West Sussex housebuilder offers top tips to avoid festive stress this Christmas

With 66% admitting that fairy lights get them flustered and 19% flapping over colour schemes, Barratt David Wilson Homes has teamed up with Bents Garden & Home - famed for its stunning Christmas displays - and interior designer, Show Business Interiors, to reveal some top tips to help you create the perfect Christmas sanctuary at home.

Rachel Bent, Head of Visual Merchandising and Christmas at Bents, said: “Christmas is a magical time for families and friends to come together, but the preparation can sometimes seem a little overwhelming, particularly if you’re hosting friends and family.

“With December 1st being the most popular day to put up a Christmas tree, now is the time to get a head start on how you want to dress your home. This way, you avoid the frustration of rushing around the shops last minute and instead you can enjoy getting creative.”

Here are Rachel’s top tips:

1. Focus on one room“Rather than feeling like you have to decorate every room in the home, simply choose one or two rooms that will turn your home into a winter wonderland,” says Rachel. “Select the space where your family spends the most time, usually the living room or dining room, so you can really soak up the festive atmosphere.”

If you do want some Christmas magic in other parts of the house, consider creating a festive atmosphere in your spare room to make your guests feel at home. Rachel adds: “You could always add spiced scents and some fairy lights to the downstairs cloakroom too.”

2. Do it in stagesAlready stressing about de-tangling your fairy lights? Don’t force yourself to decorate your home all in one day, says Rachel.

“Instead, do it step-by-step. Tackle the tree on one day and wreaths, garlands and wall décor another. Get the family involved, especially children, who will love it.”

3. Prepare in advanceAlix Riding from Show Business Interiors adds: “This sounds obvious, but the better prepared you are, the smoother it will go. Check artificial Christmas trees are in good condition and make sure you know how to assemble them.

“Give your Christmas tree decorations a dusting down and make sure you have enough wire to hang them all. Unpack the tree lights and make sure they’re working.”

And finally… enjoy it!

You can streamline Christmas tree decorating but you can’t really shortcut it, so leave plenty of time to complete the process from start to finish. Put on some festive tunes or a favourite Christmas movie in the background, pour a glass of something delicious and get into the spirit.

If you do want to reduce your decorating time, though, “Consider pre-lit Christmas trees,” says Rachel, “which you can just plug in and turn on, so you only need to add the decorations.”

For those who want to go all-out this year, Rachel has five top tips on how to make your Christmas tree the perfect backdrop to your family celebration.

• Make it sparkle: Weave your fairy lights in and out of the branches, so you create an even look that brightens any room in your home at the darkest time of the year.
• Get your skirt on: To avoid seeing a bare Christmas tree trunk, tap into this season’s hot trend: a tree skirt. Easy to add to the bottom of your tree, they come in a range of materials and colours that add a high-end finish to your decoration.
• Create a diagonal flow: Next, add woodland foliage, flowers or ribbon, arranging them diagonally around the tree, creating natural segments in which to hang your baubles and other ornaments.
• Make clusters: Use gold or silver wire thread to tie together clusters of three large and small baubles before securing them around the branches in the segments you have created. This has far more impact than individually hanging baubles to the tree. Wire also helps ornaments stay put if the tree is bumped by children or dogs.
• Adding something personal: Christmas is a time to celebrate family and friends, so consider including family heirlooms decorations, things made by your children or baubles your friends have given you over the years. The result will look fabulous.