A stylish Christmas – in pictures

Celebrate Stir Up Sunday on 24 November and make your own Christmas pudding. Making it in advance helps the flavours to mature before the big day.

Buffet plate, by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion £12, House tea towel, part of a set of 3, £10, Robert Welch RW11 Serving spoons, £10 each, Small Queensbury Hunt for John Lewis bowl pinch pot, part of a set of two, £15, Pudding basin, £5, Christmas pudding basin, £8, Provenance storage jar used as a vase, £18, Wooden spoon, £1 Photograph: Helen Cathcart

Reduce the stress at Christmas by trying to make as much as you can in advance.

Painted round wooden tray, £25, Copper lidded saucepan dia 18cm, £85, Nonstick cooling rack, £8, Cole and Mason ceramic pestle and mortar, dia 14cms, £25, Blue Denby Heritage Pavilion storage jar, £18.75, Provenance storage jar small, £18, Provenance jar large, £26, Pudding basin, £5, Provenance storage jar with lid off as vase, £18, Terraillon traditional kitchen scales, £30 Photograph: Helen Cathcart

Pierce a hole in the top of your biscuits before baking and then tie with ribbon for a beautiful edible Christmas tree decoration.

Nonstick cooling rack, £8, Star cookie cutter, £1, VV Rouleaux contrast edge ribbon £8.95 Photograph: Helen Cathcart

Colourful ribbons make all the difference to wrapped presents. Try experimenting with different textures and widths.

Sophie Conran tea plate for Portmeirion, £7, Wrapping paper – red spot, L3m £3.50, Kraft paper L6m, £4, Ribbons, Red velvet and pink velvet from £3.25 per 3m spool, cotton and linen tape in red, VV Rouleaux £6, Wooden snowflake paper toppers, £2.75, Duralex Picardie glass tumbler, £2, House felt coaster, £1, Labels made by stylist Photograph: Helen Cathcart

Black and white make a sophisticated change to the Christmas dinner table. Add dusky pink details, like these ribbon cutlery ties.

Tablecloth made from Macao fabric, Hoxton runner, in steel. Queensbury Hunt dinner plate set of 4, £48, Denby plate, £6.85, Sophie Conran for Portmeirion round dish, 28cm, £38, Queensbury Hunt salad bowl, £28, Queensbury Hunt desert plates, for a set of 4, £38, Portmeirion platter, £30, Queensbury Hunt side plates, set of 4, £34, Portmeirion tea plate, £7, Marimekko Siirtolapuutarha bowl £20, House ramekin, £3.50, Paper decoration, Livingly Mouritsen decoration, £8, Paper Christmas decorations £16, House bottle, £10, House ceramic casserole dish, £25, Duralex tumblers, £2 each, Casa wine glass, set of 4, £12, Robert Welch cutlery 42 piece set, £212, Hoxton napkin in steel, pack of 4, £16, Marimekko Siirtolapuutarha plate, £20, Portmeirion tea plate, £7, Ribbon from a selection, Label stylist’s own Photograph: Helen Cathcart

Keep the floral arrangements low so as not to obscure your guests. Use ramekins as vases and mix rich coloured flowers with succulents and rosehips.

Tablecloth made from Macao fabric, £15 per m, Hoxton runner, in steel, L2m, £20, House ramekins, £3.50, Sagaform red wine carafe with oak stopper, £25, Stopper not shown Photograph: Helen Cathcart

Christmas biscuits make lovely presents and are a great way of getting the kids involved in the kitchen.

Pouring bowl, by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion, £19, Robert Welch RW11 Serving spoon, £10, Small Queensbury Hunt for John Lewis bowl pinch pots, part of a set of two, £15, Sophie Conran for Portmeirion tea plate, £7, Ceramic measuring spoons, set of 5, £10, Marimekko bowl, £20, Queensbury Hunt Cuisine bowl used as a mixing bowl, dia 25cm, £28, Marimekko plates, £20, Bowl on plate, by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion part of a set of 4, £38, Cookie cutters, from £1, Wooden spoon, £1 Photograph: Helen Cathcart

Presenting your biscuits in a sophisticated tin turns a good gift into a great one.

Tin, part of a set of Orla Kiely raised stem kitchen storage canisters, set of 5, £35, Wrapping paper – red spot, L3m, £3.50, Kraft paper L6m, £4, Ribbons, Red velvet and pink velvet, from £3.25 per 3m spool, cotton and linen tape in red, VV Rouleaux, £6

Click here to find products featured in the Observer Food Monthly and this gallery. Photograph: Helen Cathcart