Most Popular Christmas Decorating Themes 2019

We've rounded up our top three Christmas decorating trends for 2019 so your festive season can be on-point, in keeping with your values and, of course, beautiful. Our favourite Christmas decorating trends this year are Eco Christmas, Festive Foliage and Vintage. Here's how to replicate each one in your home...

1. ECO CHRISTMAS

This is the year we must all rethink the way we prepare for, decorate and host Christmas celebrations and start new, more sustainable traditions. That means swapping some of our festive go-tos – ones we didn't previously realise were quiet so damaging to the environment – for more eco-friendly alternatives.

For example, the Christmas tree. Real Christmas trees are much more sustainable than artificial alternatives. In fact, one study concluded you'd have to use your fake fir for 20 years for it to be greener. That said, seven million real trees will be dumped in January rather than recycled.

This year you could go one further by renting a real tree from a British farm. Love a Christmas tree offers real Nordmann Firs delivered to your door from their Leicestershire family farm from £20. You decorate and care for the tree during the festive period, then they'll pick it up and replant in January. Win, win.

If you buy a tree, ensure it's been grown as locally as possible: you can go to bctga.co.uk or growninbritain.org to find out about growers in your area. Also look out for the 'Grown in Britain' label or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) 'seal of approval', both of which guarantee your tree has been grown to set environmental standards.

After Christmas, go to recyclenow to find out about drop-off points in your area, where your old tree will be recycled into chippings for local parks and woodland areas. Alternatively, take it to your local dump where you can add it to the other green waste or chop it up and stack the wood in your garden to create a habitat for birds and bugs.

Other things to consider swapping:

cards
wrapping paper
clothes
gifts
food
drink
lights and decorations

Read our full guide on how to have a green Christmas.

2. FESTIVE FOLIAGE

Be inspired by our simple seasonal craft projects and fill your house with sprigs of mistletoe, branches of holly and bushels of evergreen foliage. Here are a few to get you started:

Mistletoe wreath – Create a delicate decoration by arranging sprigs around a wire wreath ring. Secure with fine green florist wire, working around the frame in a clockwise fashion. String mini baubles in the centre and hang with lengths of vibrant ribbon.

Hearth warming – Frame a fireplace with glowing candles and piles of presents wrapped in retro-print papers.

A festive nook – A rustic stool can serve as a side table with enough room for a candle and a plate or tray of mince pies.

Brent Darby Photography LTD

Pompom tree – Create a quirky display with a miniature bottle-brush tree, painting its bark base in a forest green and covering the branches with pompoms. Use baker's twine tied around the centre of each ball to secure to the tree.

Decorative crackers – Customise plain crackers by wrapping bands of fabric around the centre, then sticking – or sewing – embroidered mistletoe motifs onto each.

BUY TICKETS FOR CL CHRISTMAS FAIRS

3. VINTAGE CHRISTMAS

Set the scene for a nostalgic celebration: blend seasonal foliage and flowers with vintage baubles and lustrous ribbon. Here are some ideas to get you started:

A festive cake – Decorate a plain iced cake with a little signature of larch twigs, dusted with gold, pine, a wax flower and a deep purple hellebore. Finish with a colourful ribbon.

The decorated table – For a country-style dining arrangement, simple placemats made from pretty lightweight furnishing fabrics will add colour and style to place settings. Use pinking shears for a quick finish or to fray the edges. Choose complementary colours for foliage, candles and flowers.

Shelf life – Red amaryllis flowers that have been cut short provide an effective display
on a mantel – alongside a simple garland of spruce, decorated with cones, berries and trailing Spanish moss.

Catherine Gratwicke

Box of baubles – Vintage baubles make a special present or they can be used to fill a pretty bowl to display on a side table.

Present perfect – Follow the opulent theme with rose-gold wrapping paper tied with checked ribbon and a tiny corsage of twigs and cones. Brighten a tabletop with large gold-sprayed cones.

