Preparing Mama Christmas' Grotto | My Home at Christmas

Disclaimer: WeRChristmas (who we've bought tonnes from over the years!) sent me a selection of their products for this blog post. For more tips and tricks to decorate your Christmas tree like a pro this year, check out the guide on their website.

I know, I know, it's September. Let's be honest, however, if you've seen my Christmas content over the years you'll know I don't ever do things by halves. Turning my home into our very own Christmas grotto every year has earned me the nickname Mama Christmas, and this year we've gone really extra.

That's right, we've started early… with a beautiful tree and decorations from WeRChristmas. This has to be the ultimate collaboration for me, and I'm so excited to share with you how our home gets transformed heading into the Christmas season.

Why do we do Christmas on such a big scale?

Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. My inner child does a little happy dance whenever we reach that time of year when it's time to decorate. Of course I could say we do it all for the children (after all, Christmas with our four is always magical!) but the truth is John and I have been adding to our Christmas homeware and decorations for sixteen years - and Squidgy is only ten! Ultimately, we love it. So, that really is all there is to it.

When do we start decorating for Christmas?

Usually we start in October half term… We don't do anything for Halloween, and as it usually takes a good few days (or weeks!) to effectively move house by boxing everything up and swapping it all out for Christmas, this is a great time to start. It also allows us to enjoy the festive season throughout November and December as we count down to Christmas. This year, however, it start early, thanks to this collaboration with WeRChristmas.

Tip tips for preparing the house to decorate for Christmas

When it comes to getting ready for Christmas, there are a few things that need to be done ahead of time. Here are my top ten tips for preparing to decorate your home for Christmas:

1. Give your house a good ‘spring clean’

Well I guess it’s more of an ‘autumn’ clean, but the rules apply. Have a clear out, clean down, and tidy up of every room you plan to decorate (which in my case, is every room!)

2. Don't buy anything new until you've decorated

Unless you know you need it, and have the budget for it, avoid buying extra clutter for your home until you have everything in place for Christmas. We already have a lot, and waiting until we’ve decorated prevents us doubling up on things we already have.

3. Decide where everything is going before you start to decorate

We already know where the tree will go, but all-year round this isn’t an empty space! Rearranging furniture and finding homes for things that can't be bubble wrapped and put in the attic is a job in itself.

4. Set aside time to get it all done

The Christmas season can be a busy and stressful time. The last thing you need is to burn out before you've had a chance to add festive cheer to your home. Choose a date and time to decorate and get everything ready beforehand so you can focus on getting it done.

5. Invest in some smart plugs

This has to be the best thing we ever did! Not only can we set timers for all the lights and decorations, but we can control them with Alexa with voice commands, too.

6. Check everything is working

Have you seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? It's one of our favourite festive movies, and if Clark Gridwold taught us anything, it's the importance of checking everything works before spending hours making it perfect only for the lights to not turn on.

7. Get some Christmas treats

Supermarkets already have mince pies, Christmas chocolate and more on sale. Get into the Christmas spirit with festive food and drink.

8. Wear Christmas outfits

This is a tradition in our home that I absolutely love. From Christmas jumpers to matching Snuddies, dresses to leggings and t-shirts we have Christmas clothing covered and it definitely puts us in the mood to decorate.

9. Play Christmas tunes

Whether you ask Google or Alexa to play a Christmas radio station, or have your own Christmas playlist (like me!) Christmas music is a great way to get yourself in the festive mood for decorating your home. My whole family love it and it makes everything a little bit more fun.

10. Consider a theme for Christmas

Whether you opt for traditional red and gold (like our glass baubles and poinsettias from WeRChristmas) or rainbows to include all the homemade baubles your children made, or even your football team's colours (yes, we've done this for John in the past!) a planned theme is a great way to make Christmas feel sophisticated.

P.S. No theme is ok too… Once we finish the decorating here, it will look more like one of Santa's elves threw up on our house!

So, there you go. My top ten tips for preparing and getting in the Christmas spirit ready for decorating, whether you start early or wait until December. Don't forget, for more tips and tricks to decorate your Christmas tree like a pro this year, check out the guide on the WeRChristmas website.

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas from my family and me this year! 

How do you decorate for Christmas? Do you like to go wild, or do you prefer a more subtle approach? Let me know in the comments section below!

For more posts about Christmas, visit the Christmas category page. If you have any ideas for upcoming content or things you would like to see on my blog, feel free to share in the comments section below.

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