Christmas Crafting: Finding Festive in the Everyday

Everybody knows that Christmas is a magical time of year, but it’s also no secret that it can be quite the expense. When it comes to decorating, there are plenty of ways to incorporate some magic using DIY decor ideas and crafting your own embellishments. Not only is this a great way to add a personal touch to the decorations that you drape around your home, but it’s a way to have some creative fun, whether that be activities with little ones, occasions with friends, or some scheduled solitary time for a spot of self care. We spoke to a few of our in-house stylists as well as some friends of OKA for a few expert tips on creative Christmas crafting.

Christmas Cursive / Own the Script

It’s important to make your dining experience feel that bit more special over the Christmas period. One brilliant way to achieve that is to add some personal touches – that way, mealtimes will be more than magical, even though you’re sat at the same dining table in the same dining room that you use all year round. Mellor & Rose are big advocates of trying your hand at some personalised penmanship, as they say, “Calligraphy at Christmas – now what could be nicer?!” Place cards to designate where guests or family should sit and handwritten menu cards instantly create a special occasion, especially when written in your own elevated handwriting and “if it goes a little wonky well hey let it be wonky – it will be loved and admired by everyone!” say Mellor & Rose. If you’re feeling particularly artistic, adding illustrations that talk to the interests of that individual will also make them feel extra special.

“There’s so much fun you can have with seasonal projects using different pens, pencils and most of the time whatever you have to hand,” say Mellor & Rose. Beyond place cards, you can also indulge in calligraphy on your Christmas cards to make a mundane task all the more fun, “who can resist a hand lettered greeting and envelope - a bit of festive joy to receive and a lovely keepsake too.” Or, apply your cursive to gift tags and crackers, “from personalising your own Christmas baubles which always enchant and delight to the sheer joy of designing your own calligraphy gift wrap and then making it extra special with a handwritten gift tag and card – enchant all your friends this Christmas. And, just to note – it really is as much fun to do as it is to receive!”

Festive Foliage

From foraging in your garden or on country walks, to gathering and drying kitchen ingredients, you can create your own festive foliage from the things that lie around you. We recommend including faux stems that you will be able to use year on year, and adding in your own touches each time you use it so it’s that little bit different. The only other thing you need, is some twine, or, to be more structural, some chicken wire.

Our in-house florist Emma Hutchinson puts it like this: “Imagine you’ve got your baubles, but no Christmas tree. It doesn’t work, you need that foliage to make it work. A bit of height, a bit of interest, some greenery, some flowers, mixed in with baubles, lights, candles… now that looks stunning. That’s a showstopper.”

For Hutchinson, the practical starting point is your table – you don’t want to be moving your centrepiece out of the way when it comes to sitting down or going about day-to-day life over the festive season; if it’s the dining table you’re decorating, you want to keep it low, but beyond the dining table you may have consoles and coffee tables to garnish with large arrangements in big vases. Hutchinson urges you not to overthink it: “I find that people get nervous starting. Don’t. Have fun, relax, and never be afraid to start again. Sometimes I take things apart two or three times before I think, that’s it. I like that.”

“It doesn’t matter what you’re making, always start with your foliage. Then decide if you want to include flowers and berries.” Next, you want to layer greenery, berry, flower, greenery, berry, flower, over and over for a curated arrangement. Three seems to be the magic number all around; that’s true for colours, styles and flowers. And, if you’re still feeling somewhat overwhelmed, our floral advisors and Bunched by OKA team are always happy to give advice in-store and demonstrate how to arrange things (or, simply do it for you).

Personal Prints

A lovely activity to share with friends and family, block-printing is a wonderful way to bring a customised touch to things you already own, scraps of material that have no use, or to new things you’d like to create. From wrapping paper that looks pretty under the tree, to baubles that look beautiful upon it, Wallpaper and Fabric Designer Annika Reed, founder of the eponymous Annika Reed Studio, says “block-printed gift wrap and tags add such a unique charm to presents under the tree.”

“I love creating hand-printed cards and table setting place cards – simple ideas that elevate a festive tablescape,” she says. So get the kids involved for a spot of creative entertainment, “Children can print on plain paper or card to make personalised decorations like hanging stars, mini baubles, or even their own Christmas cards […] older kids might enjoy making block-printed wrapping paper or table runners which they’ll proudly see displayed during the festivities.”

How, might you ask? Well, you don’t have to have any special tools, says Annika, “A potato print is the easiest,” which involves cutting shapes out of the flat side of a halved potato and covering it in ink or paint before pressing it down on your chosen item. She advises making sure you buy the right ink for your chosen item as paper and fabric inks are different. But don’t worry about the mess, she says “it’s tactile, creative, and surprisingly mess free if you prepare your space.”  

If you are a seasoned creative and have scraps of material from other projects, sample material from an interior rejuvenation, or old tablecloths or T-shirts that you no longer use, Annika likes to use these to make Christmas truly unique and sustainable: “Fabric off-cuts become charming bows to decorate the tree, each one tells its own story. Wallpaper samples transform into intricate paper chains or fans, perfect for draping over doorways or windows.” 

"Block printing brings a timeless and handmade quality to Christmas, turning the ordinary into something special,” says Annika, which, after all, is what Christmas is all about, “finding beauty in the process and sharing it with loved ones – whether through decorations, wrapping, or the joy of crafting together.”