October 15, 2022 | 12:56am
MANILA, Philippines — Apart from Manny Pacquiao, balut and hospitality, the Philippines has been known the world over for starting Christmas as early as September.
With Christmas beats jiggling and Jose Mari Chan’s songs and memes filling the air and cyberspace, many Filipinos have been asking: Do I have to decorate for Christmas this early?
Here are some decorating ideas to make you feel the holiday spirit at home – and as Christmas draws nearer, you can just layer and add more elements to hype up the festivities!
50 days ‘til Christmas: Start a Winter Wonderland
During this time, you might feel the urge to shop early to take advantage of lower introductory prices and fresh stocks, and to avoid queues and heavy holiday traffic. But also, it might feel a little awkward because you still have to decorate for a more immediate holiday: Halloween!
The key is to create a base or a foundation starting with year-round ornaments that have subtle Christmas tones – the same accents that you can probably retain even after Christmas is over because they can blend well with other timeless pieces. This is also a more economical way than buying accessories you can only use at Christmas.
Since there is no winter in the Philippines, start building up the excitement with a winter fantasy! Here are some ways:
1. Build a terrarium with plants in subtle shades of red and green.
Feel like it's too early to have a Christmas tree or there's no space for it? A less "Christmasy" way is to build a terrarium first using a combination of artificial and live plants — live ones for freshness and it gives happiness to see something grow; and artificial ones as backdrop and replacement for dried live ones.
Alternatively, you can add plants with hints of red into your existing garden, like Pink Starlight and Red Forest mini potted plants from Ikea Philippines' gardening section, for a subtle touch of Christmas all year round.
WATCH: Do-it-yourself terrarium
Red Forest (left) and Pink Starlight plants that you can add into your terrarium for a subtle Christmas touch, although these were not found from Ikea Philippines' Christmas shop but from its gardening section.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Ikea Philippines' Christmas Shop offers a wide array of barenaked trees and tree prints - you can just change the pots to red for a more Christmas feel.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
These mini pine trees that come in sets of three are waterproof and therefore, are versatile enough to be put anywhere — from gardens, to bathrooms, and even as mini Christmas trees in a child's playhouse!
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
This pocket hydroponic herbs garden, assembled during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, gets a holiday upgrade, thanks to the addition of small frosted pine trees from Ikea Philippines' Christmas Shop.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
The Christmas Shop has clip-on artificial poinsettias (left) that you can attach into anything for an instant holiday touch — from gift ribbons to curtains and a contrasting grass wall or carpet (right).
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
This wreath, from the Ikea store's gardening section, comes in autumn hues that evoke a mistletoe or a cabin-house-in-a-snowy-woods feel that tries to say, "Christmas is near but not there yet."
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
2. Dress up your treats.
When not mixed together, these green and red container cans can pass off as cookie or candy jars for any occasion.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
These stackable trays (left) and two-tiered trays (center and right) are from the Christmas Shop and yet they come in all-season colors and motifs that make everyday food extra special no matter what the occasion.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Accents in natural colors and rich textures such as this dark green rug (left) from the Ikea store's rugs section and bamboo bowls from the dining section (right) help add a warm cabin home feel to any space.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
3. It's beginning to smell like Christmas!
Start to get into the holiday mood with scented candles in "not-so-Christmasy" tin cans from the Christmas Shop (bottom) and potpourri from the store's gardening section (top) that you can spread into your terrarium or candle trays, or hang into satin bags for extra freshness in your bathroom.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
25 days 'til Christmas: Spice it up!
By this time, Halloween has passed and there is no more need to blend your subtle reds and greens and wood elements with cobwebs and skulls.
As an appetizer to your Christmas festivities, you can add another layer of merriment through more lights and subtle Christmas-themed ornaments.
Let there be light: A single giant candle (left) or a LED candelabra (right) can help spark the Christmas spirit.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Imbibing the Filipino tradition of parol making is the Christmas Shop's DIY lanterns (right) that could be a good bonding activity.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Dress up your small trees (left) with Christmas balls and/or LED Christmas lights (center). Small paper trees (right) without decorations also give off a Christmas vibe, but not too much.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Christmas symbols not in typical red and green, but in sustainable bamboo, also insinuate that Christmas is near.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Accents in different sizes and in reindeer and horse shapes, made of sustainable materials like wood (left), cork (center) and bamboo (right).
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Start the Christmas dress rehearsal in your sofa by combining green and red throw pillows (left) and in your kitchen through glassware with Christmas signs (right).
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
These framed three-dimensional paper arts and figurines are like a "save the date" reminder for Christmas.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
White Christmas cutouts (left) and a paper Christmas village (right) are a more sustainable and more energy-efficient options to ceramic ones. They are also easier to assemble, move, clean and pack away.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
12 days of Christmas: Santa is here!
Wake your interiors up — it's Christmas time!
By now, you can go all-out with Christmas-themed linens, decors, and bright red and green combinations!
Stuffed Santas in various sizes - from clip-ons (left) to giant huggable ones (right)
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Fuel the Christmas explosion with wreaths in gold and metallic balls.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Deck the halls with lightweight and economical Christmas symbols such as glass stockings (left), paper cup pennants (top, right) and Christmas balls for any tree size.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
These snow globe (left), tree-shaped box (center) and reindeer rocking chair are good either for gift-giving or decorating.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Gift tags (left) and bags that can be used either as present wrappers or as decors for Christmas trees and whatnot.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Some of Ikea's sample Christmas setups
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
Christmas trees in different sizes (left) - and soon, live trees will be added to the mix! This golden star (right) might seem like any traditional Christmas tree topper - but it's lightweight and made to be more sustainable with its built-in LED lights and optional rechargeable batteries.
Philstar.com/Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
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