Bring the outside in with by way of seasonal flora sustainably
grown on a north London allotment by the green-fingered Helena
Willcocks. (You can read more about her in our Postcode
Pioneers column.) Willowy wreaths, dried-flower cards and
feathery garlands of winter foliage quickly take your home from bah
humbug to ho ho ho – but for a crafty Christmas, try The
Allotment Florist‘s DIY wreath kit or join a Zoom wreath
workshop.

A stick of butter, chicken soup, boxed mac ‘n’ cheese and a
gherkin may be unlikely candidates for Christmas decorations, but
frankly the red-and-gold theme is starting to feel a bit tired.
When trimming your tree this year, branch out with the eccentric,
blown-glass baubles from the Covent Garden stationery shop Choosing Keeping. Fan of the offbeat ornament? These
cheeseboard candles will go down a treat.

Where cottagecore meets Christmas. Curated by fashion consultant
and writer Amanda Brooks, who traded in city life for the Cotswolds
in 2012, Cutter Brooks puts a modern spin on the
country-bumpkin style. It’s throwback quilted stockings and
hand-painted Santa figurines pair well with the multitude of
bucolic baubles – expect to find blown-glass replica broccoli
ornaments, toadstools and seed packets.

Christmas, but make it eco-friendly. From its home in Kent, this
independent stationery brand pulls out all the sustainable stops
when it comes to luxury holiday supplies (the kind you’ll find
stocked in Liberty and the V&A). Nancy and Betty
Studio‘s crackers – handmade “by elves” – are fully recyclable,
contain plastic-free gifts and look adorable in among the seasonal
tablescape. Better yet, a tree is planted for every box of crackers
sold.

Bright, bold and bohemian, Oklahoma is one of the biggest and most-loved
independent stores in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Its colourful
homewares sourced from creatives across the world make even the
greyest day feel celebratory. Where better, then, to find OTT
ornaments? We’ll be adorning our tree with fantastical baubles by
Nathalie Lété and Cody Foster as well as rainbow pom-pom garlands,
and fashioning a winter windowsill scene with this Kraków szopka, a delightfully camp Polish
iteration of the nativity scene. Like this? Browse the
cannabis-leaf baubles and disco-ball tree toppers at Shoreditch’s
W. A.
Green.

“Live a life more Nordic.” So goes the motto of Blåbär,
which curates a sleek edit of lifestyle wares from independent,
new-Nordic designers in its Putney shop and café. Whoever said
Christmas had to be all bells and red-nosed reindeers? It’s
pared-back decorations in a palette of neutrals and earthy tones
include clear-glass ornaments, slim candlesticks, star mobiles and
wild-moss wreaths. Like this? Check out Edinburgh’s Scandi-inspired
Lifestory.