JOHN BIDDE L L YES, OK, I TOTALLY GET IT . . .
. . . this year EVERYTHING is completely different. As I write this editorial in mid-November (I’m on time for once!!!), I’m aware that quite a few households have already put up their Christmas trees and decorations, and it’s a number that’s growing by the day. In fact I wouldn’t mind betting that all but the die hard “Keep Christmas in December” brigade – of which I’m normally a card carrying member – will be fully Chrismassified by the time you read this.
I say normally, but of course we all know that 2020 has been anything but normal. It’s been horrendous !!! A true Annus Horribilis if ever there was one. A year we’d all much rather forget, and move on to the next, and hopefully better one.
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And that’s why, dear reader, you won’t hear a peep out of me, complaining about people jumping the gun this year. On the contrary – go ahead, fill your boots, get stuck in; do whatever you feel the need to do to try to lift the seemingly unending gloom, and do it just as soon as you like !!!
I must say, that makes me feel a lot less guilty, as once I get going, I do tend to over-indulge a bit. Let me explain.
Every year we at Biddell Towers (as it’s laughably referred to by our musical theatre buddies) embark upon an expedition the like of which Bear Grylls would be proud. One Sunday afternoon around the beginning of December off we trot to one or more garden centres,
home stores and/or DIY sheds in search of the perfect addition to the Christmas house. Sometimes it’s something as simple as a few tree decorations, a garland or two for the stairs, or a runner for the Christmas table.
A couple of years ago it came down to a choice between a five-foot-high singing Santa, an equally tall lantern that sprayed fake snow and also played tunes, and a hanging model of a bi-plane piloted by Rudolph himself singing “Santa Claus is coming to town”. And what did I do? Yes, you’ve guessed it . . . I bought them all !!!!!
Last year we were at the Boldmere Christmas festival, freezing cold and soaking wet, when I noticed an outdoor tree, emblazoned with built in lights, being sold by one of our fabulous local traders. “That would look amazing in our front garden !!!” I said to my wife. “But you already put lights along the fence, and we do now have 4 Christmas trees” she helpfully reminded me. A good point, well made – however I bought it anyway.
It’s not that good taste is totally to be abandoned at Christmas (although some would disagree in the above-mentioned cases), but the rules of good interior design can certainly be relaxed.
So . . . real or false, themed or random, uncluttered or stuffed to breaking point?
I’m talking of course about the tree, and it really is up to you. There is no right or wrong answer. For many years now I’ve always had a real tree, and am happy to put up with the inconvenience of a few dropped needles in exchange for that wonderful smell of pine when you enter the room each morning.
As for whether to theme it or not, well I suppose you really should, taking two or possibly three colours from your decor and majoring on them for your tree ornaments
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HOME S & INTERIORS JOHN BIDDE L L - INT ERIORS EXPER T
John Biddell - John Charles Interiors
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