BACK ON TR ACK ? . . . WELL, NEARLY
As regular readers of this missive will know, I’m normally a card-carrying member of the “Keep Christ- mas in December” brigade. However, last year, as I’m sure you won’t need reminding, everything changed. 2020 was nothing but misery, so folks throughout the country decided, quite rightly, to awaken the Christmas spirit early.
By mid-November houses were ablaze with festive lights, with fully adorned trees in every window. As it turned out, the wretched pandemic still gripped us tightly, and however brave a face we put on, Christmas was certainly not all we wanted it to be.
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This year, of course, we’re all hoping for something much better, much more like normal, and with the incredible success of the vaccine programme, and a good dollop of people being sensible, at the moment it’s looking positive. As I write this editorial in mid-November (I’m on time for once!!!), Christmas trees and festive lights are already appearing, and I have no doubt that by the time you read this many, if not most, houses will be fully Chrismassified.
And why not !!! Let’s go for it once again, let’s fill our boots and get stuck in. I have to admit that 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 and / or home stores 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. This year we were in London in October, so a trip to both Harrods and Liberty’s Christmas shops was mandatory.
A few 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 !!!!!
When it last took place, 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.
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HOME S & INTERIORS JOHN BIDDE L L - INT ERIORS EXPER T
John Biddell - John Charles Interiors
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