Decorating a big Air BandB house in about 4 hours. Decorators' Hive Mind Assemble!

[KingscoteStaff]

Big 3 generations Christmas in a ver naice Grade 2 listed house. We can get in from midday on Christmas Eve. Most people will arrive 5ish, 6ish for dinner at 8ish.

I am in charge of decorations! This is actually my idea of a good time, but normally take a weekend or so to create the full loveliness. I will have several willing teenagers to help/ponce/drape/wire, but will need to have all kit ready to go in car.

Dining room, sitting room, entrance hall with fireplace, kitchen (but don't want to get in the way of DH/DSIL who will be cheffing). Not planning to do much (anything) upstairs.

What would be quick, lovely and not cost a million pounds?

I will also need to take it all down on the morning of the 27th before we leave.

When we stayed in a cottage for Christmas it was already decorated, tree and everything. Lovely to walk into 😊

What a lovely challenge!

What's your collective style?

Do you like natural with a focus on greenery / full on tinsel & glitz / sparkly but a bit more restrained / Victorian Christmas etc etc

Loads of holly / greenery and candles on the mantelpieces

Tree?

Stuff for the table?

You won't want to be attaching anything to anything so I would be looking for stuff you can just set in place like pre-lit garlands.

Our style is... eclectic!

I am thinking if I buy 2 or 3 of those 12 pound B and Q garlands then I can preload them with pinecones/lights/ribbons and then just wind them round the bannisters?

I don't think the air B and b hosts would thank me for letting the teenagers loose in their garden with secateurs...

Will it not be decorated? Our rental if booked over Christmas always has real tree, decorated, poinsettia plants, wreaths etc so it’s all done for whoever stays

Nope - no decorations. It's being used for filming up to the evening of the 23rd, and sadly it's not a cheesey Christmas film...

As an Airbnb host I'd always decorate for a Christmas booking.

I appreciate yours won't be due to circumstances but it's worth asking the host if you can utilise their customised decorations.

I leave ours out for some guests with young children to dress themselves.

I’d go with lighting. Warm white fairy lights and candles will make anywhere look magical.

Asda have packs of battery operated tea lights for £4.50ish and some very thin garlands for £5. Zuzz up the garland with a pack of plain gold baubles, put it on a runner down your dinner table and tuck the tea lights in everywhere.

Have you got any old jam jars etc? You could tie some festive ribbon around them, put them in clusters of two and three and put the battery tea lights in them to brighten up any gloomy corners.

Will you have a tree?