‘Tis the season to be jolly

Whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, the holidays or long summer days, it is a great time to give your home a touch (or a truckload) of festive season accessorising. 

Christmas decorations come in all incarnations, from the ridiculous to the sublime, so with some spare change or a full wallet, you can dress up your home in style. There is nothing like the pine smell of a real Christmas tree. If you have an outdoor area, it’s a great idea to buy a potted pine that you can keep in the garden and bring out for Christmas annually. The tree doesn’t have to be Times Square size, it can even be a miniature pine and you will still get the beautiful smell and feel of Christmas. Fake trees come in many shapes and sizes, some are incredibly realistic, but always keep in mind you that need to store them during the non-Christmas months.

Good, old-fashioned crepe paper makes great decorations on the cheap, and a little water-colour on some card can turn into a gorgeous string of cut-out angels. A great tradition to start is buying one or two new ornaments every year. It becomes a fun tradition, doesn’t cost the earth, they accumulate fast and if you have kids, they will look forward to this and appreciate them much more than if you buy a whole house-full at once. 

Wreaths can be home made and are easier than you’d think. Since we have a hot Christmas, collect bits of driftwood, shells and leaves and glue them onto a hallow round circle of wood or wire (Bunnings will have something.)

For Hanukkah, blue, silver and gold are the colours to go with and candles for the menorah can go either in the family heirloom candelabra or lines up in individual holders. You can create your own stencils to create star of David or Hamsa shapes onto the surface of your choice. Go to a craft shop and buy a flat ended stencil brush, cutting mat, scalpel or craft knife and stencil paper, then get creative. Get your gelt in the form of chocolate coins, Australian coins or if you are as rich as Rockefeller, the real thing.  

And if you just want to celebrate summer, bring shells, flowers galore (so many in season and not expensive at the moment- even the Queen of all flowers, the Peony, is cheap now), bits of driftwood, gorgeously scented candles and colour into your home. Now sit back, crack open a decent bottle of wine and enjoy!

From The Team at Cramer we wish you a wonderful holiday season!

See you all in 2017!