How Norfolk can help inspire the way you decorate your home this Christmas
The Christmas decorations are being put up at Oxburgh Hall, Oxborough. Pictured: house manager Liz Cooper decorating the Christmas tree in the West Drawing Room at Oxburgh Hall. - Credit: IAN BURT
It's almost time to crack out the tinsel and deck the halls, but why not try something a little different with your decorating this Christmas and take inspiration from the local area to help make your home especially cosy.
Blickling Hall lit up for Christmas. Picture; NATIONAL TRUST - Credit: Archant
• Go traditional
Sometimes you just can't beat the classics and nowhere in Norfolk does a traditional Christmas quite like the county's various stately homes and estates. From Blickling Hall's iconic Christmas tree lined drive to Holt Hall's towering Christmas tree and Oxburgh Hall dressed up for a Bedingfield family Christmas. Take a trip to these stunning locations and you'll soon find yourself dreaming of an elegant, old fashioned Christmas.
Ali Calver with her Christmas decorations that children can make. Luca Herbert, 3, left, and Isaac Preston, 2, add flowers and cones to a table centrepiece. Picture: Denise Bradley - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2012
• Make your own
In days gone by Christmas decorations were handmade at home, no one nipped to the shop for twinkling lights and tree toppers, instead they weaved, sewed and painted ornaments. Why not have a go at making your own as well? Head out into the Norfolk countryside and collect items such as pinecones which can be painted or dipped in glitter to create simple yet effective decorations, or for a more serious approach visit places such as Langham Glass in Fakenham, where you can blow your own bauble or Holt Hall which will be holding Christmas wreath making workshops this December.
Lisa Angel, Norwich. Christmas window display - Credit: Archant
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• Add a little rustic chic
If you've visited Norwich city centre recently, you might have noticed a trend cropping up in the windows of stores. From John Lewis to Lisa Angel, there's a rustic, woodland theme being incorporated in the displays. Bring the great outdoors inside this winter with a bit of evergreen foliage, which looks great looped around banisters or positioned over the mantelpiece, put a pile of logs by the fire to create cozy charm and don't forget the must have decoration for Christmas 2016 - the toadstool, which was a big hit at Christmasworld (the world's leading festive decoration trade fair) in Frankfurt earlier this year. Go traditional with red and white speckled ones or create a winter wonderland in your home by opting for a more ethereal look.
Olly Jary's house in Narborough covered in Christmas Lights, with the proceeds from visitors going to charity. Narborough, Norfolk. Photo; Matthew Usher - Credit: Eastern Daily Press, Archant
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• Shine bright
Across Norfolk over the next few days towns and villages will be gearing up to switch on their Christmas lights and start celebrating in style. Norwich's light switch on last week saw the festive period kick off with a bang as projections were shot onto the castle and City Hall, a 60-metre long tunnel of light was brought to life on Hay Hill and a 27ft Norwegian Spruce Christmas Tree sparkled at the top of the market place. From this great display comes the obvious message that there is no such thing as too many lights, so don't be afraid to go wild and experiment with different colours, styles and effects,
• Have you been inspired by Christmas decorations in Norfolk? Let us know in the comments below.
