Creating Christmas Memories with Balsam Hill

Christmas traditions – we all have them. Whether it’s when we put up the Christmas tree, making the Christmas pudding, what we do on Christmas Eve or the food and drink we have over the festive season. Having traditions is all part of making Christmas special and helps create memories to treasure and enjoy year after year.

When it comes to putting up the Christmas tree, our tradition tends to be to do it close to Christmas. When the tree goes up, it means that Christmas really is nearly here. For me, seeing the tree up in all its glory somehow also signifies that it’s time to relax, exhale and enjoy the celebrations. Putting up the tree at the beginning of December doesn’t quite have the same effect – and it’s certainly not time to relax yet, as there’s so much more to do!

Over the years, we’ve had artificial trees and real ones, but as much as I like the smell and authenticity of a real Christmas tree, I dislike the hassle of getting it to stand up straight, not drop pine needles (whatever they say, they always seem to drop) and of having to dispose of it after Christmas. So artificial tends to be the way we go.

Getting the tree out, hunting for the decorations then sorting them all out tend to be an activity for a dark afternoon or evening, preferably with Christmas music or a classic Christmas film on in the background (Polar Express, Elf or The Miracle on 34th Street).

I always get landed with having to deal with Christmas tree lights and never enjoyed it. Aside from often being tangled, there were other issues, such as getting them on the tree then finding a bulb had gone, or not leaving enough lights for the bottom branches.

However, thanks to the wonders of a Balsam Hill Christmas tree, that is no longer an arduous task, as they come pre-lit – hooray! All you need to is connect the light fittings together once the tree is assembled and, voila, it’s ready to decorate.

Decorating it is the fun bit. More traditions come into play here, as I’ve collected various tree decorations over the years. There are some handmade by family members, special decorations that have been gifted over the years, as well as a mix of old and new.

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Looking in the box and unwrapping them all brings back memories – there’s always something I’dd forgotten about, even though it was only a year ago that I packed them away last. Decorating the tree takes time – sorting things out, choosing where items will hang, getting the balance right and ensuring there’s not too many tempting baubles near the bottom of the tree that could tempt the cat!

Of course, there’s got to be a tree ornament in honour of the cat:

The Balsam Hill Christmas trees are artificial, but are incredibly true to life – bar the smell of the pine needles, they look and feel like a real tree. You can read more about the tree, and find out how we got on with assembling it, in our previous post.

This year we’ve got some new decorations to add to the mix, in the form of Balsam Hill garlands and a wreath. They’re as realistic looking as the Norway Spruce tree and match it perfectly. In fact, if you didn’t have any other decorations, it wouldn’t matter, as these more than fill the space and provide a festive feel.

The garland is 10′ long and is ready to use straight from the box – all you need to do is preen it a bit and tidy up the branches.

Rather than just plain green foliage, the garland has been given a festive feel by the addition of shiny red apples and red and green berries, plus boxwood leaves and twig balls. There’s a lot of detail on the berries and they all look very realistic.

It’s a substantial piece, both in terms of design and weight, and its length means you can use it in a variety of different ways. It works well draped across the top of a fireplace, or used to decorate stair banisters. It would look right at home decorating the banisters of a grand staircase.

Balsam Hill’s products are a favourite with celebrities, so have probably graced the banister of a grand staircase or two somewhere around the world. Oprah Winfrey and Leona Lewis are fans, and the products have been used to decorate the sets of numerous TV programmes, including This Morning, Made in Chelsea, Good Morning Britain and The X Factor.

As you’d expect, the wreath is equally beautiful and well-designed. It’s got the same gorgeous foliage and fruits, plus it’s got the added bonus of being lit. The lights are battery powered and their case can be easily hidden away out of sight behind the greenery.

It’s a large wreath and would look great hung up on a front door. We didn’t have quite the right hook for it, but found a great place to display it on the windowsill by the front door. It’s still got that welcoming touch, only as people come through the door, rather than stand outside it.

If you are hanging it outside on your front door, there are timer settings on the battery box,  so you can set the lights to be on for a certain time – a very useful little feature.

All of the Balsam Hill products are top quality, well made and designed to last. They’re pieces to invest in to make your Christmas home decorating even easier and hassle free, and are likely to become part of your festive home memories and future traditions.

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(Disclosure: This post is in association with Balsam Hill, but all views and opinions are our own)

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