Prepping for the festive season

Garlands are strung, wreaths made and narcissi potted as our lifestyle columnist Diana Yates decks the halls of her home for Christmas

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Our first Christmas at Greenfields was a party for 20 hosted in the most accommodating room in the house, which would later become the living room. Two tables were placed end to end and draped in simple white tablecloths.

I added a touch of greenery with some fresh eucalyptus woven along the centre, in among a mismatched collection of antique brass candle sticks, including my favourite trumpet-shaped pair. A Christmas tree adorned in lights, laden with baubles made at school, ribbons and years-old ornaments in the shape of skates, sledges, presents and angels sat iridescent in one corner of the room. Side note: aren't cluster tree lights genius?

Anyway, a raucous afternoon and evening ensued, noisy in the best way. The playlist I'd spent a few hours making came into its own when the dancing began. I remember standing next to Andrew in our frigid front porch, tired but happy, waving off our guests as they stumbled into a waiting taxi sometime in the wee hours, just as snow began to fall. Little did we know the snow would continue on and off for weeks before eventually culminating as the Beast' from somewhere in the East'.