Deck the halls: tips for a perfect Christmas tree

Tired of the same tinsel and tree decorations? Retain classical festive style while celebrating your family’s own heirlooms and individuality this Christmas

perfectly dressed Christmas tree is the towering centrepiece of all festive decorations, so it’s important the tree refl ects the personality and space of your family home. Setting up your own tree can be a festive minefi eld of decision making. Douglas fi r or Scotch pine? A striking, classic tree dressing blended with some personal, uniqueto-you touches is the perfect way to have a beautiful tree that celebrates your family quirks and history.

Your fi rst crucial decision is the tree itself. Renting a living tree is the latest trend, not only because it’s a sustainable, low-waste option, but because you can establish new family traditions by replanting and reusing the same tree year on year. Companies like Cotswald Fir allow families to see their trees grow over time, and the trees themselves are allowed to fl ourish between January and November, providing homes for wildlife and oxygen for the air we breathe. This wonderful familiarity creates new a ection and attachment towards the family tree, and prevents you dragging a dead pine out to the bins in early January.

To personalise the tree, collect hand-painted or glass-blown baubles from your foreign travels throughout the year, so that at Christmas you can refl ect on past holidays. If you’re artistic and

Capturing great lighting is imperative in setting the right tone for your Christmas festivities In the Spotlight Making A Di erence Cards

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skilled at crafts, you can also buy plain glass or plastic baubles and hand-paint them with acrylics – a fun, festive activity for the grandkids, too, if you can handle the mess.

Capturing great lighting is imperative in setting the right tone for your Christmas festivities. Frenetic, fl ashing multi-coloured lights do not create a soothing ambience for family meals, games or relaxation. A soft, calming, nurturing glow in copper or warm white will eliminate the coloured glare and give your home a ‘peace on earth’ vibe over ‘disco dancefl oor.’ Experiment with di erent shapes of bulb that add an extra decorative element to your tree, such as John Lewis’ fi recracker, or traditional candleshaped lights.

Tinsel alternatives are becoming more fashionable, as the push toward sustainable living intensifi es. If you’d like to switch up your usual glittery garlands for something a bit more eco-friendly, paper craft tinsels o er a recyclable alternative and don’t shed shiny shreds of plastic all over the house.

Whatever you’re into, Comfyballs have you covered with their unique, comfort-focused boxers

omfort is king and Comfyballs have this covered, having worked long and hard to fi nd the perfect cut and fabric for the highest level of comfort a man can get.

All boxers feature a unique PackageFront design, which cups your equipment and takes it away from your inner thigh, reducing heat transfer and restricting movement without the squeeze, while also being breathable and wicking, making them a fastdrying, anti-chafi ng boxer.

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Comfyballs boxers are available in three luxurious, super-soft, high-end fabrics, all Oeko-Tex 100 certifi ed: Performance (suitable for all kinds of sports and training); Wood TencelTM modal (for the softest and most casual experiences); and combed single jersey Cotton (to keep you going every day).

So why not choose Comfyballs to breathe new life into your top drawer?

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Handmade by British craftsmen to last a lifetime

Each piece in the Woodee collection is a collaboration in craftsmanship – supporting rural heritage crafts and sustainable materials

M

ade in rural Herefordshire by eight di erent traditional and heritage craftspeople, the Woodee range is a unique and contemporary collection of products which revolve around fi re. Handmade using local sustainable materials, British steel, hand forged metal work and stainless steel, every piece is built to stand the test of time and the great British weather.

Their traditional bellows, fi re irons and log baskets, made by a basket maker, blacksmith and leatherworker are stylish accessories for open fi res and log burners and make a really thoughtful gift. For those who appreciate spending precious time outdoors with family and friends, a beautiful Woodee Fire Pit means you can gather together warmly around the fi re, cook delicious food and make memories to treasure.

Find out more

Visit thewoodee.com to fi nd out more. Call 01981 550524 or 07553 361864 to speak to a member of the team. Order now for free UK delivery for Christmas.

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