0:00:02 > 0:00:06As a working mother, I simultaneously long for and dread Christmas.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08There's always so much to do and so little time.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12MUSIC: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
0:00:13 > 0:00:16I'm Alex Polizzi, hotelier and businesswoman.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19And I'm inviting you into my own home as I look for ways
0:00:19 > 0:00:21to transform it for Christmas.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Like all of us, I have my own traditions,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28but I'm no queen of craft.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31This year is my baby son's first Christmas,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33so I'm searching out quick, inspirational ways
0:00:33 > 0:00:36to create something extra special.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41- I love it.- Oh, no, it's very restrained! I mean, come on.
0:00:41 > 0:00:42I want a Christmas fix.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47So I'm asking for help from the people who set the gold standard for festive display.
0:00:49 > 0:00:50'From present wrapping...'
0:00:50 > 0:00:53It's not looking great. It's looking awful.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57'..to setting the table and lighting.'
0:00:57 > 0:00:58I bring you Christmas!
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Inspired by their five-star methods,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07I'm elevating my decor from standard to spectacular.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08And you can, too.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13I'll share easy, surprisingly inexpensive styling tips.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16The humble paperclip - the most useful decorating tool
0:01:16 > 0:01:19in my extensive armoury.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I'll discover that by shopping smartly
0:01:22 > 0:01:25and by using things you already own
0:01:25 > 0:01:29it's possible to decorate your home to the most exacting standards
0:01:29 > 0:01:31without breaking the bank... or your back.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47I'm preparing my home for my family and guests this Christmas.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Never mind about the food and drink,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55for me it's all about setting the scene for gorgeous festivities.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Which means luxurious embellishment from top to toe.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05I want the Christmas excitement to begin at the doorway,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09where I want to create a warm welcome for my guests.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Inside, I'm also looking for a way to make my banisters festive.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18In the living room, a beautifully dressed tree is the bare minimum.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21But this year I'm hoping to sprinkle some decorative fairy dust
0:02:21 > 0:02:24over the rest of the room, too.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27And as we sit down to Christmas lunch,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31I'd like to create a table that will do the turkey proud.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34First things first, the outside.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Winter nights cry out for illumination and sparkle.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43I urgently need some inspiration for stylish lighting.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53I absolutely love Christmas lights.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55They make me feel as if everything's right with the world.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59I want to create this feeling at home,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and I can't think of anyone better to inspire me
0:03:02 > 0:03:05than the people who turn our streets into a sparkling wonderland.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11But creating this gorgeousness is as much about practicality
0:03:11 > 0:03:12as prettiness.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16The team at James Glancy Designs work through the night for weeks
0:03:16 > 0:03:20in the run-up to Christmas in order to scatter our streets with magic.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Yeah, down a bit. Yeah.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24Right. Down your end.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27There, gorgeous.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28Plug it in.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Yay! Lovely, boys. Thank you very much.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41This spectacular snow scene is one of 60 schemes
0:03:41 > 0:03:44they've installed this year.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47They're experts in the secrets of commercial lighting.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50I hope they can illuminate me about the domestic side.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55MUSIC: "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas"
0:04:00 > 0:04:04You know the old snowfall that we've got? What would be great...
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Paul Dart is creative director,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10responsible for all the company's designs.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17He lights the streets of Britain,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20and what he doesn't know about lighting isn't worth knowing.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24- Very nice to meet you.- And you, too. - Thank you so much.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Welcome to the madness of it all.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29To the cornucopia of Christmas.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Ah, you could put it like that. Yes.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35This room full of festive lights and objects past, present and future
0:04:35 > 0:04:38is Paul's ideas laboratory.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42I love this star here. It's absolutely gorgeous.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Well, that was just an idea of how you could make a star read as a star.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Is it like this all year round?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Oh, yes. Yes, no, this never changes.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Christmas comes round every year. We start in January.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57- You start in January?- As soon as it starts to come down, we start talking about next year.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00This place is packed with gorgeous things,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03which I hope will help me work out my plans at home.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07So, this is really more your sort of modernist idea of Christmas...
0:05:07 > 0:05:09- I love it!- ..using lots of colour.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12We call these su sticks but actually they're just fluorescent tubes
0:05:12 > 0:05:15with colour round them. And then we've just made a ceiling
0:05:15 > 0:05:18of just moving discs of reflective material.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22- It makes me feel very Christmassy already.- Good. Well, so it should.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23It's lovely.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Street schemes like this are a magical part of modern Christmas.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32They're a relatively recent addition to the festive landscape,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35first appearing in Britain just 60 years ago.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44The excitement in 1954 when Regent Street's first festive lights were switched on
0:05:44 > 0:05:49was so great that the House of Lords tried to sue those responsible
0:05:49 > 0:05:51for causing chaos and obstruction.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Fashions may have changed over the years
0:05:58 > 0:06:02but the magic and glitz of city centre lights remain a crucial part
0:06:02 > 0:06:05of building anticipation for Christmas.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I'm not planning on building any 12-foot snowflakes at home,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16but the problem I always have with lighting is how to fix it in place
0:06:16 > 0:06:20without covering my house in sticky tape.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Up close and personal with one of Paul's full-size designs,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26I'm going to be let in on a solution.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- Here's Romy...- Romy, hi. - ..doing the hard work
0:06:29 > 0:06:33of translating my madness into reality.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34Paul and Romy introduce me
0:06:34 > 0:06:37to their simple method of fastening anything to anything.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39- The magic of the cable tie.- Hmm!
0:06:40 > 0:06:45This plastic strap is the fixing of choice that holds all these decorations together.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Just get the end of your cable tie
0:06:47 > 0:06:51and put it through the wires of the lights. That's right. At the end.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Make sure you find the right bit of the cable tie...
0:06:53 > 0:06:55That's very important.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57And then...
0:06:57 > 0:06:58How tight?
0:06:58 > 0:07:00As... Tighter?
0:07:00 > 0:07:03- No, I think that will be just about fine.- OK.- Lovely.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Then we bring on the cutters and snip...
0:07:06 > 0:07:09And so you can snip right, right at the end?
0:07:09 > 0:07:11- Yes, because we don't want to see the cable tie.- No.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16And you need to do another 3,500 of those very quickly.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Safe, cheap and disposable,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I'm definitely adding these to my shopping list!
0:07:22 > 0:07:26But I want to pick Paul's brain for more ideas to add pizzazz
0:07:26 > 0:07:27to my home this Christmas.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30How do you start when you're planning something?
0:07:30 > 0:07:34What are you trying to create in the eyes of the viewer?
