CHRISTMAS TRENDS

Step away from the hustle and bustle of the festive season and into a space that’s refreshing and serene. In our Sanctuary theme, delicate blush pink and rose gold nestle next to shimmering metallics and touches of champagne to create a calming look that feels luxe and special. ‘The blush and rose gold are easy hues to work into an existing tree look, such as gold or white,’ says Dan. These softer shades also work brilliantly with teal and soft blue upholstery pieces, like a velvet sofa.

‘This look is all about taking time for yourself,’ Dan adds, ‘allowing you to recharge and enjoy the wonder of Christmas.’ For Dan, the hero decoration of our Sanctuary theme has to be the Bubble Bath Bauble. ‘She’s just so decadent,’ he says.

Sanctuary also makes for an elegant festive table – think delicate glassware and bone-china tableware with touches of gold and blush pink to add warmth.

Celebrating nature and the great outdoors, Campfire will have you reminiscing about nights spent camping under the stars. You’ll discover a rich, inviting palette of earthy colours, mixed with touches of amber, copper and gold. ‘Quirky decorations bring humour to the look,’ says Dan. ‘Plus a sprinkling of nostalgia.’

These are great decorations to buy as gifts, with fishing, walking, foraging, bird watching and camping all portrayed in a novelty style. ‘I never thought I’d buy in a bauble shaped like a bonfire,’ says Dan. ‘But it all adds to the narrative of the story. Don’t miss Santa sleeping in his tent – he’s my favourite Campfire decoration.’

There are also plenty of non-tree decorations, so you can work the warm, rich tones around your home. Try creating a woodland scene on your sideboard or using our Mushroom and Reindeer decorations as an alternative centrepiece.

Playfully bringing a different type of greenery to Christmas, you’ll discover decorative touches in the form of flora and fauna in our Garden Retreat theme. ‘Green on green has been big news at Christmas for a few years,’ explains Dan. ‘This year, we’ve pushed the boundaries a little further. The trend of bringing the outdoors in is reflected in this theme – it’s the perfect place to escape to for a moment of calm at the busiest time of year.’ 

On this tree, you’ll find the hand-painted Bee Bauble, but you’ll also see vegetables, garden sheds and even a chamelon. ‘You get lots of license at Christmas,’ says Dan, who loved pulling this theme together. ‘Look out for plenty of natural materials, which bring feelings of joy and relaxation – think dreamy days spent in the garden and you’ll get this theme just right.’

At the Garden Retreat table, there’s plenty of scope to bring in a magical, woodland twist, using lots of foliage and our Garden Retreat Mushroom Decorations. Why not hang your favourite green baubles from a branch for an Instagrammable moment?

In our Traditions theme, the sights, sounds, colours and textures of Christmas all come to life, but with a contemporary twist. Of course, there’s plenty of gold and red in the colour palette, but fresh motifs and prints add a fresh perspective. ‘Here, you’ll find classic icons along with novelty decorations,’ explains Dan.

Don’t miss our Traditions Fry-Up Bauble, which is Dan’s favourite. ‘This look is really tailored to the person who loves Christmas traditions,’ he explains. Work in a few novelty baubles and you’ll soon transform your existing red or gold tree.

Away from the tree, try hanging a foliage branch above your festive dining table, working in berry tones for a hit of red. And look out for our Traditions Leaves & Berries design, which you’ll find on gift wrap, gift bags and crackers.

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Snowscape uses a simple palette of crisp whites, touches of mint and subtle shimmer to create a snowy scene reminiscent of a log cabin hideaway. ‘Our Snowscape theme is one you can build year on year,’ says Dan. ‘For 2019, we’ve introduced a sense of playfulness. Think of that first dusting of snow, icicles and building snowmen.’

Mix plenty of textures, such as faux fur and natural linens, to set the scene for this look. Add touches of glistening silver and whites with white animals such as wolves, owls and polar bears. Dan’s favourite? ‘I love the elegance and tradition of our Snowscape Ballerina.’

At your Christmas table, try mixing contemporary tableware in shades of grey with touches of frosted decorations and plenty of sparkling silver.

Our ABC theme reflects Christmas through the eyes of a child – a place where anything is possible, from astronauts through to zebra decorations. ‘Our Christmas alphabet features on one of our gift wraps and we thought it would be great fun to turn each letter into a bauble decoration,’ says Dan. ‘But we got a little carried away. D is for dog, but then we loved the dinosaur decorations so we added five different dinosaur ones… then we wanted diggers.’

Grown-ups will also find plenty of nostalgia in ABC, with lots to remind them of toys past. This theme will also stimulate learning through shapes, colours and textures. ‘It’s a busy theme with plenty of colours,’ says Dan. ‘Go for a simple green Christmas tree so you can appreciate each character.’ Dan’s favourite? ‘The blue Velociraptor Dinosaur,’ he chuckles.

This is a fun theme for festive parties, too, perfect for adding pops of colour to an all-white tablescape. Try tying an ABC decoration to each napkin in place of a cracker, or why not use our ABC Pompom Bell Garland as a table decoration?