HACK THE HALLS

Social media is awash with viral festive hacks. But are any of them worth the hype? Amy Nickell-Turner, 36, puts some to the test

- AMY NICKELL-TURNER

There are certain times when it is perfectly acceptable to take shortcuts or cheat to get ahead and save time. And for me, Christmas is certainly one of those times. If there's a quicker way to roast a turkey, I want the intel. Wrap presents in seconds? Hello! Decorate the house with minimal effort? Count me in! And, of course, social media is swimming with festive hacks to make life easier for all of us, from homemade decs and cooking cheats, to top time-saving tips so that you have more to spend actually enjoying the holiday! But are any of them actually any good? Along with my husband Jonathan, 45, and son Freddy, 11, I decided to put them to the test to take some of the stress out of the season. Here's how I got on...

Can't wreath-sist

My Instagram feed is dominated by this shower-pole wreath hack and influencers make it look so simple. The idea is to hang a telescopic curtain pole across a doorway and use it to drape garlands, fairy lights or baubles. I source a £6 shower rod online, but on arrival, the box looks suspiciously small. After a brief flatpack-style meltdown with the instructions, I find it doesn’t extend enough for any doorway I want to use in my house. Eventually, I find a space just right – in the downstairs loo. Still, no nook or cranny is too small for a festive spruce, and our little bathroom gets exactly that. The mechanics are surprisingly effective, and with a bigger rod, I think I could have made something genuinely lovely. The only problem is, now I can't close the toilet door. 'Well, that won't do!' I frown to Jonathan. We can’t forsake privacy for a few festive decs. In the end I order a bigger pole and redo the wreath in the living room doorway. It looks much better and I'm rather impressed with my efforts.

Who's for cake?