CHRISTMAS: Top tips for injecting plenty of festive fun into your family home

But before you grab the snow-in-a-can and start chucking tinsel round, it’s important to choose a unified theme for your Christmas decorations - and there’s so many to choose from! Will you go traditional reds and greens with a living room that looks like Santa’s workshop, or instead opt for an icy and sparkly winter wonderland? Or perhaps you prefer the natural woodland look with robins and deers hidden in every nook and cranny?

It’s also important to pick colours that complement the colours of each room - red and green tinsel might look a bit out of place in your blue dining room and icy sparkles won’t be nearly as effective in a room painted in bright colours.

When it comes to the Christmas tree, it’s always a good idea to hang your lights before your other decorations, so you’re not stuck trying to wind wires in among your perfectly-placed baubles. And don’t hang all your ornaments on the tips of the tree branches as placing them ‘inside’ your tree will add depth and give a richer look, and make sure you don’t fall victim to drooping branches.

Don’t leave windows and stairways out, as these are prime areas to place Christmas lights and garlands to give that extra festive touch. Get a bit creative with your Christmas cards and show them off by stringing them up in the hallway or sticking them to the frame of a mirror.

The dinner table is also the crowning glory of your home come Christmas Day, so it’s worth going all out with festive centrepieces made up of the pine cones and holly leaves - collected during an autumnal family walk - napkin holders and candles. If you mean business, you could even decorate the chairs.

Decorating your home as a family can be a fun Christmas project that focuses on togetherness. If you have a creative bunch, get each family member to make a decoration each year, so your tree will always be decorated in your own special memories.