0:07:34 > 0:07:36A moment of unadulterated joy.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40I want that moment when your mum switched on your first Christmas tree
0:07:40 > 0:07:42and you had that transporting moment.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45I can still feel it now, weirdly enough,
0:07:45 > 0:07:47of... It's joy.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51- So, you do this all year round, think about Christmas.- Yeah.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53What do you do at home?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56I do an awful lot.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57Show me some pictures.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00- Well, this is the front room a few years ago.- Yes.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03And that was white on white with lots of crystal and pearl
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- and all those sort of things. - That's over the top. I love it.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08No, it's terribly... It's very restrained.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10I mean, come on.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13I mean, surely everybody does this?
0:08:13 > 0:08:15People always forget the things that you should decorate.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Always the mantelpiece, always the mirror.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21- Don't forget curtain rails. - Mantelpiece... Curtain rails. - Perfect.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- Always remember front door. - Yes, of course.- Balustrades.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- Balconies.- Fine.- Entrances.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29The key for this is actually finding your fixings.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32You need somewhere to actually fix all these things.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Christmas trees... Find the top of your cornice, put in a nail
0:08:36 > 0:08:40and wire your tree back to the wall so it can't fall forward.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- I love that idea.- Because, obviously when you're decorating it,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45you put all the decorations on the front.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48It becomes front heavy, it's likely to fall towards you.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Other trick is get a piece of ply cut
0:08:51 > 0:08:54- to the very top shape of your fireplace.- Yes.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57And that means then you can hammer, screw, staple gun...
0:08:57 > 0:09:00- Go for gold.- I love that idea.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02And put something heavy on it to stop the whole lot falling forward.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05And lighting is key, key, key.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08- I know. My mother, who is an absolute purist...- Yes.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12She only ever uses white lights, and so do I.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15- I think you're both right. - Oh, good! Thank you.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Paul has been completely inspiring.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24There's so many ideas that I've got now,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26I'm going home fizzing.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42I'm having to rethink my whole lighting theme
0:09:42 > 0:09:46because since seeing Paul I've realised that I've made a mistake all these years.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49I've never decorated a doorway, and it is, after all,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52the first thing my guests will see when they arrive at my house.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57I've seen lots of natural-looking decorations around,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01so I'm having a go at constructing an illuminated branch to hang in my porch.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05I have some battery-operated lighting
0:10:05 > 0:10:07and I'm going to cable-tie it onto this rather fine twig.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10The better the twig, the better the end effect.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Battery lights are the Christmas decorator's best friend -
0:10:14 > 0:10:17I don't have to run a cable through my letter box
0:10:17 > 0:10:19or work out how to power them.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22You can buy sets with cable of almost any colour.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25I'm using black, so it blends into the branch.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30So, I am attaching the battery-operated light
0:10:30 > 0:10:32with some black cable ties.
0:10:32 > 0:10:33Very secure.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Paul's favourite cable ties,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41like everything I'm using here, are inexpensive and easy to source.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45You can get them all from DIY stores or a stationer's.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49The humble paperclip, the most useful decorating tool
0:10:49 > 0:10:51in my extensive armoury.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Not really. I mean, this is the only thing I ever use.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58It's a quick and easy way to attach any Christmas decoration to anything.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04I'm adding a selection of sparkly decorations
0:11:04 > 0:11:06which will reflect the lights.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09I am far from the queen of craft.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12I'm absolutely useless at doing anything like this.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16But even I am capable of attaching a few battery-operated lights
0:11:16 > 0:11:18and some decorations to a bit of twig.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22This has taken only minutes to put together.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26And fixing it in position won't be hard either.
0:11:26 > 0:11:33I'm going to attach this with an expanding shower-curtain pole.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37I know - hardly glamorous. But highly effective.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Like...
0:11:39 > 0:11:40so!
0:11:42 > 0:11:45But this alone won't be enough for my doorway.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48This year, to really pull out the stops,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I want to have a wreath as well.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54But if, like me, you haven't got time to make one from scratch,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57it's quicker and easier to customise an artificial one.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Using pliers, cut short lengths of garden wire.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10Put a set of outdoor-rated battery lights on top of the wreath.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Adjust until you're happy with how they look.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Then wire into position, twisting and folding the ends
0:12:21 > 0:12:24so that there are no points sticking out.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Turn the wreath over
0:12:29 > 0:12:32and fasten in a hook so you can hang it up.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Then fix the battery packs in place.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Make sure you can get to the switches
0:12:38 > 0:12:40so you can turn them on and off when it's on your door.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46Thread 10cm lengths of ribbon on to baubles
0:12:46 > 0:12:48which match your colour scheme.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Tie on with a simple knot.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Repeat the process with a set of reindeer bells,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57which will jingle gently as you open your front door.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Cut rosemary or other long-lasting greenery
0:13:03 > 0:13:07into 10cm to 15cm lengths
0:13:07 > 0:13:10and tuck the cut ends into your wreath,
0:13:10 > 0:13:14making sure the tips fan out in the same direction as the berries.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22The rosemary should stay fresh for the 12 days of Christmas.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24And next year you can re-use the wreath,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27updating it by changing the colour of the baubles.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39In the dark, my homespun efforts come to life, beaming out a welcome.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44I'd like to continue this Nordic-inspired,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46red theme right through my home.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Next up is my living room.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53I think any reception room needs a couple of beautiful focal points.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56The tree and a pile of lavish presents will be the main event.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59But this year I also want to give my mantelpiece
0:13:59 > 0:14:01a bit of decorative love.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08So, in my ongoing hunt for decorating inspiration,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10I'm heading to the high street,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13to steal some of the secrets of festive display.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15MUSIC: "White Christmas"
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Shop window displays are always so enticing at Christmas.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26They really are the art of decoration at its best.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29And they do what they're supposed to, which is persuade me
0:14:29 > 0:14:32to spend, spend, spend.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35And for me, the ultimate Christmas windows are at Fortnum & Mason,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38London's oldest department store.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43Their preparation is one of retail's most closely guarded secrets.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Head of Visual Presentation, Paul Symes, and his team
0:14:47 > 0:14:50spend months planning and long nights installing them.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I'm just doing the final pieces now.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Just putting the icing on the cake,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57making sure that everything is straight, everything is clean,
0:14:57 > 0:14:58everything is perfect.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Lavish window displays like this have been parting customers
0:15:04 > 0:15:08from their Christmas cash since the 1800's,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12when the advent of expensive plate glass and street lighting
0:15:12 > 0:15:15meant that windows and streets were lit,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18making it safe for people to roam city streets at night.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Window shopping was free for all.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25For the rich, it was an opportunity
0:15:25 > 0:15:28to size up the best Christmas presents.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31For the poor, it was an intriguing insight
0:15:31 > 0:15:33into how the other half lived.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40The 1950's consumer boom saw shop windows flooded with gifts,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42toys and technology
0:15:42 > 0:15:44as big department stores vied for custom
0:15:44 > 0:15:47with the most extravagant windows.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49And that tradition continues today.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57These Christmas windows are a festive institution,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59and this year they are populated by cherubs,
0:15:59 > 0:16:04and an enticing selection of cakes, crystal and silver...
