From the moment November 1st arrives, and often earlier, interior magazines, home influencers and shop displays burst into that familiar festive red. Are you a November decorator or a December one? I’m firmly in the December 1st camp, mostly as I’m mindful about introducing fresh foliage too soon.

Every year, alongside the classic reds, greens and golds, new decorating trends sweep through our feeds. This season I’m seeing floods of dried hydrangeas tucked into Christmas trees and garlands - no doubt inspired by the wonderful Shea McGee and her fabulous hydrangea adorned tree. And then there’s the rise of the “Ralph Lauren Christmas”: rich tartans, deep reds, greens and navy, and of course his signature Christmas bear tableware. Traditional, timeless, and surprisingly easy to recreate thanks to the many dupe friendly pieces in stores right now.

In recent years, Christmas decorating has also begun to spill far beyond the main living areas. Growing up, it was one tree with an eclectic collection of baubles, strings of Christmas cards over the range cooker, and on the stairs, a beautiful garland my mother fashioned each year from garden cuttings. Now, we’re seeing whole-home Christmas moments: children’s bedrooms with their own themes, full front-door and window displays, and little festive scenes sprinkled in every corner.

It’s easy to get swept up striving for that magazine perfect Christmas. Our own decorations have built up slowly over the years. I try to stick to one or two investment pieces each year and then add a few smaller touches. This year, I purchased a gorgeous large faux cedar pine wreath from the wonderful Irish Country Home. I’ve kept it plain so I can restyle it a little differently each year. My second investment was festive bedding for the kids. It’s our first year with no one sleeping in a cot, so it felt like the perfect time to choose matching sets - pieces I know we’ll pull out year after year as they grow.

Whatever your Christmas style, taking it slowly - with patience, intention and a gentle layering of pieces over time - creates the kind of Christmas home that really matters. One filled with familiarity, nostalgia, family traditions and those core memories we hold onto long after the season ends.

Happy decorating, everyone xx