Add Christmas cheer to your door

By Jeyda, chief Doork and Doorco’s creative consultant.

As the end of the year and the festive season looms ahead of us, shops fill their aisles with an array of shiny, well-marketed Christmas products that we flock to buy in a frenzied rush.

It’s easy to see how you could be cynical about the consumerist direction that the once religious holiday has taken. However, I’d implore you to think again.

At what other time are you actively encouraged to consume your own body weight in food and drink? When else do you get the joy of seeing such public displays of excitement?

December is a phenomenal month for door hunting. I love to wrap up in my knitted scarf and hat, head out to the streets and admire all the creative ways that people find to decorate their homes in time for Christmas.

The king of the festive door décor is the wreath, but you could go one step further by creating a garland to surround the door.

The best ones are homemade, which means a perfect Sunday afternoon activity crafting away. Choosing materials is where a real opportunity to get creative happens.

I’d recommend choosing materials that complement the colour of your door. Despite the old adage ‘red and green should never be seen’, I think a door adorned with leafy green looks beautiful against crimson door.

If you want to go for the traditional approach, then use evergreen, incorporate some holly and even add a bit of colour with some Christmas baubles. For other brightly coloured doors, you could use twigs and pine cones and then use a white or silver spray paint to give a wintery effect to the finished piece.

A particular favourite I’ve seen involves digging into that jar of cork tops you’ve been saving for no real purpose. You can drill a hole through a few corks, sling a wire through the gap and make yourself a fun decoration to remember all those nights with only hazy remaining memories.

For kids, let them turn the front door into a giant snowman, reindeer, Santa or most recently a Minion. I think everybody derives happiness from a well put together door, but one made by children of their favourite character is extra special.

If arts and crafts just isn’t your thing, don’t let this get in the way. A door framed by tasteful fairy lights does a fantastic job of making passersby smile, and what better a gift can you give this year?