Rule No. 1 Get out into the garden or ask a friendly neighbour if you can use their garden to cut greenery. Pittosporum, loquat leaf clusters, and Norfolk pine branches make beautiful mantel fillers. Tie a beautiful satin bow in cream, white, gold or plum coloured with long flowing tails or use red delicious apples and use them for colour.

Rule No. 2: Buy lots of candles! Ivory and white candles in particular are perfect for the season, buy every shape and size, group them and surround them with greenery.

Rule No. 3: Carefyull thread lots of sparkling Christmas lights thread through your greenery and add a maintenance free twinkle.

Rule No. 4: Buy lots of real ribbon and start tying bows.

Rule No. 5: Buy a tartan blanket and throw it across the back of a settee, use plaid tablecloths and use needlepoint cushions that spell out Christmas for the quick fix approach to make the family room Christmasy.

Rule No. 6: Having a fire burning and Christmas carols playing and cookies baking, mulled wine warming and you have created your Christmas! Rule No. 7: Try to harmonise with the colours of your home. The traditional reds and greens that seem to symbolise the colours of Christmas may not work for every house. If your colour scheme is mostly neutral then use lots of gold accents with white, plus natural greenery. Try burgundy coloured decorations with lots of gold glittering accents if your home has a traditional feeling.