Ahh the magic of Christmas. That first deep inhale of pine whilst choosing your tree and bringing it home, the first glimpse of twinkling fairy lights adding such a warm and cosy feeling to a room, mulled wine, lighting your favourite Winter candle, rediscovering decorations you'd forgotten about up the loft and playing Christmas songs as you start to adorn the house giddy with the joy that it's almost December again. 

We're early decorators in my family, it's become a tradition to choose our tree on the last weekend of November. Much to many cries of 'but it's not even December yet'. This month always goes in a flash so I want to soak up as many evenings sat by the tree and in front of the fire as possible. It's hassle to get everything out so you may as well enjoy it for as long as possible? We also want to get the house back to normal before New Year's Eve so maybe that's why I like to be a week early as I don't like January with decorations still up? This year, and so many of you agree, that it feels so much more Christmassy earlier than ever? Whether it's because of Black Friday or the way that the first of December isn't until the end of this week I'm not sure but I thought I'd share a few photos of how we're getting into the festive spirit already by decorating the house if you'd like to see {this year it's felt so good to have a whole house to decorate, last year our building work had just started so we were in chaos!}...

Our annual trip to the Christmas Tree Farm where we've been visiting for as long as I can remember. See previous years here {2016, 2015, 2014}. 

It's so much fun shopping for a Christmas tree whilst they're still growing in the field and then getting it cut fresh. It can be hard to decide on the right size though, what you think looks tiny/big in the open can look very different when you get it through your front door! We actually take a tape measure with us and try and find an evenly shaped tree.

Timber!

Jumper online here. Scarf is old, similar here but different colourway. 

Like a kid in a sweetshop. Or, er, a girl at a Christmas Tree Farm.

A family affair. Heaving the trees through the netting machine.

Getting her home and un-netting is quite the ceremony.

Will it fit? Will it need some cutting off the bottom? It did, twice! And is still brushing the ceiling.

Gathering all of the baubles to adorn the tree is one of my favourite activities, laying them all out and taking stock. I have such happy memories of buying different sets of decorations over the years. The first that Ben and I ever bought together was in a White Company big post Christmas sale whilst on a mini break in Bath between Christmas and New Year a goood few years back. I don't think we'd even bought our first flat together at that point but there were so many beautiful things we couldn't resist. They've been carefully wrapped and unwrapped each year and have now moved house with us three times.

Over the years we've collected more together. Again, probably 90% have been from The White Company. The beauty of each differing Christmas season from them being slightly different but all still in keeping to layer up on the tree over time. Can you tell I have a thing for grey and white?! 

This is still my favourite, personalised from one of their Christmas in July Press Days, I think last year?

It feels so special to be able to look back and think about the different years that we've bought things, from all different stores depending on where we were shopping and different points/houses/trees in our lives, being able to bring them out year after year. It's different with the things you see everyday at home, Christmas is just once a year and that's why it feels even more sentimental I guess.

From their mercury stars to these white porcelain stars to these beaded hearts to mini baubles to intricate snowflakes.. I love them all. 

This year we've chosen these new antique silver stars to add to our collection and I love how they catch the light, both from the sunshine in the day and the fairy lights by night.

It's never too early to hang your stockings up right? We have last year's version of these hanging next to our fire. They work so perfectly with the grey and white.

I've got a big of a thing for stars this year. And this is the star decoration that the whole of Instagram {me included} seem to be going crazy for this year. It comes pre-decorated with the foliage so looks like you've been creative yet all you have to do is tuck it somewhere with the pre made loop made from string attached! I've hung ours on our shutters in the lounge and strung the edge with fairylights.

We can't talk about Christmas without talking candles and this Winter candle is my very favourite scent for December. Every year I reorder this large botanical version along with this classic {and these for dotting around}. Even my husband picked up on the smell the other day and said it smells so Christmassy in here {unheard of!}. Crucially it's not a Glade kind of Yankee Candle smell which gives me a headache, it's pure classy classic Christmas in a candle.

I always look for a real looking garland. I mean, I love a real wreath on my front door but who has time to make one of those and a fresh garland for your stairs/mantle? Not me. But these garlands always look so great {plus in the sale since I bought!}. This is last year's version on my stairs, and this year's in our snug on the mantle. 

I've kept our hallway a bit more paired back with just white decorations on the tree like these porcelain stars, and predominantly green and white with a vintage sleigh and ice skates.

This garland and greenery in general works with any colour scheme/room decor I feel. Classic Christmas that you can dress up or down. But I also love this for a more drapey feel.

Back with the rest of our decorated house soon!

R <3 xx 

{This post is proudly sponsored by The White Company. A brand that I've loved even before I had a house to decorate haha and that I've been buying from for years and years}