Every year I tell my husband James I am treating myself to a completely new “look” for our tree.
Every year I fail miserably.
Life gets in the way. The nice things sell out by the bloody 20th November. I can’t believe how expensive some of this festive shizz is and promptly empty my virtual basket etc etc
Realise what a first world problem arse I sound like and vow to to just get on with it and make more considered purchases the following year and so on.
Of course we have some baubles that we will have forever, they have sentimental value or were an investment buy – I have both the girls names in calligraphy on a ceramic number by the talented Cheryl Rawlings that are a particular favourite. But others are tired and tatty and distinctly lacking in any kind of Christmassy joy.
This year I have made a concerted effort to have a butchers at what’s on offer early and actually complete checkout. As you can see from the header image, I went all a bit shiny and ever so slightly Dynasty circa 1989. The one with the dangly crystal tassel beads was even a surprise to me, it’s not my usual cup of tea but I love it. AT chez O’Shea this year we are 100% bringing on the glitz – I’ve got sequins, glitter and even tinsel. Yes you read that correctly – admittedly it’s in my humble opinion very chic tinsel but still…TINSEL.
All The Glitzy Baubles
I am forever attracted to star shaped decorations and my obsession with copper hued anything knows no bounds, one of my best value finds has been a copper wire star from John Lewis, it’s £4 but looks really luxe – and I’m really loving the simple 3D silver version.
Stars And Snowflakes
Christmas with my parents was always a very OTT (some might say ahem gaudy) affair that was always so much fun. My Dad loves the festive season and their home was always decorated from top to bottom with anything and everything, nothing matched, there was no coordination or colour scheme and in the instagram “perfection” world we seem to find ourselves in, I do miss the carefree attitude that our generation definitely lack towards what should be a joyful occasion regardless of how it “looks”. Depending on time and budget, I would really love Mabel to be able to have her own tree (I have my eye on the upstairs landing as the perfect spot) and let her essentially choose whatever she fancies. I imagine this would result in a riot of rainbow colours and jewel encrusted magic. Bring it on.
Rainbows And Retro
What are your plans for the tree this year? Do you sway towards the same style of decorations or are you tempted by something different?
So timely. The last few years we have been in rented and I’ve not wanted to commit to a look. We do the whole Instagram go to a field chop a tree matching jumper thing (not even sorry) but my decorations let the side down.
This year I am going full on White Company for the cottage. Although obviously cheaper and from the supermarkets. Plan is lots of natural foliage stolen from the garden and the lane (free). I have already bulk bought oasis as we went pretty big on the old door wreath for autumn. For the tree, glass and muted silver.
Matalan have some lovely cheap ribbed large baubles for £3 instead of the £10 at the White Company and Sainsbury’s as always on its game. Must check out Wilko.
I have found Sainsburys in general to be excellent for Christmas stuff – they have all sorts of lovely gift bags and decorations on 3 for 2. I also bought a cute (but slightly ridiculous) festive dress for Iris for £8!
Every year since my 3 children were small I have bought each of them a special decoration for the tree every year. So over the years the collection has grown and each decoration is beautiful and has some sort of sentimental value. They each have a box for their own special decorations and it’s become a tradition that they hang their own ones. Admittedly we have had to forgo any sort of theme or colour scheme but the unifying thread is that every decoration is beautiful or a bit quirky and has a story be it a hedgehog (my eldest had a thing about them, aged 7), a little drummer boy (youngest son is a drummer), a fairy (middle daughter has many of these!) or a blown glass bauble (from a holiday in Venice). My oldest daughter is 27 now, but woe betide that I stop this tradition. It’s just aswell that we always buy a very tall real tree!
Carolyn this idea is so lovely. I love that they get their own box of decorations to put on the tree. Such a great idea and how joyful it must have made the whole experience 🙂 x
Oh Carolyn this is so lovely! I might of welled up a bit (over emotional – Christmas cheer does that to me). I was thinking, you must have a massive tree!!! x
My mum did this for me! When I moved in with my now husband she handed over the box and I cried unwrapping each little trinket. I’ll definitely be carrying on the tradition
I’m reading this with a touch of sadness… I moved to Malaysia just over a year ago, and whilst they do decorate everything you imagine (shopping centres, homes etc) with Christmassy treats, it’s still missing the traditional, quality feeling of Christmas you can only get at home. We are coming home for 3 weeks at Christmas- which will be great – but sort of means that we don’t really need our own tree. I’ve just told my boyfriend though, that we need to pick up some decorations in the sale before coming back again this year, and maybe next year we can have a little tree.
