How to Celebrate a Merry and Bright Christmas

Pom-poms and tassels have spent the summer out in the sun, but prepare for a Christmas comeback. The embellishments are the perfect way to enhance contemporary Christmas crafts.

Remember the famous Coco Chanel quote: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off”? Take the opposite approach. Nothing's done until it's covered in pom-poms and/or tassels. When you think you've finished, look at your make and add a pom-pom. Or a tassel. Or many. Standard stockings will be transformed into colourful creations.

Whether you're celebrating in a cosy flat or decorating your office, it's not always easy to make room for a full-size Christmas tree. With the brights trend, you'll be able to ensure that your seasonal centrepiece still stands out in any space.

Add a major pop of colour with pom-pom power…

For a contemporary edge, get ready for a cactus revival. Even the festive season can't touch this trend, with the spiky succulent providing a fun alternative to traditional trees. In the words of Vogue, “Pick up pom-poms, glitter, bows, trim—just about any tiny item that can be supported by the spines can become an ornament.” Embellish a real cactus with all of the above, decorate a mache cactus, or you could even sew your own for a bespoke spin.

Fill your boots with fillable baubles! Even a classic Christmas tree will have a contemporary edge when decorated with bright fillables – easy to create and certain to make an impact. You can use colourful ribbons, marker pens, paints and stickers to embellish the outside too.

Whether you're a brush lettering buff, a keen knitter or a papercrafting pro, there's a bauble for everyone.

You can even use ready-made felted hanging decorations for a modern mix of ornaments. Find festive inspiration in everyone's favourite off-season trends. So you think flamingos are reserved for a tropical summer? Get ready for ice-skating flamingos! What do llamas have to do with Christmas? E V E R Y T H I N G when they're llamas covered in baubles!

Revolutionise your wreath-making by stepping away from tradition. If you're bigging up the brights theme, a modern-inspired wreath will start the fun at the door. Before friends and family even step inside your home, you can show off festive flair – and there's plenty of creative ways to do it to suit everyone's strengths.

A pom-pom phenomenon will work wonders for your winter wonderland, so transform your Yuletide yarn into a seasonal statement piece. Poms are made easy with the Clover pom-pom makers, so simply pick out your yarn – we recommend our Premium Acrylic for both colour palette and value – and grab some sharp scissors to get making.

Another easy, modern approach is the Christmas Metal Geometric Wreath. With a vibrant lick of paint, this design will go from glam gold to any bright shade you choose! You can then add painted pine cones and artificial foliage for that final festive flourish.

For something that's a little snowy and a little showy, you can also bring the traditional together with bright trends for a snowy house wreath. This features painted little wooden houses that you can cover with any colour you choose – ideal for coordinating with the beautiful, bold brights that are on-theme.

With an uptick of elaborate advent calendars this year, there's never been a better time to create your very own Christmas countdown. Use your crafting know-how to create reusable advent calendars to treasure – then pick out 24 thoughtful mini gifts to brighten each December day.

Tick off the days with sweet treats, crafty pieces, makeup, toys – or a custom combo of all of the above. But first, the advent calendar itself!

Crochet your way to Christmas with a stocking garland. It'll add a decorative detail whether you display it as it is or stocked up with surprises. It'll be perfect for a keen crocheter – or even as a seasonal starter project, adding a burst of bright colour to your home one stocking at a time.

Another way of creating an advent countdown that doubles down on decoration is with origami. Combining the all-powerful pom-pom, funky geometrics and vibrant bright colour, an origami advent will decorate your tree, your mantelpiece, your desk, your hallway – and just about anywhere else you can think of.

Finally, refresh an advent classic! You can transform any Wooden Advent House » with jolly geometrics and Pa Rom Pa Pom Pom patterns ». Perfect for crafters of any level, these projects bring together all of the off-season trends that'll be hitting a note as high as Mariah's this Christmas.

The patterns in the Pa Rom Pa Pom Pom collection feature all the colours in the bright palette, with merry motifs including flamingos, llamas and, of course, an abundance of pom-poms.