Christmas Entertaining

Christmas is a time to entertain, catch up with friends and relations, to celebrate and forget the problems of day to day living. It’s also a time for bells, baubles, glitter and glamour.

Prepare now for a relaxed and happy Christmas.

Even the smallest garden can be glamourous. Highlight your trees and shrubs with the tracery of tiny solar powered Christmas lights and turn your garden into a nightime fairyland.

The sound of running water is always relaxing. If you don’t have space for a pond or fountain, a tiny pump installed into a large ceramic bowl, half a whiskey barrel or chinese water jar filled with water adds the delightful sound of splashing water.

If you want to make it prettier, some floating waterlillies are fun and very inexpensive. Make sure that the power cord goes directly into the powerpoint under cover. Never use an extension lead that could get wet if it rains.

Give your outdoor table setting a new lease of life with new cushions. Water resistant cushions are available now in pretty colours and patterns. Perhaps it is time for a new look. There are some beautiful outdoor tables and chairs to choose from, timber, mosaic, glass, wrought iron and aluminium tables all add character and charm.

Candles always add a touch of romance, and scented or citronella candles will help to keep the mosquitoes away. Sit them on the table in glass hurricane jars or hang them in lanterns, there are lanterns in every style to choose from.

Herbs near the BBQ look good, and are a great bonus for the chef. Tins decorated with Christmas designs add to the atmosphere and make great containers for planting herbs.

If you are short of cooling space in the fridge invest in a 40L scarlet garden tub and fill it with ice. It will always come in useful later in the garden.

Red is the colour of Christmas and scarlet poinsettias make the perfect table centrepiece, surround them with small silver timber tabletop trees, scattered frangipani flowers and scarlet reindeer.

A bunch of fragrant white Christmas lillies put into a festive pot look great in the living room. Be very careful not get the orange pollen onto your clothes or tablecloths though as the stain is very hard to remove.

The centrepiece is always the Christmas tree. Try to put it where it can be seen through a window, using the lights to highlight the shimmering tinsel and shiny glass balls to give a warm welcome glow to your home. Don’t forget the holly wreath on the front door for that extra welcoming touch!

Now that you have done all this why not sit back and relax in a hanging basket-chair in the sun.