Embracing the Christmas kitsch
Or, how the kitsch stole Christmas.
Interior designers and stylists are forever talking about changing the decor with the seasons. But how many of us actually ever do that? Yes, those cool Scandinavians might change their soft furnishings like they swap t-shirts for jumpers, but for most of us it remains an aspiration. Except at Christmas.
This is the perfect time for a bit of seasonal kitsch. Now I’ll admit I used to be sniffy about it. But I grew up in my grandmother’s house where the tree wasn’t decorated until Christmas Eve and was dragged back out again three days later. We had lunch at 1pm, presents at 2, the Queen at 3 followed by afternoon tea at 4 and a row at 5. It was all very regimented.
However, one thing that did signal the holiday season was the annual Moving Of The Furniture. The sofa was pushed back against the wall to make more space for the family guests. The white armchair that no-one, except for my great grandmother, was allowed to sit in, was brought forward out of…