The holiday season is upon us, and after a lot of time spent away from friends and family, most of us are truly looking forward to safely reuniting with our loved ones over food, gifts and lazy afternoons spent in the sun.

At CIRCA, we’re also making an effort to celebrate the moments that truly matter this Christmas, and seeking out joy whenever we can. So here we’ve compiled some thoughts on how to best prepare your home for the festive season with the help from our friend Amanda Voller @home.bythe.sea, in a way that’s beachy, breezy and enjoyable, rich in Australian tradition, and without all of the stress.

FILL YOUR HOME WITH DECORATIONS

Decorating your home is definitely one of the best ways to prepare for the festive season, so make the most of the occasion with a festive playlist, some snacks and a little ambience courtesy of CIRCA’s Raspberry & Rhubarb Scented Soy Candle.

Begin by picking a colour theme and take it to all your rooms. “I absolutely love to use white, gold & silver tones in my Christmas styling, they work so beautifully with the tree and my beachy bohemian interior style”.

Add some Christmas styling to commonly used areas like the kitchen, the bathroom and the guest bedroom. “I decorate both of our lounge rooms with Christmas trees, and as for the rest of my home I decorate with wreaths, glass baubles and fairy lights. I like to spray paint palm leaves and shells gold, to add texture to my Christmas tree styling and pay homage to my love of the beach. And this year I’ve also added pampas grass”. You could even trim the tree with CIRCA’s Mini Scented Soy Candle Bauble, reusing the tin for years to come.

GIFTING CHECKLIST

You could spend the week before the big day scrolling the web frantically searching for last minute gifts, or you could take a more considered (and organised) approach. Pour yourself a nightcap — either a chamomile tea or glass of pinot works and light a CIRCA Gingerbread Cookies candle to ignite the festive night and write away a curated list of gift ideas (after all it is the time to spread joy). That way when it comes time to shop, the hard work is already done. For more gifting ideas, check out our gift guide here. Psst, don’t forget standard shipping cut-off date is the 12th December 2021.

TRY YOUR HAND AT CHRISTMAS BAKING

Holiday baking is such a fun way to spend some quality time together. Stick to simple recipes, put on some carols and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty (and concede in advance to a messy kitchen if the kids are getting involved). We love the idea of Amanda Cordony’s summer pavlova with CIRCA’s Raspberry & Rhubarb Scented Soy Candle burning in the background. Simple cheery and fresh scents to start the merry season.

GET WRAPPING DONE DIFFERENTLY

You could wrap gifts late into the night on Christmas Eve (we’ve all been there), but why not turn the chore into a special moment. If you have kids, ask them to help out — you could add hand-written cards, or wrap gifts in plain craft paper and have them draw a little personalised picture.

If you prefer gift-wrapping solo (and sometimes, it’s for the best), light your favourite CIRCA scented soy candle, put a holiday movie on in the background and enjoy a peaceful moment to yourself. You absolutely deserve it.

TRY A NEW TRADITION

Christmas feels especially significant this year, so consider marking the occasion with a new family tradition (if there’s kids in your family, they’re bound to have some fun ideas). Think of it as a nice way to create new memories, and usher in a fresh mindset and newfound gratefulness when it comes to spending time with loved ones. It could be anything from picking a date to put up the Christmas decorations, an annual ocean swim on Christmas morning, setting the table together, or donating the money that would be spent on one gift to charity. Whatever it is, see it as an opportunity to laugh, connect and feel inspired heading into the new year. “I absolutely will donate our Christmas decorations to Charity”, Amanda Voller.

Because often it’s these small moments, rituals and traditions that truly matter. For more on how to really make the most of this Christmas (and how to make it stress-free), explore more on The Journal.