New shoots – Replant forced narcissus in a small tumbler or vintage stemmed glass lined with moss for a magical addition to the Christmas table. Decorate with berried stems and star anise, and add sparkle with gold-dusted larch cones.

Rich pickings – Dress a shelf with a metal tray using a collection of favourite Christmas decorations and sprayed gold berries offset with deep velvet red roses.

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15 reusable advent calendars to enjoy year after year

Knit Your Own Personalised Advent Calendar

Lauren Aston Designs notonthehighstreet.com

£67

This kit contains everything you need to knit your own beautiful advent calendar so buy it early and leave enough time to make it. You can then fill the pockets with thoughtful daily treats and enjoy it every year.

Gingerbread House Advent Calendar

Looking for something unique this year? Well, search no further, as this gingerbread advent calendar house ticks all the right boxes. The countdown to the big event is marked by 24 little drawers, a place to hide a festive treat, and a surprise each morning. Fill with mini toys and edible goodies.

Luxury Personalised Fabric Advent Calendar

notonthehighstreet.com

£95

This fabric reusable advent calendar will become a much-loved family heirloom. Each pocket comes with a matching drawstring bag to pop the daily treats inside.

Tartan Tree Advent Calendar - Red

In a classic tartan style, this fabric tree-shaped advent calendar is a great eco-friendly alternative. With 24 small pockets, you can fill them with tasty treats to delight the children (or adults) each morning.

Personalised Wooden Advent Calendar Light Box

notonthehighstreet.com

£52

This light-up wooden advent calendar can be personalised with a name of your choice. Fill each little drawer with a message. All you need is two AA batteries.

Wooden Advent Tree

Baker Ross bakerross.co.uk

£14.95

Most advent calendars sold in the UK are made from a composite of plastic and foil, both of which can be hard to recycle. One of the best ways to be kinder to the planet this Christmas is to get your hands on a wooden advent house. Crafted from wood, this handmade style gives you the opportunity to fill it yourself. If you're feeling creative, why not add a splash of paint?

Hessian Stocking Fill Your Own Advent Calendar

Ginger Ray notonthehighstreet.com

US$14.16

With 24 stockings and pegs, this fill-your-own-stocking is the perfect DIY activity. It's easy to assemble and can be strung across walls or the fireplace.

Winter Forest Fold Out Wooden Advent Calendar

This Scandi-style fold out advent calendar will complement any interior scheme. With 24 small drawers and a snowy wonderland scene, it's sure to keep the festive excitement rolling.

Personalised Children's Activity Advent Calendar

notonthehighstreet.com

£37

Instead of sweets or goodies, this advent calendar features slips of paper with fun activities on.

Townhouse Wooden Advent Calendar

For something a little different, get your hands on this wooden townhouse advent calendar. Perfect to fill with mini treats and reuse every year.

24 Christmas Advent Calendar Bags

Bcamelys.home amazon.co.uk

£10.29

On the hunt for something unique? We love these 24 hanging advent calendar bags, which are perfect to fill with your own festive treats.

Personalised Wooden Christmas Advent Calendar

notonthehighstreet.com

£120

We love this personalised wooden advent calendar, which is sure to put everyone in the festive spirit. It comes with a set of 24 Christmas advent calendar hessian sacks with a choice of metallic numbers in copper, gold, silver, pink, green and red.

24 X Christmas Advent Calendar Tree Hanging Sacks

notonthehighstreet.com

£25

These beautiful hanging tree socks are great alternatives to traditional plastic-covered calendars. Fill with your favourite treats and gift to your friends to open throughout December.

Christmas Tree 3D Wooden Advent Calendar

Let little ones count down to Christmas with this fun advent calendar alternative. With 20 warm white LEDs illuminating its Christmas tree structure, it will blend in wonderfully with the rest of your Christmas decor.

Personalised Penguin Pals Fabric Advent Calendar

notonthehighstreet.com

US$21.19

Children will love this fabric advent calendar! As well as being personalised, it has a sweet snowy scene on the front and 24 deep pockets to fill with gifts.

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