BRIMBANK NORTH WEST
Home » News » Add a festive personal touch

Add a festive personal touch

Household items or trinkets that mean something to your family could make for some spectacular Christmas decorations in 2025.

Getting into the festive spirit need not be very expensive or labour intensive with a few ideas to help you create your own decorations to wow your guests.

Give your guests a dramatic welcome: A pair of inexpensive plastic urns from the garden centre instantly dress up a front doorway. Place a tall foam cone in each urn, anchor it with sand, then use florist sticks and wire to attach greenery and Christmas balls.

Make an easy table topper centrepiece by buying a garland of greenery available at garden centres to run down the length of your table.

Send your kids out to collect pine cones, and use them as rustic toppers. You can also buy pinecones at garden or craft stores.

Another festive idea could be to load a simple glass jar or bowl with multiples of the same fruit, nut, or monochromatic ornament. Trifle bowls filled with red apples and green baby artichokes – the colours of Christmas and walnuts look especially festive. Or you could try bowls of lemons and limes as an alternative.

For a subtle outdoor decoration, gather pine cones of various sizes and arrange them in a window box or in pots on your porch, sprinkling the tiniest ones on top. The weatherproof display should last until next season.

Instead of the traditional evergreen, try a homemade wreath of citrus fruits. Start with a circular piece of florist’s foam, then use wooden florist’s picks to secure large items, such as oranges, first. Continue with smaller fruit -persimmons, clementines, limes and tie with a thick velvet ribbon.

Personalised place setting adds a very nice touch to Christmas lunch.

Serve holiday dinner buffet style and wrap each dish in a sheet of parchment paper and tie with a length of ribbon before stacking it. Guests will be rewarded with a pretty presentation not to mention a little gift-opening practice.

Get creative this Christmas and make the most of the material around you to make your house sparkle for the festive season.

Digital Editions


  • Community welcomes Year of Horse

    Community welcomes Year of Horse

    About 100 locals attended a Lunar New Years celebration on Thursday 19 February, hosted by Djerriwarrh Community and Education Services at its Sunshine campus. Students,…

More News

  • Barro extension granted twice

    Barro extension granted twice

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 231116 The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria has granted the operator of Kealba landfill, Barro Group, an extension to 19 March to demonstrate why…

  • Cleopatra performance showcases local talent

    Cleopatra performance showcases local talent

    A powerful new ballet is set to captivate audiences in Caroline Springs this March, as a cast of passionate adult performers present Cleopatra, The Last Pharaoh at the Catholic Regional…

  • Lions’ T20 delight

    Lions’ T20 delight

    There was no repeat of last year as Deer Park claimed the Victorian Turf Cricket Association group A T20 premiership. The Lions were made to work for the title, with…

  • Community art promotes inclusion

    Community art promotes inclusion

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 536103 A vibrant collection of artwork by local residents, including people living with disability, seniors, those experiencing mental health challenges, and members of Culturally…

  • Saints ready to launch

    Saints ready to launch

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 458912 Consistency and doing the small things right are the keys for St Albans Saints in the National Premier League this season. The Saints…

  • EPA conducts odour blitz

    EPA conducts odour blitz

    The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said it has conducted more than 36 inspections and issued eight compliance notices in relation to recent reports of odour in Melbourne’s inner west. The…

  • Accused murderer makes bail bid

    Accused murderer makes bail bid

    Accused murderer Greg Lynn is not an unacceptable risk to the community, his lawyers have argued as he makes a bid for freedom. Lynn, 59, formerly of Caroline Springs, sat…

  • Clean Up Australia Day events

    Clean Up Australia Day events

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 536022 Brimbank residents can take part in Clean Up Australia Day this Sunday 1 March, alongside hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the country.…

  • Young leaders converge

    Young leaders converge

    Seventy-five students from high schools across Melbourne’s north-west attended a student leadership summit on Friday 20 February, providing an opportunity for young people in the region to develop leadership skills…

  • New Ramsey into the record books

    New Ramsey into the record books

    Jhett Ramsey was one of two Sunshine Heights players to write himself into the record books on Saturday, breaking a record set by his father in 2017. Neil Hariman and…