Christmas. I love the concept, but I’m not quite up to the task of the Home Alone-style setup, or the cleanup afterwards. There are elements I enjoy – wreath-making, creating cards – but I’m also the person scrambling to get the tree up on Christmas Eve or dashing for last-minute tableware. So over the years I’ve learned how to make it work for me.
I think the key is that Christmas should be no exception to the rule of doing exactly what you please when it comes to decorating. Whether you’re a minimalist, a maximalist or somebody who simply loves the festive season, there’s no joy in channelling someone else. So go with the look that reflects who you are, and work on making it greener by opting for preloved, vintage or long lasting. Cutting down your post-Christmas waste mountain could be your little gift to the planet.
If you’re struggling to work out what a conscious Christmas looks like for you, don’t deck the halls or reach for the novelty reindeers yet – start with these decorating tips:
Stay true to your style
For content creator Charlotte Jacklin, festive flair is about tapping into retro decorations that accentuate her vintage-inspired rented home. “I try not to get swept up in wanting to update and follow trends each year,” she says. “I have my style, which I think takes a few years to find, and I try to stick to that.”
She switches things up with creative ideas that add just the right sense of occasion. “This year, I want to deck the halls with bows. They are the perfect balance of retro and fun, plus they’re inexpensive. We have ornaments which we put up each year, but I’ll be adding lots of different coloured ribbons in rich festive colours, and a bow garland on the fireplace will be the finishing touch.”
When it comes to colour, there’s no rule that says you have to go red, green and garish. Any colour palette, along with textures and patterns, can be integrated into your existing style for maximum yuletide effect. “I like my Christmas decor to be an extension of my home, and particularly the things that I’ve loved in the last year,” says designer, stylist and content creator Luke Arthur Wells. “I usually go for a neutral colour scheme: whites, beiges, browns and sometimes greens.”
Get crafty
“Christmas waste is one of my biggest bugbears,” says interiors blogger Melanie Lissack. As in previous years, she’ll be making and repurposing her own decorations to suit her chosen theme. “I get inspiration from current trends, and this year there is a real love for embellishment using half wood balls and ric rac waves,” she says, referring to the tiny wooden semicircles and zigzag patterns that are having their moment.
“One of the best craft discoveries for me has been Posca pens, which write on almost any surface and make it so easy to decorate a ceramic bauble in any colour you like.”
If the idea of crafting appeals, handmade paper chains and garlands are something you can get the whole family involved in making while sticking to a specific theme. Vintage baubles can be threaded onto ribbon to create an eclectic look, or alternatively wooden beads make for a festive Scandinavian aesthetic. Simple paper chains can also be jazzed up by marbling your paper in your chosen colour theme and using a scallop border punch on the edges.
Should you be feeling more ambitious, you could find a template online and rustle up stockings for Santa to fill. They can be made from fabric offcuts or your favourite patterns and colours, and then used year after year – Christmas is about tradition, after all. eBay has a huge selection of vintage fabrics that can fit with any theme, making sustainable stockings that are completely unique.
Choose pieces that will last
A real Christmas tree with its piney aroma is often seen as the pinnacle of authenticity, but there’s something to be said for investing in a tree that will last for years – and make your life easier. “A faux tree takes the pressure off having to seek out the perfect shaped tree each year,” says Arthur Wells. “And it won’t lose a bunch of needles before Christmas rolls around.” You can order online, choosing exactly the size you need or whatever colour you like. eBay has a great selection of pink trees if they are up your street, and when the festivities are done, it’ll pack away in the attic, ready to do service next year, and the one after that.
In many homes, the day the tree is decorated is eagerly anticipated. Out come the baubles, many with their own stories, whether passed down from grandparents or clumsily fashioned by childish hands. “But if you are starting from scratch,” says Arthur Wells. “Invest in a few plain baubles in colours that suit your home, as they’ll adapt to different schemes each year. When it comes to festive decor around the house, I like to bring in natural materials and cuttings to change up the look from year to year.” If you don’t have time to make your own, pick up a handmade fresh-foliage wreath, or decorations for the table or mantlepiece, from one of the many small businesses selling on eBay.
Confident in her own style, over the past few years Jacklin has been creating a capsule collection of vintage tableware that she intends to use forever at Christmas. “I tend to focus on one thing each year,” she says. “This year I am building my festive mug collection, as my festive plate collection is now complete.”
