When December comes around, the magic of the festive season is really felt when the home decorating begins.

Start by looking at the main rooms you will use for entertaining over the festive season. Don’t be afraid to use bright colours on the walls and strong rug patterns on the floors. It is the first thing guests will notice when they come over for a party and will ensure your event will stand out in their memories.

For a simple and elegant way to decorate your tree, tie red velvet bows to the fronds and then complete the traditional look with some real candles.

Flowers and green foliage are essential when creating a festive theme. For a relaxed and natural look, create a foliage garland from long-stemmed pussy-willow, eucalyptus and pine, which can be hung on the walls, from chandeliers or as an alternative to a more traditional wreath. It will smell delicious too.

There’s nothing like the scent of pine, cinnamon and cloves to invoke a festive spirit into your home. Try studding oranges with whole dried cloves and tying with a decorative ribbon to create a wonderful festive scent throughout the house. The oranges can then be hung from a mantel or tree, or even used as a centre piece for the table. The ‘orange pomanders’ as they are traditionally called, can be eventually dried and used as decorations for years to come.