Duchess Catherine’s mother and sister have given their top tips for a perfect Christmas.
Carole and Pippa Middleton have taken to their Party Pieces blog to offer advice for a stress-free festive season and preparation appears to be the key.
They wrote: "Brainstorm all the jobs you need to do in preparation for Christmas and put it up on your pinboard at home. Mark off the jobs as you do them and give yourself an extra day to get everything done. Think what food you can prepare in advance, (things like sauces, brandy butter etc), what you can freeze and try to avoid the supermarkets during the weekday evening rush and at weekends. It’s always useful to update your address book, in preparation for sending out Christmas cards. You could always get your computer-savvy child to help you type out all the addresses to avoid having to use your scribbled out address book."
The website also recommends decorating pathways and trees with fairy lights to welcome guests.
The blog explains: "Welcome family and friends by lighting pathways with fairy lights round tree trucks or branches, LED light sticks and candles. Have guests met by a beautiful red berry wreath and windows decorated with silver snowflake cut-outs, reindeers and Christmas trees using snow spray. Then as they enter inside beautiful displays of cross stitch Christmas paper chains fill all the empty spaces and fairy lights brighten the fireplace."
Other tips from the blog include tree decorating, making gift bags for guests and preparing delicious hot drinks.
Middleton family gives Christmas tips