0:16:08 > 0:16:12..as well as a series of tableaux illustrating Christmas dreams.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20It's an explosion of festive decorative imagination -
0:16:20 > 0:16:23just what I need to give me ideas for my living room.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Under cover of darkness,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35I've been granted a privileged glimpse behind the scenes.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39- Hello.- Hello.- I'm Alex.- Pleased to meet you.- Thank you so much.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41It looks absolutely amazing in here.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51The inside of the store hasn't been forgotten.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Paul's team also decorates dozens of chandeliers...
0:16:57 > 0:17:00and 50 Christmas trees.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04They seem to know their way around a bauble or two.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08I'm still deciding how to dress MY tree,
0:17:08 > 0:17:10so I want to know how Paul decides on his colour scheme.
0:17:10 > 0:17:16What colours did you use last year for interest? Can you remember?
0:17:16 > 0:17:18We used a lot of gold and a lot of reds,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20- because it goes with the carpet. - Yes.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22We do tend to be more traditional. A couple of years ago
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- we did burlesque, so we had... - I remember that.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- ..female mannequins with feathers. - I remember that.- We used pinks.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30We're not always reds, golds and greens.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34You have to decorate for your, in your case, your client base,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38and in my case for the kind of family
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- that I have around me at Christmas. Yes?- Very much so.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46I'm not sure I want MY tree to look this traditional,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49but I do want to understand how to achieve
0:17:49 > 0:17:51this lavish, richly decorated look.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57Kelsey and Faye are responsible for dressing the veritable forest in the store.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Each Christmas tree is studded with more than 250 baubles,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04as well as swathes of lights and ribbon.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10You two must be Paul's ribboners. Hi, good evening.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12How many do you do of these a night?
0:18:12 > 0:18:16We've got 28 to do tonight.
0:18:16 > 0:18:17SHE GASPS
0:18:17 > 0:18:18Yeah.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Oh, my gosh. I bet you've got a double espresso inside you!
0:18:22 > 0:18:24You're going to get sick of red and gold.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28Yeah, I will, definitely.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32When it comes to dressing a tree,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35these two certainly know what they're doing.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Do you have any specific advice for me about decorating a tree
0:18:39 > 0:18:44and how you get that kind of amazing impression of the richness of a tree?
0:18:44 > 0:18:48- It's about getting depth, isn't it, with the baubles?- Yeah.
0:18:48 > 0:18:49It's about looking into the tree.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52A lot of people tend to put the baubles near the end
0:18:52 > 0:18:56- whereas you need to put the bigger ones and stuff in to get the depth.- OK.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Also it doesn't have to be baubles, it can be anything.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03You know, last year we used large acorns.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Really quite inexpensive. Fill a big space.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07- Very effective.- Yeah.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10I think it's about adding different textures as well.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13You can make it a bit more interesting.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17- What are you doing this year at home?- I haven't decided. - Have you decided?- No.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19- What did you do last year?- We'll get these out of the way.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23I did mercury silver and wood.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Oooh.
0:19:27 > 0:19:28Do you two have kids?
0:19:28 > 0:19:30BOTH: Yes
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Do you let them help you decorate the tree?
0:19:32 > 0:19:33Absolutely not!
0:19:33 > 0:19:37Yes! I am not alone on this.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39I always feel a bit mean about it, so I'm glad I'm not alone.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42You're not alone, you're not alone at all.
0:19:49 > 0:19:54My Christmas is unthinkable without a tree heaving with baubles and lights.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58But this, like so many of our festive decorating traditions,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00is a Victorian innovation.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08In 1848 Queen Victoria, her family and their Christmas tree
0:20:08 > 0:20:11appeared on the front of the London Illustrated News.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15This German custom was quickly adopted by every self-respecting family.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22The fashionable Victorian tree was decorated with flags,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24wooden toys,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27candles
0:20:27 > 0:20:28and sugared almonds.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37And every period since has stamped its own identity on the humble fir or spruce.
0:20:40 > 0:20:46Advances in mass manufacturing gave the Edwardians metallic baubles and sparkle.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51The first fake trees appeared in the 1930's
0:20:51 > 0:20:55when brush manufacturers decided to branch out.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01And cheap electricity and the petrochemical industry gave the 1960's
0:21:01 > 0:21:05the fairy light, the plastic bauble
0:21:05 > 0:21:07and tons of tinsel.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10We also went crazy for craft.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Today we can take our pick from countless fashion trends,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19from neon to Nordic,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23traditional to trendy.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26We spend in excess of £2.6 billion
0:21:26 > 0:21:29each year on decorative baubles and bling.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37MUSIC: "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm"
0:21:44 > 0:21:47At home, I'm copying Paul's traditional colour scheme
0:21:47 > 0:21:48of red and gold,
0:21:48 > 0:21:53although I'm adding some glass and silver for a more modern look.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56But even choosing the tree is problematic.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58It is part of our whole ritual.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Our family ritual at Christmas is going and choosing a tree all together.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Arguing about what size it is, managing to get it home
0:22:05 > 0:22:08without my husband's great fear of scratching the car's paintwork
0:22:08 > 0:22:12and then assembling it with muttered curses.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18This year I've chosen a rather bushy eight-foot fir.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23This is a very soft tree. This is a fir rather than a spruce,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26and although it does shed, it's a lot softer.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29So... I've got a baby crawling around the floor this year
0:22:29 > 0:22:32and I want to make sure he doesn't poke his eyes out.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33This is a good way to do it.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36I've already dressed it with lights,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39carefully winding them from the top to the base.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42I've even wound a set round the trunk in order to create sparkle
0:22:42 > 0:22:46right from the centre of the tree to its tips.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49You need way more lights than you ever think is possible.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52There are over 2,000 bulbs on this tree
0:22:52 > 0:22:54and you wouldn't believe it, would you?
