It’s the most beautiful time of year, Christmas lights are filling the room with glimmering speckles of light whilst the candles flicker gently adding that festive smell. It’s the time of year when the children’s faces come aglow with the wishes of Santa and what might await them on Christmas Day. It’s a time I feel warm and reflective of the year that has passed and Christmas decorating is one of my favourite parts of Christmas now that I’m well into adulthood. I mean I have my own home, dog and everything, when did I get so old!?

Now that December is well underway I’m sure the vast majority of you will have your tree standing proudly in the living room with the glistening of the lights creating that wonderfully cosy and festive ambience that only Christmas lights can do. If you’re anything like me, Christmas decorating is a whole house affair, not having the self-control to stop at just the living room, Christmas overflows into the bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen and even the hall of our building.

I love having themes and having areas that please the different colour schemes or, as the Festive Lights have put it, The Christmas Past, The Christmas Present and the Christmas Future.

After reading the post that Festive Lights put together, it made me reflect on the Christmas decorations that we have and which Christmas category our decoration comes under.

This year, our decorations are a combination of the Christmas Past and the Christmas Present which fills our home with a magically perfect Christmas atmosphere.

Christmas Past 

I’ve always been drawn to traditional decorations. Whether that’s spending hours playing with the nativity scene that is up at home when I was young or being in awe at the cosy cabins on social media with the roaring fire and snowflakes falling gently. You just can’t beat the traditional style that will never go out of fashion. Without having to keep up with fast fashion, The Christmas Past is that decor that comes out of the box each December looking as gorgeous as the year before. Besides, when they start to get worn, it just adds to the rustic effect.

I have been into pinecones so much this year that it might be starting to turn into a mini-obsession. Symbolising eternal life withstanding the bitter chill of winter, pinecones are so naturally beautiful, paired with some berries and holly, it’s a Christmas decoration that will always be loved and adored in my household.

Throwing a few cosy blankets on to the sofa paired with some rustic looking cushions, our Christmas Past doesn’t end there. The reindeer and woodland creatures have preserved through the test of time and are still a well-loved symbol of Christmas, through cards and decorations. This beautiful deer sits pride of place in the living room at home.

Christmas Present

Pretty warm lights are my absolute favourites and it’s no secret that I’m impartial to some multicoloured fairy lights on the tree. But, if there’s one style of lights I can’t deal with, it’s those piercing blue. They don’t make me feel cosy. They don’t make me feel warm. They don’t make me feel relaxed. In actual fact, they do the opposite. They put me on edge. That sharp, burning blue is not the Christmas lights I’ll be putting up this year, or ever!

But, what I do have are energy-saving LED warm Christmas lights. Now that we’re paying electricity bills, I told you I was getting old, we have to think about things like is this going to run up a huge bill? “You’ll realise when you have your own home…”. However, LED lights are much more energy efficient, you can have them on more or less all day and won’t even see much of an impact on the monthly bill. They’re much safer too, as they don’t get hot, the risk of a fire is much slimmer. All things we adults have to think about.

This festive season, we have a Christmas present influence of blacks, reds and silvers on the tree. I have always dreamt of an all Disney Christmas tree. Although less of all Disney, I am still very keen on having a Disney inspired tree, with elements of the sentimental and travel baubles.

I love picking out the decorations and seeing what memories they hold. I have decided that as of now, each new place we visit, I’ll make it my mission to find a bauble to capture the memories in. We’ve already got a piece of Hungary, which comes in the form of the stocking and a piece of Venice.

In another area, we are embracing the gold. From Venice, we bought a gorgeous Santa in the gondola, which we have paired with my gold elephant bauble, pinecones, faux snow and fairy lights. The addition of faux snow has been so perfect for it, Alex was not impressed when I brought home a tub of faux snow and thought it was a waste. But, once I sprinkled it on top and let it snow, he soon changed his tune! He’s now well on board with the faux snow and I’ve even caught him adding snow to it!

Then, I also have my little corner next to the tree. The corner that my candles sit and the pinecones come to life. With berries, chocolates, Christmas plates and snow fabric. My Christmas features are my favourite part of decor this year. Each day brings a new candle and I’m loving that each day the home smells of another well-loved festive scent.

I’ve also loved incorporating my love for languages, and the Spanish language, by featuring a few Feliz Navidad Christmas decorations this year.

Christmas Future

If you took a look at their post to gain a better understanding of The Christmas Past, Present and Future, if you didn’t, go look now! then you’d have seen them introduce the Christmas Future. Technology is getting better day in day out, with us being able to control the TV and the home from the touch of a button on our smartphones, app-controlled Christmas lights are just another addition to the evermoving forward technologies. Alex has wanted app-controlled Christmas lights for as long as I have known him.

Technology is moving forward and I’m not one of those who wants to get left behind. The Twinkly collection of smart app controlled twinkly app are available exclusively to Festive Lights with prices starting at £49.99. The app allows you to change the colour of the individual lights on your Christmas tree but also the pattern and effects that it shows, so it’s sure to put on a show.

Are you more Christmas past, Christmas present or the Christmas future?

Merry Christmas,

*This post is collaborative with content provided in a press release