Paul Massey
Go green, go lush
Greenery is a wonderful way to add to your Christmas decorations. The tradition of decorating with foliage is intended to ward off evil spirits, so deck your halls, mantelpieces and staircases or place greenery above tapestries and paintings. Use branches of varied conifers, holly and long strands of ivy to create a wonderfully festive environment, and add fern leaves and dead tree branches to create a realistic woodland still life. They are sustainable, and you can either add them to your compost heap or burn them in the fires after using them, which releases a beautiful scent.
If you live in the country greenery is easily accessible and free. And if you live in town you have the perfect excuse for a day out for the entire family, putting on your wellies and collecting branches. Combine it with a visit to a nearby country house and a delicious pub lunch on your way back home with the car full of greenery, and you’ve got the perfect Christmas outing!
Natura morta (still life)
Lemons, clementines and pomegranates add a wonderful splash of colour. Place them on a mantelpiece amongst foliage, make them into a table arrangement or scatter some on the furniture around the room. I always arrange an assortment of nuts on the Christmas table. They are highly decorative and can be eaten with your cheese course. And don’t forget the carrots for the reindeer!
Get your paperwhites in time
I love the Victorian tradition of forcing bulbs and so I always have paperwhites for Christmas. They symbolise prosperity for the future, are beautiful and have a delicious scent. I plant them in large antique china bowls, intersected with small twigs that they can hold onto as they grow, and I place them on side tables and consoles. Make sure your paperwhite bulbs are in by October so they are ready in time for Christmas!