Bring on the foliage
While decking the halls with boughs of holly might be a little too literal for most, creating your own festive floral arrangements is a fun pre-Christmas task. Wreaths, hanging arrangements and mantel garlands are all ways to add seasonal decoration using stuff many of us have growing in our gardens. “Think about using ivy, holly, eucalyptus and conifer,” says Lissack. “And fir cones, too.” An added bonus is that you won’t end up with bags of non-recyclable waste.
Arthur Wells adds: “The success of a good mantel is in the structure. If you’ve got foliage in your garden, that’s the place to start. Make sure you cut branches, don’t break them – it’s better for your plants and trees. If you want to add flowers, dried and preserved are easier to use than fresh as you don’t need to worry about water.” He recommends a foraging trip at Woodland Trust sites, where visitors are given guidelines to help them forage responsibly.
Make an impact with your tablescape
Your Christmas tablescape is an opportunity to get playful while catering to different festive events. The big day itself may call for a more formal look, but you can create a laid back vibe when entertaining at night.
“I love trying to make sense of my style in a visual way,” says Jacklin, who will often moodboard her tables before bringing them to life. “You can easily be overwhelmed with all the different styles out there, so I like to put something together to keep me on track.
“Each year I use my vintage cabbage plates by Bordallo Pinheiro and go from there. I tend to stick to a colour palette of three or four colours, mostly pinks and greens, and ground it all with a forest green or burgundy.”
She recommends taper candles to add height, ribbons to wrap around cutlery, and linen napkins and tablecloths, which add a sense of occasion, and are anything but throwaway! Look out for personalised items for the table that can make the day extra special for loved ones (and help you manage the all-important seating plan). Jacklin recently had personalised ribbons created for a dinner party – or perhaps use personalised Christmas baubles used as place settings that can be given as favours for guests to take home and reuse.
Think outside the Christmas tree
For 2022, I’ve personally decided to ditch the Christmas tree altogether, instead opting for a paper tree “installation” on my living room console table. It’s a way to save on square footage while also reducing the impact of a tree in our home. And now I’ve embraced installations, I’m considering hanging another from the ceiling.
“I often create a display above a festive dining table,” says Arthur Wells. “But, usually this means suspending something from the ceiling. I’ve had to fill and re-paint a ceiling a few times after making holes in it when decorating for Christmas! This year, I’ve seen loads of rails that clamp on to tables and I definitely want to give one a try for my Christmas table this year.”
Another way to do things differently is to hang festive artwork, something else to get the children involved. Christmas records make for nostalgic styling objects on shelving – nothing screams Christmas like Wham! For a festive coffee table glow-up, get hold of old Christmassy tins and fill them with candy canes.
Ultimately, there’s no naughty or nice list here, but choosing preloved or vintage items from independent sellers will give you a truly merry Christmas – and you’ll have done your bit for the planet.
Emma’s eBay Christmas edit
Vintage glass baubles
I love vintage glass baubles and eBay is a treasure trove for them. These ones are hand painted in beautiful bright colours. Look out for unique shapes and mid-century styles that will add something special to your tree.
Paper Christmas trees
These paper trees are an easy way to add a festive feel to your coffee table, shelving or tablescapes. Cluster in odd numbers for maximum effect.
Disco balls
Sparkling disco balls have become year-round fixtures in some homes, but they’ll look extra special sitting under a Christmas tree or hanging from the ceiling as a party centrepiece. And you will bring them out year after year.
Personalised linen napkins
Personalised linen napkins are ideal for making your Christmas Day dinner guests feel special and can be reused for other occasions in the year (or sent home with them as favours).
Acrylic baubles
I love these clear acrylic baubles as you can pop in anything you like, from festive photos to little pieces of tinsel or chocolates. They’re reusable and you can change up the theme each year.
Neon Christmas wall lights
Christmas lights aren’t just for the exterior of your home or trees! Pop a vivid neon light on a wall or a side table for an edgy festive touch.
Paper hanging decorations
These paper hanging decorations are available in a multitude of different colours, sizes and shapes, making them work with any interior aesthetic.
Taper candles
Taper candles are a must for any dinner party but can also create a striking display on console tables and shelving. More is more!
Vintage candlestick holders
The box of these vintage candlestick holders says it all! A touch of silver on the table will help to bring the festive cheer. And if these are gone, it’s easy to search eBay for something similar.
Personalised table settings
Add a touch of glam with these personalised table settings – guests can use them as trinket trays after the big day.
Christmas at eBay
From glitzy baubles to on-trend garlands, eBay has all you need to deck the halls at home. Shop preloved, vintage and new to sprinkle festive cheer everywhere
