

As Winter creeps nearer, the urge to hibernate is beginning to kick in and we’re spending more and more time indoors. This creates the perfect opportunity to transform your space into a cosy, festive haven so that all this time inside feels like a treat rather than a chore. Here we’ve put together some tips on how to give your home that seasonal sparkle to help you embrace those Winter feels and find new joy in staying in.

invite the outside in
The shift in natural energy is powerful during the turn of the season, and so usually we recommend finding ways to spend time outside while these changes are occurring to help sync your personal energy in line with the natural world. However, with the Winter weather cold and uninviting, we understand time outside might be harder to manage this Solstice. Instead, look for ways to merge elements of the external landscape into your internal space.
The leaves may be gone from the trees, but this simply allows us to appreciate the elegant glamour of the trees in their exposed form. Harness this appreciation by gathering discarded twigs and branches, whilst also looking out for plants which blossom in wintry conditions, and incorporate them into homemade wreaths.
Turn this into a craft activity to share with others by inviting friends round to join you, or attend a workshop. It can be easy to feel isolated during the Winter months, so it helps to look for new, fun ways to create social opportunities.
homemade decorations
Wreaths aren’t the only crafty decoration that can be made with your foraged bits and pieces – take any leftovers and turn them into seasonal centrepieces. Simply fill a jar or vase with cut-offs and pad out with pinecones for an easy but effective make, or take it one step further by decorating the vase as well. This can be done by coating empty wine bottles in white primer, leaving them to dry and then spraying with adhesive and rubbing them in Epsom salts. This creates a gorgeous, snow-covered effect vase which can then be topped up with winter branches. Group a few of these together, and sprinkle pinecones and twigs on the surface area around them to create a whole display.
Another classic homemade item to celebrates the winter elements is paper snowflakes. These are so simple, yet offer so much scope for creativity; you can either devise your own patterns, or find templates online. If you want to add a touch of vibrance, intersperse classic white snowflakes with some made from patterned craft papers, or festive wrapping paper.

seasonal scents
Winter has some very distinctive smells which bring an instant atmosphere of seasonal cheer and cosiness to your surroundings: think mulled wine, fir trees, log fires and berries. Indulge in some sumptuous seasonally scented candles to scatter around your home, or get crafty once more by mixing together some pot pourri – cinnamon sticks, dried orange and apple slices, cloves and star anise thrown together will give off that desired Winter aroma. Pop the mix into decorative bowls and you’re all set.

sparkle
How better to raise your energy than to cover your home in a bit of seasonal sparkle? Twinkling fairy lights don’t have to be confined to your tree – drape them along mantelpieces or hang them around picture frames and mirrors, and even bring them out into the garden and drape into any bushes or plants (battery/ solar powered LED lights can be used for this). Similarly, tinsel and baubles also work well outside of the confines of your tree – hang baubles at intervals along your lights, and drape tinsel along surface edges and around the bottom of your decorative vase displays to add that little extra pep to your winter-themed interior. For maximum sparkle, bling up your wreaths and centrepieces with spray-on glitter.
share your space
Once you have your home looking as inviting, cosy and sparkly as you desire, you’ll be dying to show it off! Just because you might not feel much like leaving your house during Winter, this doesn’t mean you can’t still socialise. Why not invite some friends round for cocktails and canapes? Winter may be stark in many ways, but it also encourages indulgence – embrace this! Alternatively, try organising a games night, or a pot luck dinner. There is nothing more invigorating than filling your home with loved ones, and evening get-togethers are great for reminding you of all the special people which you are grateful to have in your life.
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