As decorations are hung and trees are lit, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in homes across the country. December is an enchanting time, with the magic of the approaching festive season lifting everyone’s spirits on even the coldest winter’s days. If you love Christmas as much as we do, join us as we share our tips on how to make your home more festive during this run-up to the wonderful time of the year. From Christmas craft ideas to achieving that classic seasonal scent, we’ve put together some simple ideas that will transform your home in time for the festive season. To make it easier for you to explore our Christmas inspiration guide, use the links below to access the category you’re interested in. Discover our complete guide to giving your home a Christmas makeover below.

Christmas Crafting Ideas

While there are many beautiful shop-bought Christmas decorations to be had, there’s something special about getting crafty and adding your own DIY decs to the mix. Below, we look at simple Christmas craft ideas that will add extra festive cheer to your home.

1. Make a Fallen Festive Branch

If you admire the simple and natural charm of Nordic Christmas decorations, have a go at making a festive hanger from a fallen branch. Simply pop down to your local park, find a suitable branch that’s fallen from a tree, and suspend it from your ceiling or walls using twine and hooks. You can then hang baubles and other decorations, or paint it white for that extra wintry touch.

2. Dress Up a DIY Door Wreath

Many of us hang a wreath on our door at Christmas, but shop-bought ones can be quite expensive. Instead, make your own using a wire wreath ring, which you’ll find in most craft shops or online. Whether you head to the florist or forage for bits and pieces in your local country park, designing and making your own wreath will put a smile on your face every time you head up the garden path towards your front door, and make Christmas that little bit more special and personal. Here’s a video guide on how it’s done. scent guide banner

3. Create Your Own Christmas Tree Topper

No Christmas tree is complete without a topper perched on the topmost branch. Usually, an angel, fairy or star take pride of place at the top of the tree, but if you’re looking for something unique and special to you, why not make your own tree topper? There are loads of ideas out there on how to make a DIY topper for your Christmas tree, so be adventurous and create something truly original. If you’re struggling for ideas, we like this angel tree topper made from 100% recycled materials.

Festive Lighting Tips

Christmas is all about setting a cosy, comfortable and warm tone, and light is key to this. Ditch harsh ceiling lights for candles and lamps that create inviting pools of light around your home, and you’ll be on your way to festive perfection. Here, we offer some practical tips for nailing Christmas lighting.

4. Candles, candles and more candles

There’s something innately festive about the guttering glow of a candle, so the more you can safely light-up around your home, the better. Place candles and tea lights in corners and recesses to create warm caves of light that create the pinnacle of festive cosiness. You can find out more about the power of candlelight in our guide to achieving Danish hygge in your home.

5. Fairy lights

Nothing says Christmas like fairy lights. Wherever you drape these twinkling strings around your home, you’ll enjoy extra festive sparkle and magic. There’s all sorts of different fairy lights available, but we prefer the warm white variety which helps to continue the cosy theme. String a few sets up around your home or add them to glass hurricane vases for a glowing centrepiece. However you choose to display your festive fairy lights, just remember to stock up on AA batteries ¬– you’ll certainly be needing them throughout the festive period.

6. Intertwine lights with plants and garlands

Christmas trees aren’t the only greenery that merit a little festive sparkle. If you have houseplants, why not add some string lights to the foliage to enhance them with a magical festive glow? Intertwining fairy lights with plants make for unique Christmas showpieces, and it’s also a great way of adding more interest to festive garlands and wreaths.

Extra Festive Magic for Youngsters

Christmas is a magical time for kids, with the festive countdown bringing countless opportunities for seasonal wonder and joy. If you’re keen to immerse your little ones in the enchantment and spirit of Christmas, here are some charming ways to add a little more festive magic to your home.

7. Add Father Christmas Tracks Around the House

Once the kids are safely tucked up in bed on Christmas Eve, it’s time to get crafty and make it look like ol’ Saint Nick came visiting in the night. Start by adding glittery footprints from the chimney to the tree, made more realistic with flecks of fake snow from his boots. Then, sprinkle a little fairy dust on to their main presents, to better show that they’ve been flown in specially from the North Pole. Complete the setup with a Christmas card, written in your fanciest handwriting using a gold pen worthy of the big guy in the suit.

8. Make Special Advent Calendars for Little Ones

Shop-bought advent calendars containing cheap chocolates no longer cut the mustard when it comes to making the Christmas countdown special for kids. Instead, why not make a custom version, filled with little treats you know your children will really love?

9. Encourage Christmas Crafting

Get the kids away from all the festive films on TV by encouraging them to make their own Christmas decorations, whether for the tree, the walls or the garden. Crafting is an affordable way of distracting your kids from the consumerist side of Christmas, while making keepsakes that are personal and unique, adding to the special magic of the season.

Parks Seasonal Scent Inspiration

One of the easiest ways to add extra festive feels to your home is by introducing classic Christmas fragrances in the form of a luxury scented candle. From cinnamon and clove to frankincense and myrrh, some scents have come to embody the magic of Christmas. Below, we share three of our favourite festive scents for infusing your home with extra seasonal cheer.

10. By the Fire Winter Wonders Candle

Recreating the enchantment of a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night, our By the Fire Candle will transform your home with its blend of birch, cedarwood, oakmoss and spiced patchouli. This medley of naturally-derived ingredients combines to create a warm and smoky blend, lifting your spirits on even the coldest of festive nights.

11. Frankincense Winter Wonders Candle

Frankincense is a classic festive fragrance, made famous, of course, by the Three Wise Men of the biblical nativity story. A natural resin, frankincense produces a smooth citrus and spice fragrance, and is renowned for its relaxation-promoting properties. Our Frankincense Winter Wonders Candle is made from 100% natural wax, for true and long-lasting fragrance throughout the Christmas celebrations.

12. Frosted Berries Winter Wonders Candle

The warming festive fruit fragrance of our Frosted Berries Candle is derived from a melange of fruity ingredients, a festive blend of blackberries, sloes and red currants, with a generous pinch of allspice, and essential oils of cinnamon and nutmeg. For more Christmas inspiration and special seasonal gift buying guides, check out the rest of the Parks blog. Alternatively, to browse our collection of candles and home fragrance gifts, visit the homepage.