Am I writing a blog about tips for the first Christmas in your new home when this month will be the first Christmas in my new home? Why, yes, I am!

While we ponder for several hours over which bargain to snatch up to save 50p, we decide to buy a house within seconds. Minutes later, we’re imagining our first Christmas in our new home, where we’ll put the tree, how we’ll be baking gingerbread cookies in the kitchen and figuring out how much Baileys and wine can be stored in the drinks cooler the former owners are leaving behind.

Since I have no idea where the Christmas tree is going. I’d better write on as I’m in desperate need of tips for that first Christmas in my new home.

Getting the house ready for your first Christmas in your new home

New window dressings are usually a must in a new home, unless you’re that enamoured of the former owner’s taste. But are you only now discovering interesting things about the boiler you’ve inherited? Do you not have double glazing on all the windows? You might want to consider cellular blinds. With their honeycomb design, they’ll help keep the heat in so you can have a toasty first Christmas in your new home. Classic curtains or elegant Roman blinds are also good contenders, as they keep draughts at bay and give your new home a Christmassy cosy feel.

Where will the tree go for your first Christmas in your new home?

Celebrating your first Christmas in your new home can be full of pitfalls. You have a new space to navigate and decorate, on the one hand with permanent decor, and on the other with temporary lights, tinsel and crepe streamers. New decorations may be called for. And how are you for electrical points? Can the tree’s fairy lights be safely plugged in without causing a trip hazard? And let’s just say it right now, friends and family will probably gift you with a ‘first Christmas in your New Home’ ornament so leave plenty of room on the tree for them all.

Start new traditions for your first Christmas in your new home

New house, new traditions – Who are you going to be in this new environment? With yet another year coming to an end, what better time to reinvent yourself? Don’t wait until the new year. That’s a terrible time for resolutions. Either start your resolutions in the Spring, at the start of a literal new year, or just do it now!

Will you initiate a bauble swap as a way to introduce yourself to your new neighbours? Maybe you wish to put your new kitchen to use and make jam as homemade gifts for everyone. How about wreath making? Do you really have so much time on your hands? There’s always time for cheese, so a cheese and wine party will be a great new tradition to kick off your first Christmas in your new home.

Make peace with your new neighbours for your first Christmas in your new home

After you’ve sent your lactose-intolerant neighbours to their bathrooms, maybe you don’t want to provoke them further by revealing your 10,000 outdoor lights Santa Extravaganza!

What’s the vibe of the neighbourhood? Are you looking to rebel or fit in? It’s your home, your sanctuary and you need to be you. Maybe we should have met the neighbours prior to moving. That should be a thing. Find the right neighbours, not the right house!

Practical tips for your first Christmas in your new home

Do your friends and family even know where to find you for your first Christmas in your new home? Now’s the perfect time to ghost people you don’t want to hear from again. For those you still wish to associate with, make sure they have your new address. Then you can happily exchange litter – I mean, Christmas cards and wish each other season’s greetings and a happy 2025!