0:22:54 > 0:22:57They disappear into the greenery.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Following the advice of Kelsey and Faye,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02I'm mixing up sizes and textures,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05pushing some baubles right into the middle of the tree.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10Once again, paperclips are the easiest and cheapest way
0:23:10 > 0:23:12to secure any decoration.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15And rather than splashing out on new ornaments,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17I'm just adding a few extras.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21These red baubles are the only new decorations I've bought this year.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I just bought a value pack from a supermarket -
0:23:24 > 0:23:27a lot of baubles for a very small amount of money.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Everything else are decorations that I've collected over the years
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and that I bring out with enormous affection
0:23:34 > 0:23:37and remind me of all Christmases past.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Bulking out a few expensive decorations
0:23:39 > 0:23:43with cheap shatterproof baubles is the best way to add substance
0:23:43 > 0:23:46to your tree without spending a fortune.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Because more is always more when it comes to my tree.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53I don't think you can ever put too much on a tree,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57but if you did happen to do so, you could always take some off.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00When I'm doing my tree,
0:24:00 > 0:24:04I have one in mind that I'm always trying to emulate.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07My grandmother's Christmas tree in her house
0:24:07 > 0:24:10must have been at least I would say possibly
0:24:10 > 0:24:13three times the size of this one. It was enormous.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15I was also much smaller.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19So, proportionally, it seemed amazing to me!
0:24:19 > 0:24:23And then the combination of that with, you know,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25the hundreds of presents underneath it,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28that is still my favourite Christmas memory.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33I dress my tree by eye, filling gaps as I go,
0:24:33 > 0:24:37and no-one is allowed to touch it except me.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40My daughter yesterday said, "I don't like the tree here.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42"I like it in front of the window."
0:24:42 > 0:24:44I said, "Well, that's something to look forward to, darling.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47"When you have a house all of your own, you can put a tree wherever you like.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50"But this is my house and my tree. Hands off!"
0:24:56 > 0:24:58My family might not be allowed NEAR the tree,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00but they all have a place ON it.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04A couple of years ago I invested in all these ceramic hearts
0:25:04 > 0:25:07and I wrote all the names of the current family members on.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11There've been a few additions this year with marriages and births.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17This will be my darling son's first Christmas.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Certainly, for me, Christmas is all about family,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23and it's a time to be grateful for everyone who's around you
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and it's also time to remember the ones who've gone.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34The tree's complete, but the rest of the living room looks bare.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37To elevate it to the decorative standards I've seen,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39I need to try something new.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42I have always wanted to decorate my Christmas mantelpiece
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and never been quite sure how to do it.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47But thanks to Paul Dart, whose idea I've adapted,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49I'm giving it a go this year.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54I've got a piece of plywood and I've got some matt tinsel as filler
0:25:54 > 0:25:58and I'm wiring in some rosemary, so it's going to smell delicious
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and also the real live stuff will be at the front.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I'm then going to hang some more baubles from it.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06It'll be clamped to the mantelpiece
0:26:06 > 0:26:07like so.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12And all you'll get is a lovely Christmassy effect.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Attaching it is simple.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20A couple of G clamps, bought at a DIY shop for a few pounds,
0:26:20 > 0:26:21do the trick.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Using a batten like this means I don't have to damage my mantelpiece
0:26:25 > 0:26:28with sticky tape or screws.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Once it's firmly in place, I push in rosemary to cover the tinsel
0:26:32 > 0:26:34and disguise the clamps.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38This will fragrance my home - and it looks rather pretty, too.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Tiny cup hooks hidden in the batten allow me
0:26:42 > 0:26:45to suspend some of my favourite decorations.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48You could use this method to hang stockings.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51But be careful to keep all decorations away from real fires.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55The mantelpiece itself needs light.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00This year I'm giving a nod to my Roman heritage
0:27:00 > 0:27:02with these home-made candleholders.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Buon Natale. Happy Christmas in Italian.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12I've been collecting tins for ages to have a go at this.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Making them is something quick and easy to do at home.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Take some thoroughly clean tin cans.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Print out the letters or patterns you want as a guide.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Using a dry marker, copy them onto the tins.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Wearing safety gloves to protect your hands,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40pierce holes in the tin every 5mm or so with a bradawl.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Follow the lines of your letter carefully.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Exert gentle, even pressure to avoid distorting the tin.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54You can push back any dents in the tin with your thumb.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57When complete, wipe off the remaining dry marker.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Add a candle. Use an electric version for safety,
0:28:03 > 0:28:08but if you prefer to use a real one, spoon in a centimetre of dry sand,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12which will stop the bottom of the tin heating up and marking your furniture.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Add a spoonful of scented oil,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20a lit tea light
0:28:20 > 0:28:25and these home-made decorations are complete.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29But there's one Christmas tradition I just can't get to grips with.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35The only thing I'm a bit "bah humbug" about is Christmas cards.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38I don't know how display them.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41I've thought of a million different ways and I hate all of them.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44They end up cluttering up my lovely clean mantelpiece and my house.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50But it seems I'm in the minority.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Sales of Christmas cards show no sign of slowing down.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57Last year we sent over 800 million of them.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02It's a love affair that began back in 1843
0:29:02 > 0:29:05when public servant Henry Cole commissioned
0:29:05 > 0:29:07the very first Christmas card...
0:29:07 > 0:29:10featuring a rather boozy family scene.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Looks like my kind of Christmas.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19Thanks to postal reform, Henry's card only cost a penny to post,
0:29:19 > 0:29:22but it was very much a luxury item,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24and the concept was slow to catch on.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31It took 20 years for pre-printed Christmas cards to appear on the market
0:29:31 > 0:29:34and early examples featured flowers and greenery
0:29:34 > 0:29:37rather than snow and robins.
0:29:38 > 0:29:43But by the 1870's the nation had well and truly caught the bug
0:29:43 > 0:29:48and in 1881 the Postmaster General made the first appeal
0:29:48 > 0:29:50to post early for Christmas.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Over the last 170 years
0:29:53 > 0:29:56all kinds of weird and wonderful things
0:29:56 > 0:29:58have been captured on our cards.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02We celebrated the arrival of the motor car.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06And Bleriot's 1909 flight across the Channel...
0:30:08 > 0:30:09..while the 1950's
0:30:09 > 0:30:14commemorated the appearance of the new-fangled television.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16These trends and innovations have come and gone,
0:30:16 > 0:30:19but our firm old festive favourites
0:30:19 > 0:30:23show no signs of disappearing any time soon.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26I'm willing to concede that I do find one use
0:30:26 > 0:30:29for some of my more attractive cards.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32Cutting them up to use as next year's gift tags
0:30:32 > 0:30:35is a great way to embellish any present.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37My grandfather always said that the best presents come in
0:30:37 > 0:30:41the smallest packages, and so far, he's been proved to be right for me,
0:30:41 > 0:30:46but even the meanest present can be 100% improved with clever wrapping.
