I have just been reading the Christmas edition of various magazines and wondered

[Saltire]

if people actualy have the time to make place settings,decorations,got out and buy that varous plates,glasses etc they recommend,make fabric stockings,hollywreaths etc
They all look so perfect, and yet, I don't do any of it and have great christmases.

MIL does it. Not actually buying new crockery or anything but getting out the antique stuff, dressing the table (really beautifully, I have to say) and she does wreaths and decorations. Sarah Raven's Christmas Book is her sort of thing. I can;t be arsed but then, I go to her house every year, so I don't have to be...

My MIL does this also. PIL house always looks amazing at christmas. She is quite creative though. I am not and can barely wrap a present without making it look like i've just thrown paper at a random object.

MIL has time (and, frankly, cash) to do this though. And she's a perfectionist. I did do Christmas one year for just DH, DS and I, both in f/t work and skint, and I really felt the pressure!

PMSL tiredemma - that's me too. I can cope ok if it's a square/straight sided object. If it's not solid and a cuboid - forget it

I try and make it look nice - I have nice dishes,glasses etc. We have anice tree, with nice decorations. But I just don't have the time to sit and make 100 christmas cards, or sit nad sew stocking shapes out of felt. Nor do i have the money to replace my dinner plates every year because essentials magazine(for example) says that the colour theme for Christmas table is pale green and silver, or to replace all the decorations on my tree becasue a magazine says I should

I nearly ROFL when I read that you might think of putting up some Christmas wallpaper . Wallpaper! Can you imagine all that kerfuffle and expense for maximum three weeks!

If I put up Christmas wallpaper it would be hanging there for at least ten years.

Oh I looooove to read all those magazines at Christmas! I wish I was creative and energetic enough to really decorate for Christmas, but I'm rubbish.

I have to say I LOVE Xmas and have Xmas platters and mugs and various other things and buy those magazines every year but this years crop were disappointing. Or maybe it is just that there is just so much you can do to your house at Xmas. Although Xmas wallpaper is interesting! I can just imagine DH's face if I suggested it!

I love going over the top at Christmas but tend to just add a few things each year rather than change it all.

Christmas Wallpaper has never occured to me though. Until now...

I can just picture DH's face if I say

"come on then we are off to B&Q for Christmas wallpaper, I think dancing snowmen in dining room and perhaps fir trees in the hall"

Lots of these might by easier than new wallpaper. I'd need about 12-14. Bargain.

I can't imagine having special Christmas-themed crockery or anything like that. I mean, where would you keep it? We have enough crap as it is...

Tempting.

Would be cheaper to paint it by hand and then paint over it after 12th Night.

I used to get lots of Christmas magazines, but have rationed myself this year. They just make me feel bad about living in a seventies built house with no fireplace. I've always wanted to decorate a fireplace. I have to do a sideboard instead.

Fireplace envy aside, I have the whole responsibility for the decorations. I like the ideas in the mags, but wouldn't be persuaded to buy new decs in 'this years must have colour'. I haven't yet seen anything I like this year. If you like making things yourself and are creative, great. A lot of people like having a project or few on the go. I don't think any of us should feel guilty if we can't/don't want to make stuff for whatever reason. As long as we 'make a goodly show for sixpence' as my auntie used to say, an amusing phrase meaning make the best with what you've got.

I can't imagine having Christmas themed crockery either. Table linen, yes.

I have some Christmas themed crockery. 6 mugs, a large platter and 3 or 3 Xmas plates for serving cake, mince pies etc. Also some red glass candle holders that only come out at Xmas. Oh and some red charger plates. And red napkins. Keep them all in a large plastic box with a clip on lid in the basement.

Move back to UK next year where one will not have one's basement though! DH has already warned me I will need to seriously cull my Xmas decs when we put everythign away this year. No chance! And am off out to a wholesaler's on Thursday with some friends to buy more!

Surely those magazines are so you can look at them and enjoy the pictures and feel all Christmassy - am I actually supposed to do all that ?

Think I've got a gold paper tablecloth somewhere that I could throw over the usual plastic one ...

Christmas wallpaper! Hmm... Where are the kids, we've got some A2 paper somewhere... Or I've got a roll of brown paper, they could paint Christmas trees on that!

Ohhhhh I try and do most of that kind of stuff - cept the decorating Id need Dh for that and hes a bit humbuggy.

I make cards,decs and menus etc im busy all Dec and I have a backstock of xmas magS- I love noseying around peoples houses in those mags and long to decorate dcs rooms unfortunately 2 of the dc are teens and do not share my lovwe of reindeers .

Are there people out there who actually buy new tree or hanging decorations every year? Why?

Well, I buy a new tree every year - there's just no needles left on last year's, y'see - it's sitting in the garage waiting to be chopped up for firewood.

Oops, have just realised you mean new tree decorations every year - sorry!

I didn't mean a new tree. obviously people buy new trees, I menat "new decorations for their tree"

Well I buy a few bits every year but I don't buy all new. A friend is having to as they moved house earlier in the year and she cannot find any of her Xmas stuff. Thinks it got junked accidentally. I also have a friend who can't be bothered storing Xmas stuff so chucks it all every Jan and buys new ever December. She is all very tasteful and minimalist though so it's never very much!

We have lived in 4 different countries and I buy stuff everywhere we have been. It's a trip down memory lane when we go through it all.

Hmmm I was thinking of putting up some framed xmas prints around the place to go with the mistletoe wreaths in my hall that are there from last year.

I have in the past spent vast amounts on wreathy stuff and discovered that it doesn't go very far. i.e. magazine shot makes whole house look xmassy, whereas in reality 200 quid's worth of decoration makes approximately 2 square feet of your house look xmassy.

Also does not work well in 1970s 3 bed house, but much better in victorian cottage of any size. I then start to hate my perfectly decent house just for being too young and modern.

For our first christmas before the dc were born I actually handpainted wine glasses in a holly design with glass paints! Needless to say 9 years and 5 dc later I have other things to occupy my time at xmas!

I reckon it should be the law that all of those magazines have to smell like orange and cinnamon so at least you can engage slightly with what they are trotting out