SWOOSH-BOOM! that was the sound of Christmas flinging itself into our lives for the 2019th year! To kick off the festive season in style, I’m swapping the calm of Jack Lane for some very Christmassy excitement in Failsworth. Housing Units, to be precise. If a visit to the store isn’t already in your plans, then here’s five reasons why it should be…
5 reasons to visit Housing Units this weekend:
- To behold the beauty of the Christmas Village (this is special!)
- To explore the four key Christmas trends for 2019 (allllll the heart-eye emojis, here)
- For a bite to eat in the Wickentree Restaurant or Café 1947 (or both)
- To be inspired by the styled room sets (An interior lover’s dream. When can I move in?)
- To bring any little ones in your life to Santa’s Grotto. (I won’t ruin the surprise, but it’s an unforgettable experience)
And there’s your itinerary for your next free weekend – nailed it. You’re welcome! But, having been given the opportunity to do a blog takeover for Housing Units, I can’t stop there. Fancy coming on a tour of the Christmas Village? You’re on! Come for a preview of the four key Christmas trends, so you can see why this is the place everyone’s talking about for Christmas décor. K, let’s go…
Turn left when you enter the Emporium and you’re in for a frosty reception (in a good way!) This arctic scenery makes me feel all David Attenborough. He’d say “Welcome to Antarctica. Here, we see a frozen landscape, inhabited by a family of emperor penguins and a singing snowman”. (My Attenborough impression is way better in real life). Anyway, the twinkly lights, Christmas music and baby penguins (ohhh gosh, the fluffy baby penguins!) make for the most magical scene. No need to be dreaming of a white Christmas, when you can visit this one for free.
Venture a little further and you’ll discover the decorations in the first of the four Housing Units’ Christmas trends. Featuring penguins, polar bears, snowflakes and sparkling icicles, this one’s called ‘Festive & Frosty’. The decorations sparkle in a palette of icy blues and snow white, accented with deep, midnight navy. I’m already having an ‘add to basket’ moment, with everything.
No sooner have you dusted off the snowflakes, before you find yourself in ‘Angelic Dream’. This feminine theme puts the spotlight on my favourite colour palette, which I’ve used throughout my home on Jack Lane: white and blush – HELLO! Inspired by fairy tales, Angelic Dream is brought to life with butterflies, unicorns and other statement motifs in warming shades of gold, blush and white. My basket’s full and I’m not even feeling guilty about this.
I could do with swapping my overflowing basket for a clutch bag and replacing the camera around my neck with a glitzy necklace as we head into the next Christmas trend… it’s Vintage Glamour, darling! Imagine a lavish Gatsby Christmas, where the champagne flutes are clinking and sequins are twinkling! This theme stuns in a palette of gold, black, bright pink and royal purple, with lavish decorations like sparkly glasses and festive floristry. Oh, and the bauble-adorned archway in this part of the store, is a sight to behold. I love how the Housing Units team dress the store with DIY décor ideas. #inspired.
That was fun, but do pass my jarmies, as the next trend calls for us to kick off our heels and slip into something more comfortable. ‘Traditional with a Twist’ is all about the cosy vibes of a classic countryside Christmas. Think tartan prints and tones of red, gold and green. It’s evocative of Christmas carols and board games around a roaring log fire. This part of the store is where you’ll find all the magical extras, too: ‘Stop here’ signs, letter-writing kits, Christmas Eve boxes, candy canes, elves… yep, it’s all here!
That concludes my tour of the store. On a scale of 1-10, how festive are we feeling? I entered the store at a weak 4 and left as a strong 10. I even treated my tree to a fancy new outfit. The quality and price of the baubles? Amazing. I picked some pink rose clip-on decorations for £1.50 each, some navy sparkly baubles for £1.50 each; two boxes of 12 baubles – one in blush, one in gold, for £4.99 – barg of the century; and a gold leaf garland for my bar cart, £11.99. I’ll post pictures of my all-Housing-Units-everything tree and bar cart, soon!
So, whether the sky’s the limit for decorating this year, or you’re a solo home-owner making your grotto beautiful on a budget like me, Housing Units has everything you need to make this an absolute stunner of a Christmas – we’ve got this!
Laura x (@lifeonjacklane)