0:30:47 > 0:30:52# Santa baby slip a sable under the tree for me... #
0:30:52 > 0:30:55I think I'm pretty good at wrapping,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58but I want my presents to look extra special this year,
0:30:58 > 0:31:01so I'm going to get trained up on the gold standard.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07I'm meeting the doyenne of wrapping,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10who's prepared gifts for everyone from royalty to rock stars.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13Harrods draft her in to make sure their gift wrapping
0:31:13 > 0:31:17looks immaculate, and today, Jane Means has agreed to let me in
0:31:17 > 0:31:21on the trade secrets of top-notch wrapping.
0:31:21 > 0:31:22Good morning, Jane.
0:31:22 > 0:31:23Good morning, Alex.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25- How are you?- Great, thank you.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Thank you so much for showing me how to do this,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31because I love Christmas and I'm obsessed with wrapping,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33and you are the queen.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- You've come to the right place! - OK. Where do we start?
0:31:35 > 0:31:36Boxes.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41'Jane begins by sizing up
0:31:41 > 0:31:44'and cutting her paper with mathematical precision.'
0:31:44 > 0:31:46If your scissors are really sharp,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49you should be able to just glide up the paper like that.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55'If your scissors are blunt, a few seconds spent cutting sandpaper
0:31:55 > 0:31:57'will sharpen them up nicely.'
0:31:57 > 0:32:00The key of getting professional wrapping, certainly for boxes,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02is definitely double-sided tape.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04I've never used double-sided tape.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10I'm going to pop it at a very slight angle.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15'Top of Jane's present-wrapping faux pas are visible tape
0:32:15 > 0:32:16'and unsightly seams.'
0:32:17 > 0:32:19The main thing is get it really tight,
0:32:19 > 0:32:23and get that seam right on the edge.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29That's not quite at the edge.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31It's looking great.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41These are quite big flaps. Would you fold them over?
0:32:41 > 0:32:46Yep. A great little tip is to bring the flat part up here,
0:32:46 > 0:32:48right at the middle of that little V.
0:32:48 > 0:32:49It's easy to fold the paper back,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52and then I've got a nice little line to work with,
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and I just folder it under.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Hopefully, what will happen is you get it perfectly matching.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Ooh, look how pretty that is!
0:33:01 > 0:33:05I'm the kind of person who usually wraps with a glass of wine in them.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10But actually it's probably a good idea to be stone cold sober,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13when you're doing it at this level.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15'Once the ends are expertly folded
0:33:15 > 0:33:19'and ready to stick down, Jane has a great way of using up remnants
0:33:19 > 0:33:21'of her favourite paper
0:33:21 > 0:33:25'to give her presents an inexpensive luxury twist.'
0:33:25 > 0:33:27Bring the sides up, stick them down.
0:33:30 > 0:33:36'Great ingenuity, but perhaps a sophistication too far for me.'
0:33:36 > 0:33:38It's looking great.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43Well, for a first go! I'm sure I'll improve!
0:33:43 > 0:33:46'Jane advises using plain coloured paper,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48'which can be used for any occasion,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51'but she never compromises
0:33:51 > 0:33:54'on the quality of her ribbon and embellishments.'
0:33:54 > 0:33:56You make it look so easy.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58I try.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01OK, now, something we all dread is a bottle,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04- and I know you've got one there for me.- Yeah.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06I wouldn't know where to start.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09'For awkward shapes like bottles,
0:34:09 > 0:34:13'Jane uses a combination of tissue paper and cellophane,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16'which gives flexibility and strength.'
0:34:16 > 0:34:19It's not just a case of, let's just chuck it round the bottle
0:34:19 > 0:34:22and hope for the best. It's a bit more formal than that.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25So, I'm bringing the wrapping up like that,
0:34:25 > 0:34:28you're going to pull it up and actually bring it in
0:34:28 > 0:34:29to the bottle.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33And I'm grabbing onto the bottle so it doesn't move.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36But all the time, you need to keep pulling it up
0:34:36 > 0:34:37so you get a bit of tension.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42You've gone quiet - you're worrying me.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45How do you get the bottom bit in there?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47I can't work out how to do it at all.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49I can't seem to get it from the bottom bit.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52You've got to be quite brutal, and the great thing is
0:34:52 > 0:34:55because you've got cellophane, you can give it a good tug.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00- It's looking great.- It's not looking great - it's looking awful!
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Testing, testing. Gosh.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20OK, I'm ready to fail at yet another hurdle.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Never let it be said that I'm afraid of making a fool of myself.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26The tin. I don't know what we're wrapping today.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Plums. Delicious.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34'For round shapes like this, Jane starts by creating
0:35:34 > 0:35:38'a cylinder of tissue paper, this time without the cellophane.'
0:35:38 > 0:35:43All I'm going to do is just very casually fold one end in,
0:35:43 > 0:35:46a bit like you would with the side of a box.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Swing the sides in.
0:35:48 > 0:35:49And just sit it up.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53Key factor is, you've always got to start with the bit underneath
0:35:53 > 0:35:55because you've got this slight overlap of wrapping.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Try and get used to using your hands like a pair of pincers
0:35:59 > 0:36:04and just start grabbing the wrapping and pulling it into the middle.
0:36:04 > 0:36:09I always keep my nail in the centre of the tin and every pleat
0:36:09 > 0:36:12that I'm pulling will go sort of halfway over my nail.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Then you keep absolutely central and it's just getting the tension right.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21That's it. It looks great!
0:36:21 > 0:36:23More luck than judgement.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31'A little trim and a nifty bit of double-sided tape on the last pleat
0:36:31 > 0:36:34'neatly completes the first side of our tin.'
0:36:34 > 0:36:37And then it's a case of whizzing it over
0:36:37 > 0:36:40and doing exactly the same with the other side.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46About how many presents can you wrap an hour?
0:36:46 > 0:36:49The larger the item, the longer it'll take.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53I would say on average, I'm probably looking at seven to eight in an hour.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56That's all shapes, all sizes, a mixture of everything.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58And how many hours can you do that for?
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Christmastime, I'm working up to 18 hours a day.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03I hope you have a break for lunch.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06- Gosh, darling.- On the go.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08OK, so that's not very tidy.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12'The great thing is you can always cover any imperfections
0:37:12 > 0:37:14'with a ribbon.'
0:37:14 > 0:37:16So, you stick this on the bottom side?
0:37:16 > 0:37:20On the bottom, and I tend to line it up with the finishing end
0:37:20 > 0:37:22so it covers that seam up.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Like that, turn it around
0:37:25 > 0:37:30and then we'll finish off with just a really simple bow.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Acceptable?
