Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Last Saturday I spent my evening preparing the living room for the 1^st December. I know there was no real rush to get it up and twinkling, but I was pulled into the excitement of everything this year, now that Leo is getting that little bit older and wiser to what is actually going on.

We have a new Christmas Tree this year, one we invested in a week or so ago and spent a rather pretty penny on. Last year’s tree was a hand me down and we wanted our very own this year, one that we had personally chosen.

We already had many decorations, some of which have become a familiar sight on the Christmas Tree since Leo’s arrival in 2011. Each year we have been adding a new decoration to Leo’s personal collection, and this year he chose a personalised Penguin charm from the local garden centre.

We have a number of new decorations this time around, from twinkly lights to some new baubles. I was recently sent a rather exciting Christmas box from Home Bargains to in-twine among our own festive decorations. I have to say that I have been impressed with the quality of the selection and of course the price! It just goes to show that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent/attractive decoration. To be honest they stand their ground next to some of our more expensive decorations, with nothing more to show for except we spent a few more pennies on them.

Who says you can’t decorate for the festive season on a budget!?

These are a selection of the goodies we were sent from Home Bargains to spruce up our Christmas Tree.

We have also been sent a festive addition from the LED Hut, their Red, Blue and Green Christmas Lights. The LED Hut have recently had a factory change around and the lights which were due to arrive on November 27^th didn’t actually arrive until 2^nd December. But this wasn’t an issue as they arrived promptly ready to help us tackle the rest of the house. Initially these savvy LED lights were going to be put onto the Christmas Tree, but as I was a little too excited and couldn’t wait any longer… We decided to use these lights in our glass vase for an extra Christmassy glow (one that we can actually use all year long!)

There are a number of reasons it is beneficial to opt for LED Christmas Lights this year:

- Save 90% on your lighting bills

- Long-lasting LEDs can keep going for more than 20 years

- A typical home could save around £30 a month by switching to LEDs

- LED bulbs are a direct replacement for your old energy-guzzling bulbs - just plug them in and save!

I was really impressed by these new lights, they shine brightly and look super. So even when all of the Christmas decorations have been packed back into the attic… We will still have some pretty lights bringing some colour to the backdrop of a dismal January.

How is your decorating going this year? Do you already have your tree up and ready for the big day? 

Disclaimer: I was sent the above items for the purpose of this feature. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.