Happy Holidays from across the pond!
We’ve all got our own favorite things to do during this festive time of year but none of that can start until the decorations go up! Now, we know everyone decorates differently, adding their own bits and pieces to their homes each year — but, here at Victoria Eggs, we're here to help you decorate your house in a true British style.
Just as in the States, trends change from year to year and so do decorations with them; but fear not, we’re here to bring you the most up-to-date 2022 British style trends for decorating your home for the holidays.
This year we see a couple of different trends entering (and re-entering) the field. There truly is something for everyone.
With the sweeping success of the Netflix series, Bridgerton, 2022 is seeing an emergence in the popularity of a regency-reminiscent style. To pull off this look, stick with a color palette consisting of pale jewel tones. Aptly also named “elegant vintage,” this trend sees a lot of soft pinks, peaches, pale greens, and other such colors. If you don’t already have some, shop delicate, feminine baubles in jewel tones to pretty up your tree. Other designs that fit the Bridgerton regency style include whimsical prints such as our Bestselling Night Before Christmas and Santa's Sleigh Collections. These designs can be easily integrated with the addition of hand-crafted ceramic pieces, linens, and on stockings. Decorations should be delicate and feminine (and don’t be afraid to go for a more maximalist look!) String delicate lights on your Christmas tree and, if you opt to take the reusable route, frosted tips on trees really complete the regency look.
The regency-reminiscent look isn’t for everyone and, don’t you worry, there are a couple of other trends that seem to be emerging for Christmas 2022. Everyone can find something they like.
Recent years have seen an uptick in environmentally conscious choices. The holiday season is no exception to these practices. We at Victoria Eggs are especially excited about this development. We like to look out for the environment year-round and cannot be happier with the appearance of more and more sustainable decorations. An increasing number of companies offer eco-friendly products, allowing buyers to make more conscious and sustainable choices when purchasing for the holidays. Rather than buying plastic ornaments that are produced in enormous quantities and inevitably don’t last a long time, gathering in landfills, invest in well-made pieces that’ll stand the test of time and reappear on your tree for many years to come.
Christmas crackers are a must at every holiday place setting in the UK; you pull both ends and they, as the name suggests, crack open, spilling goodies out. Traditionally, these crackers contain a tissue-paper crown (that is then worn for the remainder of dinner), a joke or riddle, and a small gift. The gifts inside can range from edible treats like chocolates to small and inexpensive toys — just a little something fun to enjoy. More and more Brits are opting for reusable crackers for the holidays nowadays. They’re a more sustainable choice and can be enjoyed every year rather than simply cracked once and tossed in the bin.
Get crafty and continue on the sustainable decoration theme with paper decorations. Creating paper chains, garlands, and bunting is an easy and fun activity to do for everyone, no matter your age. Turning on a festive movie while decorating is a must, so why not extend the fun and also watch a movie while making some of your own decorations? Continuing with the DIY decorations, if you’re just tired of the same pieces you use every year, opt to up-cycle pieces instead of scrapping them and buying new ones. Old ornaments can be painted and old decorations repurposed into something new. What was once considered trash could now be a lovely little arts and crafts project to get your inner artist inspired.
If you’re not one for crafting, we also suggest heading to your local thrift store (or charity shop as we call it here in the UK) where you’re bound to find some unique, second-hand gems, or supporting local businesses where you’re also more likely to find unique pieces in an excellent quality.
With the move further and further from the pandemic years, another style trend of Christmas 2022 is one inspired by nature. A more modern take on “boho”, the natural style comes with a palette of greens, warm caramel tones, beige, and cream. This style is all about bringing the wintertime nature indoors. Where the regency-inspired look is more maximalist, this veers on the minimalist side. Natural trees (or natural-looking trees) are the way to go here, strung with lights that envelop the room in a warm glow. This nature-inspired look is also a great way to introduce sustainability into your decorations. Draw the eye to your fireplace by decorating your mantle with holiday foliage: evergreen, holly, pine, ivy, and rosemary for the natural greens prominent in this palette (they also fill the room with the most magnificent smell). Intersperse the greenery with wooden decorations — increasingly available in designs evoking the traditional, and ever-so festive, German Christmas market. Currently popular, and eco-friendly, wooden decorations are easy to place around the house on shelves, mantelpieces, dining tables, and even as baubles on your tree! Place a little bit of the holiday spirit in every bit of your home with some greenery and a wooden decoration.
A final touch — to make your holiday experience that much more “British” — is … an advent calendar! This festive tradition is a MUST in every British household, and your holiday simply wouldn’t be complete without one. The chocolate advent calendar is a classic that you can never go wrong with but more and more variations on the tradition are becoming available with each passing year. Not only can you chew on a new chocolate each day, but you can enjoy a new blend of tea or indulge in a cheeky new cocktail each day leading up to Christmas! So many different advent calendars exist nowadays, you’re sure to find one that suits your taste. If you’re more eco-inclined, create your own advent calendar or buy a reusable advent calendar (which you can reuse each year and fill yourself as you please).
Need some inspiration? Have a look at the Christmas collections here.