0:37:37 > 0:37:38Marvellous. You're hired!
0:37:38 > 0:37:42Good, things are getting better, things are looking up.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Thank you so much, Jane, that's really fun.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50What I've taken away from this
0:37:50 > 0:37:54is that I'm going to add a lot more to my wrapping.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56I already love wrapping, I thought I was good at it,
0:37:56 > 0:37:59but I can be better, and this Christmas I shall be.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Wrapping the perfect Christmas parcel is one thing, but I know
0:38:07 > 0:38:12that for my children, it's the gift inside that's all-important.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14What do you want for Christmas?
0:38:14 > 0:38:18A new bike and a pencil sharpener and a new Rupert book.
0:38:20 > 0:38:25Christmas without Santa is inconceivable for our children,
0:38:25 > 0:38:27but before Victorian times,
0:38:27 > 0:38:31the 25th of December was a working day like any other,
0:38:31 > 0:38:33and the concept of giving gifts at Christmas
0:38:33 > 0:38:36was a rarity rather than the norm.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40The first children to enjoy this luxury were lucky to get
0:38:40 > 0:38:42one hand-crafted present,
0:38:42 > 0:38:47and their porcelain doll or tin soldier wouldn't have been wrapped.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51Fast forward 50 years and pester power was born,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54with the first adverts aimed squarely at children.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00These were followed by an avalanche of cheaper toys
0:39:00 > 0:39:03to feed these new baby-faced consumers.
0:39:05 > 0:39:11And the rest is history - the type of toys at the top of Santa's list
0:39:11 > 0:39:15may have evolved over the years, but the biggest change is quantity.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20The Victorians' single gift has grown into dozens,
0:39:20 > 0:39:24and we now spend an average of £312 per child.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Although it's not always the most expensive presents
0:39:28 > 0:39:30that make the biggest impression.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34When I was a kid, stockings were always the highlight of the affair
0:39:34 > 0:39:38because it's so nice to get lots of odds and sods that you really want.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Anything with my name on it I particularly loved,
0:39:40 > 0:39:42pencils, pencil cases.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45I do exactly the same for my children now.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48I quite like wrapping presents for my children,
0:39:48 > 0:39:53but certainly everything I was taught about wrapping
0:39:53 > 0:39:55goes completely out of the window.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57I haven't got time to make my presents
0:39:57 > 0:39:59look as perfect as Jane Means',
0:39:59 > 0:40:01and in any case I'm not sure
0:40:01 > 0:40:04my children would appreciate the effort.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06It is volume and it's small, fiddly things,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09and I know that as soon as they unwrap it they're going to be
0:40:09 > 0:40:12onto the next thing, so I don't let it bother me too much.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17But I have taken Jane's advice about paper on board.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20I've bought masses of gold wrapping paper.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23I'm accessorising with quality ribbon
0:40:23 > 0:40:25in a variety of bright colours.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30I do like Jane's thing of adding little bells and stuff to it.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34I've got some candy canes and I've got some little tiny baubles.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36It's a nice addition.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39But there's one object I'm wrapping
0:40:39 > 0:40:42where I'm going to follow Jane's advice to the letter.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44I'm determined to perfect my bottle-wrapping technique.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48There certainly is something in me which doesn't like to be
0:40:48 > 0:40:51beaten by anything, I would say,
0:40:51 > 0:40:53certainly not by wrapping paper.
0:40:55 > 0:41:00I would not describe this as easy. But, it's a life lesson!
0:41:07 > 0:41:09And I'm pleased to report
0:41:09 > 0:41:12that this is one thing that does get easier with practice.
0:41:15 > 0:41:16There we go.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20What do you think?
0:41:21 > 0:41:25It's not bad. It's better than a bottle bag, isn't it?
0:41:33 > 0:41:37I'm really rather pleased with my tree and pile of presents.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40What could be more tempting on Christmas morning?
0:41:40 > 0:41:44No Christmas is complete without Christmas dinner.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49And no decorating scheme is finished without a gorgeous table.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51We all want to amaze and delight our guests,
0:41:51 > 0:41:55and in my dining room I'd like my table to have real wow factor.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59And who better to take inspiration from
0:41:59 > 0:42:02than some of the best party planners on the planet?
0:42:06 > 0:42:10Rob Hornsby and Sam Haslam create spectacular festive scenes
0:42:10 > 0:42:14and stunning table settings.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16We need snow!
0:42:16 > 0:42:19Today, they're creating a magical winter wonderland
0:42:19 > 0:42:24for over 150 party goers at the historic Royal Courts of Justice -
0:42:24 > 0:42:28just one of 19 style-packed parties they'll be hosting this season.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36Rob and Sam's parties can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39But I'm hoping to bottle some of their decorative imagination
0:42:39 > 0:42:43and transform my dining room on a more domestic budget.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Oooh, hi!
0:42:48 > 0:42:50This is Bespoke Events London's HQ,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53packed with creative director Rob's most high fashion,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56high concept Christmas decorating trends.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00This is where the magic happens.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03I've never seen anything like that. I love it.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07These amazing centrepieces
0:43:07 > 0:43:10will feature at many a five-star Christmas party this year.
0:43:13 > 0:43:19Rob takes his inspiration from the latest couture fashion collections.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22There seem to be two very distinct trends here.
0:43:22 > 0:43:26One is very, very bright and one is very, very clean and white.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29Yeah. You've got to cater to your white minimalists
0:43:29 > 0:43:31who love the snow and the sparkle,
0:43:31 > 0:43:33you've got to cater to your traditionalists,
0:43:33 > 0:43:36which love a little bit of colour and romance,
0:43:36 > 0:43:40the blue pine greenery, etc etc, gold and red.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43I'm a traditionalist and I love the weeping willow,
0:43:43 > 0:43:46and I love the gold and silver foliage.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48I've never seen gold and silver together like that.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50I really think it's beautiful.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53I think that's kind of a new look this year, it's more natural.
0:43:53 > 0:43:54That's stunning.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58I can't say that I would necessarily go to quite the same extent,
0:43:58 > 0:44:00but I do want to make sure this year that I don't just pull out
0:44:00 > 0:44:04all the same schlock and I give it a really definite theme this year.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12I'm hoping I can copy some of Rob and Sam's ideas
0:44:12 > 0:44:14for my Christmas table.
0:44:14 > 0:44:18So this is one of the set-ups we have for a client.
0:44:19 > 0:44:24They're letting me in on the secrets of creating a high impact look.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26As you can see, the large centrepiece is ready to go.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29- Beautiful.- Rob's creation here.
