Happy Holiday Homemaking - Seasons Greetings from the Cramer Team

Whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, the holidays or long summer days, it is a great time to give your home a touch (or a grand flourish) of festive season accessorising in the lead up to the silly season. 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 so for setting the scene, nothing will beat it. The tree doesn’t have to be Times Square size, you can even get miniature versions of the real thing, so no matter how much space you have to work with, you can have your home smelling like Christmas in an instant. In the age of reusing and recycling, a small tree can be popped in a larger pot and placed on the balcony for use next year in a slightly taller form.



You don’t have to feel guilty if you opt for a faux Christmas tree. The range is extensive nowadays, so you will find the perfect faux tree to complement your style and existing home décor. Many faux trees are incredibly realistic, but keep in mind you that need to store them during the non-Christmas months if you want to look after the planet by reusing them each Christmas.

For a hark back to the old school days, crepe paper makes nostalgic decorative chains. Mix it up by using your favourite colours to complement the rest of your home. Get creative with a little water-colour on some card and transform them into a gorgeous string of cut-out angels or stars.



Tree ornaments can be gorgeous or garish. A great tradition to start is buying a few beautifully crafted new ornaments every year. They accumulate fast and if you have children, they will look forward to this and appreciate them much more than if you buy a whole house-full at once - quality over quantity at work!

 

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.) If you are time poor, wreaths are easily available to buy at all major stores and the choice is extensive.

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 be lined up in individual holders. You can create your own star of David or Hamsa shapes with the age-old art of stencilling. You'll need a cutting mat,  scalpel or craft knife, stencil paper and flat ended stencil brush which can be purchased from a craft store. Get your gelt (gold) 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, create decorative displays using shells, driftwood and flowers galore. A few sculptural pieces of driftwood wrapped delicately in ivy, jasmine or bougainvillea will look glorious. And with so many flowers in season at the moment - even the Queen of all flowers, the Peony, is affordable now - uplift your home with floral displays.

Then top it all off with gorgeously scented candles to evoke holiday season vibes and further set the scene – Try Glasshouse’s Night Before Christmas or White Christmas. Now sit back, crack open a decent bottle of wine or your favourite craft beer and enjoy!

Wishing you the happiest and healthiest holidays from the Team @ Cramer.