Creative Living : Christmas Hosting Essentials

I love to hear how others get ready for ‘big events” like Christmas. Today I want to share some of my Christmas hosting essentials.

From the minute we saw our higgledy piggledy, smelly house, my husband and I knew it would be a perfect place for hosting. The kitchen and dining room where the first space we created. Even in the darkest months when there was a fire escape flanking the back of the house, the kitchen was upstairs and the many leaks kept us up at night. We knew the dinining room would one day be full of celebration. It’s taken alot of work to get the room looking as it is which is why I take such care to decorate every year.

We start our Christmas celebrations with a ‘Friends Christmas’ at the start of December then enjoy the decorations for rest of the month. This is our  7th time hosting Christmas dinner, (14th if you count the ‘Friends Christmas’). Each year it becomes easier so I thought I’d share some of the Christmas essentials we have come to rely on.

First up the three “T’s”

Tin foil/Tin Trays – You can never have enough of either. Perfect for resting, storing and redistributing those left overs.

Tea Lights – A jam jar with a tea light and a little foliage makes any table look festive. I try and find the ones with an eight hour burn time. Light just before you sit down.

Tea Towels – You can never have enough. Mine are well used throughout the year so buy a few fresh ones every Christmas.

The other stuff

Batteries – in a mix of sizes

Fairy lights – One of the take aways from watching Christmas cooking programmes is the amount of fairy light twinkling away in the background. Every year I add a few more sets to the collection.

Festive paper napkins – I use fabric on the table but have a stash for all other occasions!

Toilet rolls – needs no explanation

Dishwasher tablets – I’m not hand washing on Christmas Day!

This list is far from beautiful but its the behind the scenes stuff that helps the day run smoothly. Once these details are taken care of, concentrate on adding the magic! Here are some pretty details from last years Christmas to get you inspired. And this years decorations are below.

All the decorations photographed and styled in this post have been handmade by myself. I use the flowers grown in my tiny flower farm over the summer for my designs. Using every last petal is so important to ensure there is minimal waste.  Sharing how British flowers can used and enjoyed throughout the year is a passion, please contact me for your very own creation.