Home improvements: Make your own festive fun

There’s lots of fun to be had preparing your home for the festive season, but the secret is to keep things simple.

If you have a Christmas tree, intersperse your baubles with more personalised touches. Gather a selection of vintage postcards – we love botanical-themed ones, but anything that makes you smile will do the trick. Punch a hole in the top of your cards, thread a piece of ribbon through the hole and hang them on your tree. Alternatively, print out family pictures instead. It’ll guarantee that your tree is both unique and personal.

If you’re entertaining, give your tabletop a festive feel with some inexpensive additions. Make your own centrepiece by placing transparent baubles of varying sizes in a glass bowl. Add twigs and sprinkle with glitter for a striking but simple feature.

If you’re using paper napkins, why not choose red-and-white ones cut into snowflake shapes, which can be scattered around the table. For a more sophisticated look, lie cutlery on a cloth napkin, tie a colourful piece of ribbon around it and secure with a big bow.

Finally, don’t forget your chairs. Drape a length of tinsel across the back of each chair and attach hanging bells or star-shaped ornaments for a truly festive feel.

[ sdenman@thenational.ae ]

Home improvements: Make your own festive fun

There's lots of fun to be had preparing your home for the festive season.