DECORATING your home can be a stressful task, especially if you’re competing with the neighbours.
Not all of us can make our front windows look like Harrods or our late Queen’s favourite, Fortnum & Mason.
Thankfully, this year’s biggest trend is all about nostalgia, and we can get crafty with our own homemade decorations to make our display the envy of the whole street.
Mum-of-two Keri Ackling and her husband Tom Baker, who founded Snow Windows, have brought festive cheer to countless high street shop fronts from Costa to Harvey Nichols, and celebrity homes like I'm a Celeb star Chris Moyles’ and chef Jamie Oliver’s.
“Shop windows aren’t just a decoration, they’re an experience,” says Keri. “This year, stores are sticking to tradition to give us that warm nostalgic feeling, and we can do it too. All you need is a bit of imagination.”
Here, Keri shares her top ten DIY Christmas decorations to make your windows stand out from the crowd - and your kids will love them too.
Paper plate lollipops
Gather your party paper plates - this sweety-style creation will make your front window look like the North Pole. Use a cardboard wrapping paper roll as the stick, cutting out the bottom to create a sturdy base.
“Glue or staple paper plates together, face-to-face, to create a 3D lollipop head,” says Keri. “Then go wild with festive-coloured markers, paint and some cling film to create a wrapped effect.
“Red and white triangles would look fabulous, like a candy cane. Tie off with a ribbon for a really charming finish.”
Snowman tea lights
Ditch the matches in favour of battery-powered, flameless tea lights for this sweet ornament.
“Place the tea light on its side, using the fake flame as the snowman’s nose. Use a black marker pen to add eyes and a pebbled mouth.
“Cut the end off a straw to create the top hat base and glue a square of black or coloured card behind. Finally, give your snowman a scarf by tying a length of ribbon around the sides.”
Loo roll candy
A box of Christmas chocolates is enough to make anyone’s mouth water - so imagine the effect a giant sweet would have. All you need is a few loo rolls and some wrapping paper.
“Try wrapping an old jar in brightly-coloured cellophane,” suggests Keri. “Twist each end to create a giant sweetie. Pop a battery-powered tea light inside to create a warm glow - people won’t be able to resist a peek.
“You could even get the kids to create their own sweet-wrap designs and print them out from your computer.”
Plant pot Christmas trees
Chilly weather means most are taking a break from gardening, so put your spare pots to better use.
“Upturn a few clay pots and stack them to create a Christmas tree shape. Paint the pots in your chosen colours (or distract the kids with this fun task) and pop an ornament on top,” instructs Keri. “When Christmas is over, you’ve got some colourful pots to plant your spring bulbs in.”
Wine glass snow globes
If you can spare a red wine glass or two - have a go at making your own miniature snow scene. Upturn the glass, pop some fake snow inside and add little figurines to create a mini Lapland in your front window.
“Why not add a fake tea light under the fake snow? It’ll really bring your scene to life.”
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Coat hanger snowflakes
Kids need a little supervision for this home hack.
“Grab 12 white wire hangers and lay in a circle on alternate sides (with the hooks pointing left-right-left-right and so on) to create the snowflake shape. The ends of the hangers should all point into the centre. Use little bag ties to secure the hangers together and hang from the ceiling using some fishing wire and a Command Strip.”
Cardboard snowmen
Chances are, you’ve got plenty of cardboard boxes stacked up after Christmas shopping - so put them to good use.
“This is a simple way to make a big impact in your window. Take three boxes, for example, putting the largest at the bottom and the smallest at the top to create the snowman’s body,” says Keri. “Have fun decorating the boxes with felt tip pens. Grab a carrot from the kitchen and make a perfect pointy nose with a giant pencil sharpener, then stick it in place.”
Washcloth reindeer
Dig out your old square Tupperware pots and worn out flannels - this easy crafting trick creates the sweetest reindeer.
“If you don’t have brown flannels, just pop your old ones in the washing machine with some dye,” suggests Keri. “Wrap your flannel over a box or pot, tie it with a ribbon on the top and shape the flannel ends into ears. Then use pipe cleaners or little twigs to form antlers.”
Bauble chandeliers
Keep those Command Strips at hand - you’ll need more for this fabulous focal point.
“Head to the shed in search of a plastic hula hoop, spray paint or cover it with festive-coloured tape or ribbon, then thread some string or wire through your baubles and attach to the hula hoop, arranging them at different heights.
“You can suspend the finished product using fishing wire.”
Junk shop festive frame
Fancy antique frames are back in fashion, and you’ve probably got one in the loft.
“Carefully remove the back and any glass to leave an empty canvas - it’s best to do this bit without the kids,” says Keri. “Then use leftover ribbon to hang your favourite ornaments from the top, using sticky tape to secure.
“You could even wrap tinsel around the edge to make it really pop. Just make sure you prop the frame up somewhere safe to avoid it falling off the windowsill.”
