Cath Muscat
You can’t beat a Christmas Day spent at home with your nearest and dearest. Especially if you’re someone who simply loves to entertain! But to make the occasion even more special, now’s the time to start thinking about how this year’s celebrations will all come together. Here are our top thought-starters for you to consider.
Take a seat
If your Christmas Day involves a big brekky, lunch or dinner (or all three!) with family, friends, neighbors and more, this usually means finding a place for everyone to sit and enjoy the never-ending feast. If space allows, consider setting up a beautifully decorated long table (as pictured above). If you have mismatched tables, dress the table with natural linens to tie the look together, then bring the table to life with jars filled with fresh-cut garden foliage or small potted blooming plants. Not enough tables and chairs? Collapsible trestles are a terrific addition to your entertaining kit, as are stackable or foldable chairs that you can roll out each time you host a big soiree.
Let’s lounge
A zone dedicated to sitting back and enjoying the season of entertaining is a must! For this, the trend towards lightweight wicker and wicker-look furniture continues. Choose a setting in a colourway that suits the rest of your home, with cushions stitched up in outdoor fabrics. Want to mix up the look? Decorate the setting with a mix of scatter cushions in cheery colours – they’ll dress up the setting in an instant! Psst… Don’t’ forget spots for guests to rest drinks and plates of nibblies. For this, small side tables or drum stools are ideal.
Catering pro
An Aussie Christmas typically centres around a fabulous backyard barbecue. If you need to update your barbie, and space allows, take a look at the option of introducing an outdoor kitchen to your entertaining area. Aside from the barbecue, key features to look for in an outdoor kitchen include ample bench space, built-in storage and even outdoor refrigeration. Oh, and don’t forget extra containers for keeping drinks chilled on ice!
Festive touches
For a good dose of charming Christmassy cheer, add a layer of festive flair to your home through decorations. You might have a show-stopping Christmas tree indoors, but why not set one up near your outdoor table, too? For a tree that you can decorate year after year, consider purchasing a living tree in a pot. You can look at traditional pine varieties or go for something outside of the box, such as a lilly pilly or eucalypt variety.
Light the way
Don’t forget the lights! In the weeks leading up to the big day, install exterior-grade fairy lights around your home and weave them through garden trees and shrubbery. The trend of overhead clear party lights continues, so shop for a string or two of festoon lights and suspend them above your table to allow the celebrations to continue long into the evening.
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