It seems that each year, the shops stock their shelves with Christmas decorations, earlier and earlier. Some may say too early! But word on the street and internet is that you don’t need to start decorating until late November/early December. It’s advised that you have your house ready for the first day of Christmas to coincide with the start of Advent.
So, in true Christmas spirit, we have chosen a few of our favourite, magically merry and totally inspiring room designs for the perfect Christmas setting.
But first, we bring you the reasons and history behind decorations, trees and everything in between.
The Christmas Tree dates back to the 18th Century, originally a German tradition that was brought to England by Queen Charlotte the wife of George III, was first documented in the English language in 1835. However, it wasn’t until an image of Queen Victoria was published with a decorated evergreen in the 1840s that the tradition truly spread.
Holly, Ivy, and Mistletoe too are traditionally placed around the house epitomising Christmas. The Holly’s infamously spiky leaves represent the thorns that Jesus wore when he was crucified, and the berries represent the blood he shed because of the thorns. Mistletoe is not only a sure-fire way to secure you a peck from someone special, but is also supposed to possess mystical powers which bring good luck to the household and ward off evil spirits.
Like the Christmas Tree, the glass bauble decorations that adorn it also originated in Germany. The first decorated trees were embellished with apples, candy canes, handmade pastry stars, hearts, and flowers. Nowadays we see a huge variety of clay, glass and wood decorations, to name a few, partnered with handmade pieces and ornaments saved through generations decorating a tree.
If you, like most of us, want to get your decorations early, shop our Christmas Shop here – where you’ll be able to find the items selected below.