0:44:29 > 0:44:33Rob's stunning centrepiece chimes with the natural,
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Nordic style I'm going for at home.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39I like it because you can still see round it.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43I always worry when you have stuff in the middle of the table...
0:44:43 > 0:44:44You can't see Auntie Joan.
0:44:44 > 0:44:46Yeah! That would be awful.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49The theme of the centrepiece informs the other elements
0:44:49 > 0:44:51Rob and Sam bring to the table.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54Their attention to detail stretches
0:44:54 > 0:44:58to special bubble-edged glass plates.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00I will do the thumb test now.
0:45:00 > 0:45:01What is the thumb test?
0:45:01 > 0:45:03- Just make sure that everything is... - Oh, I see.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06..done as it should be.
0:45:06 > 0:45:07One thumb apart.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10While Rob arranges a pile of artificial snow
0:45:10 > 0:45:13around his centrepiece, Sam and I start to lay up the table,
0:45:13 > 0:45:17but I'm beginning to wonder how do-able this is at home -
0:45:17 > 0:45:19where's the turkey going to go?
0:45:19 > 0:45:22How practical do you have to be, or do you not care?
0:45:22 > 0:45:26Well, I think events in general are quite sort of whimsical.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28How many tables do you have a snow drift in?
0:45:28 > 0:45:32So it's quite nice to have the occasional knife in the snow drift.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34Practicality goes out the window with me.
0:45:34 > 0:45:37He pulls me back on the practicality.
0:45:37 > 0:45:38They've dodged the question,
0:45:38 > 0:45:42but I suppose I can always carve my turkey in the kitchen.
0:45:44 > 0:45:45Is this going your way?
0:45:45 > 0:45:49Very much my way, right up my strasse!
0:45:49 > 0:45:51It does start looking very pretty.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54# Sleigh bells ring
0:45:54 > 0:45:56# Are you listening?
0:45:56 > 0:45:57# In the lane
0:45:57 > 0:46:00# Snow's glistening. #
0:46:00 > 0:46:02Just fit that at the bottom there.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06The intricate layering of Rob's vision continues
0:46:06 > 0:46:09right up to the final health and safety approved touch of romance.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13Battery-operated nightlights placed into snow-filled baubles.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15# He's singing a song
0:46:15 > 0:46:17# As we go along
0:46:17 > 0:46:19# Walking in a winter wonderland. #
0:46:19 > 0:46:23I love this table because it's kind of witty.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26I like the one red and the one red,
0:46:26 > 0:46:31the natural wood and then the bark napkins.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33It is quite nice to challenge the parameters a bit.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36We all get a little bit stuck in our ways.
0:46:36 > 0:46:41It is very over the top, for sure, but people can take elements of it
0:46:41 > 0:46:44and shrink it down to their own personal choice.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47I want to move the goal posts.
0:46:47 > 0:46:52I want it to be bigger, better, more this year, so thank you very much.
0:46:52 > 0:46:54You're welcome.
0:46:57 > 0:46:58I know I keep saying this,
0:46:58 > 0:47:01but to meet people who have such high standards
0:47:01 > 0:47:05in luxury and exceptional taste is really inspiring me
0:47:05 > 0:47:07to pick up my game this Christmas.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15So, my table has to be faultless.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18I want to translate Rob and Sam's vision
0:47:18 > 0:47:21into something more practical and domestic.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23And this means starting with a good base.
0:47:23 > 0:47:27A folded cloth fixed down with waiter's clamps.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29If you don't have a base to your tablecloth,
0:47:29 > 0:47:31the tablecloth is likely to move,
0:47:31 > 0:47:33and the last thing you want is a drunken guest
0:47:33 > 0:47:35accidentally tugging on a bit of tablecloth
0:47:35 > 0:47:39and all your precious ware tumbling to the floor.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Next up is the tablecloth.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46I never use anything but white.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48It reflects light onto your guests' faces
0:47:48 > 0:47:52and provides the most flattering backdrop for your food.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56I really do like things absolutely crease-free.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59So I am going to get a damp cloth
0:47:59 > 0:48:02and a hot iron and just get rid of the last few creases.
0:48:06 > 0:48:10Call me obsessive, but I do like everything to be just so.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13If you're going to go to the effort to decorate your table,
0:48:13 > 0:48:17you might as well make sure it's correct in every detail.
0:48:19 > 0:48:24And there are no excuses for dirty or smudged cutlery and glassware.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26I've picked up a few secret tips
0:48:26 > 0:48:29for quick cleaning from my hotel background.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33First up - a no-nonsense way to remove tarnish from silver.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39Line a bowl with silver paper, aluminium foil.
0:48:42 > 0:48:47This is a trick my grandmother showed me. It works really well.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50Put a dessert spoon of salt into the bowl...
0:48:53 > 0:48:55..and then some hot water.
0:48:58 > 0:49:03Pop your cutlery in, and wait for the magic to work.
0:49:03 > 0:49:08This polishes up solid silver and silver plate.
0:49:08 > 0:49:13I have no idea about the chemical reasons that this works,
0:49:13 > 0:49:14it just does - that's enough for me.
0:49:18 > 0:49:19Et voila!
0:49:19 > 0:49:24Look at the difference between these two spoons. It took seconds.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30For stainless steel, dip a cloth in olive oil
0:49:30 > 0:49:32and wipe over your cutlery.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36Dishwashers seem to leave a lot of residue on stainless steel,
0:49:36 > 0:49:39and this is a way to make sure it always looks lovely.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43The oil removes streaks and a final wipe with vinegar will polish it up.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47Last but not least, the glassware.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50Again, continual washing in a dishwasher tends to leave
0:49:50 > 0:49:53those horrible streaky marks that are incredibly hard to get rid of.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55No longer. Bicarbonate of soda,
0:49:55 > 0:50:01a little bit of water...get rid of even the most stubborn stains.
0:50:01 > 0:50:06Make a thick paste, wipe it on, and use it to scour away the smears.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09It's a bit fiddly, but it really does work.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14It's worth it for special occasions like Christmas.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Look how lovely and clean that is.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20That's a glass to be proud of on one's table.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28But you can never have enough glitz,
0:50:28 > 0:50:31so I'm using silver-plated chargers on my table.
0:50:36 > 0:50:41These will give a bit of extra sparkle to my guests' faces,
0:50:41 > 0:50:45and also, I don't know, it looks special, doesn't it?
0:50:45 > 0:50:51Rob and Sam's attention to detail has inspired me to make sure
0:50:51 > 0:50:56that everything I put on the table ties into my glitzy theme.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05I use everything on this table year-round.
