How to decorate a small home for Christmas in Hong Kong – deck the halls with eco-friendly wreaths, miniature trees, seasonal candles and even faux snow, suggest design experts

With coronavirus and social distancing still ongoing concerns, entertaining at home has become a common practice – even in Hong Kong where space comes at a premium. And now the year’s most prominent entertaining season is just around the corner. If you really try, the holiday season can stretch from American Thanksgiving (at the end of November) right through Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, to Lunar New Year at the beginning of February. That’s a lot of entertaining. Standing tall among those is Christmas. Decking out the halls in this city’s flats can be tricky business; accoutrements that are crucial to the holiday’s most elemental aesthetic have no place in Hong Kong – literally. How many of us have mantels from which to hang stockings? STYLE Edit: Hermès’ best Christmas gifts, from diamond watches to a luxury bike But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ways to dress up the house for Christmas entertaining. It just takes a bit of care. “Space may be a privilege for typical Hong Kong homes,” says Colourliving assistant general manager for marketing, Ken Ip. “But we shouldn’t let that dampen our holiday mood.” Start by getting the lay of the land, bearing in mind that when there’s no eggnog-fuelled evening with family, the space still needs to function as a home, and overloading on knick-knacks could hinder that. Most flats have plenty of overlooked nooks to exploit, ideal for creating a Christmas vibe that will not demand floor area. “Many Hong Kong homes have bay window ledges. These are perfect for setting up a Christmas or holiday display,” says John McLennan, executive chair at Indigo Living. Bay windows are a great resource: extra space for special occasions that doesn’t get in the way of everyday life. McLennan suggests a winter scenario complete with faux snow, a gingerbread house, lights, candles, decorative baubles – perhaps even a small tree. The living room is where most of us will do our holiday entertaining, and it’s also where most of us would expect to put the ultimate Yuletide symbol: the Christmas tree. The big, bulky tannenbaum. “Everyone has a preference,” notes McLennan, his being the bigger the better, while recognising that size and price are the most common factors influencing most people’s choices. The simple solution is downsizing. Indeed, miniature versions of most Christmas decor items exist, including trees – Indigo carries a range of miniature trees with matching tchotchkes – and plenty of compact potted plants can work as stand-ins. Hong Kong’s best festive dinner deals, from turkey feasts to Asian treats And if the aroma is the real draw? “Visit the markets where they sell real trees and ask for some branches trimmed off them. These can then be hung on the wall with some red ribbon and a few silver or gold baubles,” he suggests. It’s an easy way to bring the smell and look to a tiny space. Ip is even bolder. “Who needs [a real tree] when there are alternatives with minimal DIY effort to easily create a Christmas scene with winter greens? Assemble a few small vases or glasses with some eucalyptus or pine to create the illusion of a faux tree and complete the setting with candles or a small table lamp for a flickering effect.” Of course, bay windows are more frequently found in newer buildings, so the rest of us have to get creative. If space is really tight, consider playing with the lighting, arguably the most impactful element in any interior scheme. Christmas is all about setting the right mood Ken Ip, Colourliving “Christmas is all about setting the right mood and lighting is instrumental in getting into the atmosphere,” argues Ip. “A dimmable designer pendant light or ceiling lamp, be it cloud-shaped or a cluster of lamps, that diffuses a soft luminosity, preferably from an indirect or hidden light source, immediately lends a warm radiance that resonates with the Christmas vibe.” Best of all, dimmers are easy to install and come at all price points. Change the light bulbs – orange hues mimic the glow of firelight – and you’ll have even more mood options. And Christmas lights aren’t just for suburban houses. Fairy lights strung at the highest point in any room add a festive touch and don’t get in the way, and they work great on small balconies and terraces, too. Small flat dwellers should also remember to use their walls – as with the branches – and overlooked surfaces like kitchen cabinets and bars. Wreaths are traditionally hung on the front door and that should be taken advantage of. Wreaths bring “immediate holiday vibes and work for interiors of any size”, notes Ip. They’re also reusable and flexible. “Laying it on the dining table and pairing it with string lights, or together with a softly lit portable lamp in the middle creates a more intimate ambience than hanging it.” McLennan likes the festive dining table centrepiece too, particularly in a mix of real and faux greenery. It’s also worth remembering that colour is the ultimate space-saver. If fresh cut flowers are a regular in the home, switch to bouquets in red, green and white or silver themes for a holiday feel, and consider strategically extending the use of traditional Christmas colours to existing accessories: cushion covers, throws, linens and tableware. Surveying the lay of the land also means weeding out what might not be necessary. For McLennan, “Christmas without stockings is like Lunar New Year without lai see or Halloween without a pumpkin,” but he’ll admit deciding on what to toss and what to keep is personal. Those stockings are mostly for kids, but it gives parents an extra few minutes of valuable sleep on Christmas morning. People with pets will know better than to tempt Rover or Fluffy with dangling fabric, and they may be moot for couples opting out of children, empty nesters and singles. Ironically, the tree can be among the first things to go. Real trees are hard to maintain and dispose of, the needles can be a hazard, and recreating that piny aroma is easy: the Candle Company offers seasonal candles and diffusers (Snowflake, Christmas Tree, Christmas Berries) by Carroll & Chan, as do Yankee Candle (Christmas Cookie, Cherries on Snow) and stalwart Ikea to help set an olfactory holiday tone. Hong Kong’s best festive cocktails and winter warmers Omissions are subjective, but McLennan and Ip agree the less plastic you use the better. “Personally, I would get rid of any plastic and/or disposable fixtures that cannot be reused,” says Ip. Local eco-retailer Tree never fails to have a range of sustainable decorations, accessories and, naturally, trees for the space- and eco-conscious. McLennan echoes that environmental sentiment: “Try to buy things you’ll use the following year to start building a collection of Christmas decorations that will last and have memories.” Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.