I was really excited to decorate for the festive season this year. Last year, Adam and I landed back in Australia just a few days before Christmas and with unpacking the house and settling back into life in Wagga Wagga it was a low priority.
This December, and especially after seeing all the trees, lights and decorations in the U.K, I was keen to make the house feel a little jolly…
I loved having a real Christmas tree when Adam and I lived in England, but in Australia December the 25th falls right in the middle of summer, so trying to keep a fir alive is almost a full time job! Most people I know opt for a fake tree and our’s is pre-lit, meaning there are no stings of lights to untangle before decorating! It also only takes 15 minutes or so to ‘fluff’ up after being removed from the box.
The Christmas tree in our house get set up in a corner of the sitting room, surrounded by large windows. I love that when people drive or walk by they’re able to catch a glimpse of the twinkling tree.
Adam and I have a rather minimalistic tree – just a handful of decorations in red, white, and bronze. I like being able to see the tree, even if it is fake and with all the expectation and stress that often comes at Christmas time, it’s nice to just pare things back. We’ve also hung a few of these in the tree too – it’s not the same as a real tree, but it’s the best smelling solution I’ve found so far ;).
I like to take the same approach with the wreath I hang on our front door. It too is unfortunately fake – the front of our house cops the full force of the western setting sun and I doubt a live wreath would last more than a few hours there!
We’ve dotted a few other festive displays around our main living area. A beautiful bare branch covered in lichen that was given to me earlier this year now has a sprinkling of tiny baubles, and on one of our shelves is a little woodland scene. It was a gift from my mum last year and always reminds me of an old television series I used to watch as a child, The Animals of Farthing Wood – do you remember it?!
I also love to have a beautifully scented candle to burn throughout December. A few years ago I had a ‘Bush Christmas’ themed one by a local candle maker, and during our English Christmas, this one reminded us of Australia. This year I came across a candle that reminded me of chilly evenings spent in front of a fire. Lighting it in the evening, has become a little daily ritual of mine and I love the delicate scent it fills the house with.
I’m still yet to start Christmas shopping – I blame my wedding for that! – but I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeve, so I’m feeling quietly confident. The simple display I’ve got at home is a wonderful reminder that sometimes less is more, and a few well thought out things are better than many, many things.
Do you decorate your house for Christmas? Are there traditions you follow, or do you mix it up annually?
Have a wonderful weekend. x
Wattle and Ash 
We have a few traditions that are never broken,
1. We always cut the Christmas ham on Christmas Eve to have with a salad,
2. The presents are always opened after breakfast and everything is cleaned up,
3. Breakfast is light with waffles or pancakes or croissants, with fresh fruit and yoghurt, coffee and juice
4. Lunch is traditional with Turkey and trimmings and
5. Uncle Bob (who no one has ever seen or claims to know) always leaves a present for the family, which is a game we all play in the afternoon after lunch.
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Lovely Larry! As a child growing up, we always had Christmas ham and eggs for breakfast, eaten to a soundtrack of Nat King Cole. Dad was ‘Santa’ and would distribute the gifts under the tree. Christmas ‘dinner’ was a traditional roast, often eaten at about 3pm in the blasting cold air con!
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