How to be festive while staying stylish

We’re entering into the busy back end of the year. It’s now the season of excess and overindulgence. Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas, and a thousand other events culminating in New Year’s Eve. In all the excitement of festivities past, we’ve found ourselves vowing to dial things back for next year – then doing the exact same thing again.

Going minimal on the decorations doesn’t mean going minimal on the festivities though. So make this the first year that you stick to that promise and enjoy the holiday without all that added hassle and chaos. All you need to do is…

Focus on your centrepieces

What’s Christmas without a Christmas tree, what’s Halloween without a Halloween tree (more commonly known as a pumpkin), what’s New Year’s Eve without a New Year’s tree? OK, so that last one might not be relevant but for the other holidays there’s a defining decoration that you can build your festive feeling around. This is where you want to focus your attention. Now, that’s not to say you should try and cram a 6 foot tree into a 5 foot apartment. But do put time and care into getting the right decoration for you. For some people a small and simple tree may be perfect, others may prefer an even more minimalist approach going for a stylish stick tree.

Accessorise thoughtfully

At this point you’re probably raring to get out the fake cobwebs or tinsel and cover the place in it. Try and contain yourself for a moment, and consider whether you’re actually adding to the feel of your room with your decorations or taking away from it. Start by picking out a few accessories which really capture the feeling of the occasion and place them in the focal points of your room. A wreath on the door and a single bauble above the fireplace is enough to feel Christmassy. Build from there, taking moments to step back and look at the room. You’ll find that you need a lot fewer decorations to get the same feeling you always do.

Stick to a colour scheme

Black and orange, red and green, silver and gold; these colour combinations carry with them immediate connotations. You know that something special is going to happen when you see these colours. So if you want to spark a little festive cheer, make sure to contrast your current colour scheme with one that brings a feeling of mirth and joy.

Engage your other senses

Now we’re not going to suggest sticking the Monster Mash or Last Christmas on repeat for October and December respectively (although that’s the plan for our office). What we are going to say is by utilising senses other than sight, such as sound and smell, you can heighten your feeling of the holidays. Christmas, especially, is a season which is rich in wonderful smells and such. Cinnamon, fresh baking, and the scent of a Norwegian pine; these all evoke powerful emotions and memories. So much so that even in an empty room you’ll be overwhelmed by a festive feeling.

By being a bit more minimal with your holiday decorations, you can spend less money, save more time, and focus on the more important things.