
DDW picks the very best festive decor to elegantly dress your home – time to throw out those dusty decorations and swap them in for an elegant spread of cozy Christmas merriment:
No Need To Mull It Over
No festivity can be complete without a perfect drink to accompany it. For Christmas the absolute essential choice is to prep a batch of classic mulled red wine (or ‘Gluhwein’ for the purists). However, the good people at Gin Tales may have raised the bar with a new offering – mulled gin.
Complete with all the spicy, citrusy deliciousness of mulled wine (but in gin form), this new infused favourite doubles as a base for festive G&T’s or as the traditional hot drink. What could be better?
Make a great impression even better serving in these immaculate Baccarat crystal glasses from this decadent Asprey silver tray.
Get In The Spirit
Hands down, the very best way to envelop your home in the festive spirit is with a seasonal candle – and there is only one candle to buy; Ralph Lauren’s Holiday. Available only during the Christmas holiday this beautifully evergreen, red currant and juniper berry scented wonder will immediately get you smiling and in the mood to unwrap some presents.
Wrap Up
Part of the joy of the season is cozying up next to a roaring fire in a cashmere jumper (Italian brand Luca Faloni make some deliciously soft ones) and wrapped in a perfect blanket. And when it comes to blankets no one beats Hermes’ classic timeless style.; their Escapade Blanket will make you feel like you’re back on the slopes surrounded by lifetime friends.
Nab The Perfect Tree
The pièce de résistance of every holiday home is, of course, the Christmas tree itself. The selection of tree is essential; it cannot be too fat or too tall, the branches need to be well distributed but pleasantly natural all the whilst leaving a faint pine smell without dropping too many needles. Needless to say, the selection (and delivery) process is best left to an expert. Get a perfect Normand Fir tree from Treelivery.
Decorate Your Heart Out
No tree is complete without its requisite decorations. Avoid the temptation to go for cheap coronership lights and baubles and instead invest in traditional seasonal artefacts from the gilded halls of Fortnum and Mason’s and Harrods. Or for those that prefer a bit more contemporary design – try the Conran Store’s selection of sleek modern alternatives.
And don’t forget to dress the rest of your home; Let your imagination run wild and spruce it up with decorations from Ralph Lauren Home, Harrod’s, Selfridges, Liberty and The White Company (including the essential Christmas stockings over the fireplace). And for a bit of old world feel to your decor – add these antique fallow deer mounts and decadent Christmas crackers with stuffed with surprise solid silver gifts
Welcome Visitors
The first thing you see when you approach your home should be the highlight of your day and your visitors. A few places in London offer luxury Christmas wreath and garland classes to make your own or purchase a beautifully crafted one of red ilex berries, cones, eucalyptus and wonderfully scented pine from Nikki Tibble’s Wild at Heart.
Present Presentation
If clothes make the man, then gift wrap certainly makes the presents – or at least their presentation. Win at Christmas with hand printed paper made by a family-run studio in Kyoto featuring archive images of kimono patterns dating back to the Edo period from Liberty London. It is luxurious enough to make you want to slowly unwrap presents to save the paper for next year.
Set The Soundtrack
Finally – it’s time to set the mood with some Christmas classics from Frank Sinatra, Robbie Williams and yes, Mariah Carey. Do them justice this season with a great speaker – Bang & Olufson’s Beosound Edge will make it sound like they are performing for you live in your sitting room.
UP NEXT: How to start your wine collection …