0:51:05 > 0:51:08I haven't bought anything especially for Christmas.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11I don't see the point of having plates
0:51:11 > 0:51:15that you can only use one day out of 365.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20But to elevate this table to a truly festive level,
0:51:20 > 0:51:24as Rob and Sam showed me, it's all about a centrepiece.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27Their versions were rather too over the top
0:51:27 > 0:51:31for a family Christmas at home, so I've done my version.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35I'm using a garden urn, which goes on top of one of my charger plates.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38I start by dressing the base with some moss.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41This is reindeer moss, and it comes dried.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44I bought it from Covent Garden Flower Market,
0:51:44 > 0:51:46but you can get it from any florist.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49This is about as tough as I would make it for myself.
0:51:49 > 0:51:52I am not a make-doer. I can't sew.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54I can only just about cook,
0:51:54 > 0:51:58but I do like things looking pretty.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00I've scaled back Rob and Sam's tree
0:52:00 > 0:52:04to a more manageable branch cut from the garden.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06You could spray it white, but I chose not to.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08I quite like it au naturel.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12I prop the twig in place with some gravel.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15Do not make the mistake of putting the gravel in first
0:52:15 > 0:52:17and then trying to dig this in,
0:52:17 > 0:52:21because it is impossible and it won't be very well-supported.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23And don't use soil or sand,
0:52:23 > 0:52:27unless you fancy your centrepiece toppling on to your guests.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31Then I'll finish off with a little bit of moss in the top.
0:52:31 > 0:52:32A-ha. Perfect.
0:52:37 > 0:52:43Before adding the final decorations, I put the centrepiece in position.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47All I have to do is hang a few more baubles and nightlights
0:52:47 > 0:52:50and I'll be done.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55More red here connects my table with the decorations
0:52:55 > 0:52:57I've used elsewhere in the house.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00Suspended tealights add sparkle,
0:53:00 > 0:53:03and the tiny baubles will bounce the light around.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05I'm really happy with this.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09It's an easy, easy way to add wow to your table.
0:53:09 > 0:53:13And it's been so quick to do, I'm amazed.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17A second centrepiece balances things out beautifully.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19I think I've captured all the drama
0:53:19 > 0:53:22of Rob and Sam's winter wonderland centrepiece
0:53:22 > 0:53:26while taming it into something that sits comfortably in my dining room.
0:53:26 > 0:53:31I still need to get all the places completely perfect.
0:53:31 > 0:53:32However...
0:53:34 > 0:53:36..it's starting to look lovely.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45And I want dinner to go with a real bang.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49I love crackers - the more colourful and bling the better,
0:53:49 > 0:53:52so here's an idea for customising shop-bought sets.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55Buy a cheap, but attractive, set of crackers.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58The quality of the gifts inside isn't important,
0:53:58 > 0:54:00so don't splash out.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03Alternatively, you can buy empty ones.
0:54:03 > 0:54:08Gently open up one end, being careful not to rip the outside.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11Tip out the hat, gift and joke.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15Fold and insert a new hat, which might actually make it
0:54:15 > 0:54:20through Christmas dinner, and add a suitable small gift.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24For children, put in their favourite sweets or a small toy.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28For adults, add a tiny bottle of something warming
0:54:28 > 0:54:33and festive or a small sample bottle of perfume.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36Slipping in a lottery ticket will give my guests a slim
0:54:36 > 0:54:39but exciting chance of a Christmas windfall.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43To make sure that the right gifts go to the right guests,
0:54:43 > 0:54:47add a name tag and thread onto a length of ribbon, along with
0:54:47 > 0:54:53a decoration, which they can take away and add to their own trees.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55Closing both ends of the cracker
0:54:55 > 0:54:57with a bow tied from contrasting ribbon
0:54:57 > 0:55:01will make your finished crackers look even more luxurious.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07In one neat package you're giving your guests a place marker,
0:55:07 > 0:55:12an extra Christmas treat, as well as the fun of pulling the crackers.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19My pimped-up crackers are the final flourish
0:55:19 > 0:55:21to my beautiful table.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31For me, every Christmas is special,
0:55:31 > 0:55:34but in my quest to make this year's the best yet,
0:55:34 > 0:55:37I've been lucky enough to rub shoulders
0:55:37 > 0:55:40with some of the finest in the festive business.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44I've collected brilliant ideas and practical shortcuts
0:55:44 > 0:55:47from the people who bring magic and sparkle to our streets.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49Fabulous!
0:55:49 > 0:55:52I've gathered insider-knowledge on how to decorate a Christmas tree
0:55:52 > 0:55:58to die for from a team who trim a shop-load each season.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01And when it comes to turkey and all the trimmings?
0:56:01 > 0:56:04I've been challenged to throw practicalities out of the window
0:56:04 > 0:56:05and go for glamour
0:56:05 > 0:56:09by some of the most innovative party planners in the business.
0:56:13 > 0:56:18My preparations at home are almost complete.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21Nothing's cost a lot of time or money,
0:56:21 > 0:56:26but I think it will deliver a big impact.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34I'm really excited about having put that extra effort
0:56:34 > 0:56:38into decorating the house. I think it looks fabulous.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41And it really does set the scene.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44I want to put carols on immediately
0:56:44 > 0:56:48and have them playing ceaselessly over the next few days.
0:56:56 > 0:57:00# Oh the weather outside is frightful
0:57:00 > 0:57:03# But the fire is so delightful. #
0:57:03 > 0:57:07My home is ready for its most gorgeous Christmas yet.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10# Let it snow let it snow let it snow. #
0:57:10 > 0:57:14My family and guests will be wowed by colour and sparkle
0:57:14 > 0:57:16inside and outside.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19It's just as lavish as I had hoped.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21The doorway lighting scheme will greet visitors
0:57:21 > 0:57:24with a warm, twinkling welcome.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27My wreath, traditional but with a modern twist,
0:57:27 > 0:57:29gives a shot of colour and scent.
0:57:29 > 0:57:32And as we move through the hallway,
0:57:32 > 0:57:36more rosemary and baubles wind their way up the banisters.
0:57:36 > 0:57:41In the living room, all eyes will be drawn to my luxurious tree,
0:57:41 > 0:57:43which sits in pride of place
0:57:43 > 0:57:46with a mound of glittering presents beneath.
0:57:46 > 0:57:51And when it's time for us to sit down to Christmas dinner,
0:57:51 > 0:57:55my table may well outshine the turkey.
0:57:55 > 0:58:00I'm particularly proud of my beautiful centrepieces.
0:58:02 > 0:58:06The stage is set for a wonderful family Christmas,
0:58:06 > 0:58:11so for once I can relax and enjoy it all looking exquisite.
0:58:12 > 0:58:17What else is there for me to do but... a glass of prosecco?