Oh yes Ciara! Buy all the decorations on your trip – take a little bit of home to Malaysia (which sounds amazing by the way) x
My mum does exactly what Carolyn does. She does also have a colour theme, at the moment copper and navy. However, for the last 24 or so years, she has bought my sister and I a decoration. Not all are always used on the tree, but all are definitely treasured. This year however, she is rather sad, as she just realised my decorations would be moving with me and this was the last year she will get to use them. This was always her intention, so that we could have a little of home Christmas at our place but it is rather sad when you get to the last Christmas! Having said that, I have seen her eye up a few at Burford garden centre so I don’t think she is that sad!
That’s my intention too – for the decorations to move on to their new homes to keep the connection – I’m definitely living on borrowed time!
I’m happy for any excuse to buy more decorations.
Great post! My Christmas tree decoration boxes are full to the brim and we have way too many for the tree but yet every year I am drawn to all the new sparkly decorations like a magpie!
We don’t have a theme, unless ‘eclectic chic’ is a thing!? But most of the decorations have a story. Some really colourful ones from a trip to Poland, lots that belonged to my Grannie which are very special, Harry Potter baubles and way to many gingerbread men as i’m obsessed with them. Every year I take my son to a local christmas craft fayre and he chooses a handmade wooden decoration from a man who makes the most amazing things and they are only £2 each. As much as I love seeing all the themed and styled Christmas trees on Instagram, I think the over tinselled, tacky, colourful, nostalgic ones are the best!
Katie eclectic chic is definitely a thing! And I agree on the styled tree, insta is beginning to look like a catalogue (albeit a very lovely one), bring back the tacky tinsel I say!
Bloody love a Christmas bauble. I treat myself to a handful of new ones each year. I had built up a beautiful collection when our tree fell over a few years back and the majority of my decorations were smashed – I actually felt really sad to lose them all. Now we are slowly building it back up, and every year Bertie can pick a special decoration. I plan to give her a box of decorations the day she moves out which are all the ones she’s picked over the years. Sentimental old dear aren’t I?!
Ah sounds lovely! I have a colour-coordinated tree (Rockett St George do lovely collections of baubles), but the children have a little one full of all the fun things too. We got one of the little White Company ones, which has little lights already wired on, and it is brilliant. Highly recommend! The children always get an ornament or two in their stockings to put on their tree as well.
We started about 10ish years ago to get a bauble or something similar from gift shops wherever we go on holiday/weekend breaks trips (we also get a magnet…)as such our tree is a mish mash of very random baubles from all over the world.
HOWEVER….every year I wish I was like my mum who has a beautiful colour coordinated tree 🙂
I had my first Christmas in my first home I have owned last year. A kind friend offered me all her red and gold baubles as she had changed her colour scheme. I was over the moon! We bought a 2017 bauble to commemorate our first christmas together too and I plan to continue this tradition every year.
I grew up in the 80s with a fake white christmas tree, covered in every colour of tinsel, bauble, multi-coloured lights and even balloons stuffed between the branches. It cracks me up that my mum’s main tree is decorated tastefully in white and gold. She has three trees, inc one in the dining room at the front because it would be terrible if the neighbours couldn’t see a tree from the front, and our main one resides in their huge hall, which has a gallery to the first floor. I tried to convince her to get a massive one and put it in the middle going up into the gallery but she scathingly said ‘we don’t live in a shopping centre’!
Two years ago I bought new decorations and went for a woodland theme. I have green, gold, copper and wooden decorations. I love nature and a more natural feel. Yesterday I was thinking about where I could forage a few natural bits from now I am in a bigger house. I am going to be the weirdo picking up every pine cone I find between now and Christmas.