Decorex SA team talks favourite festive trends and traditions
The longer days, warmer weather and relaxed atmosphere encourage thoughts of the holiday season and the many joyful aspects that accompany this time of year…family, food, presents and the fun of decorating the home for the festive season!
To give you some décor inspiration this yuletide, the dynamic team from Decorex SA has shared some of their personal favourite festive trends as well as giving a sneak insight into their long-held family traditions.
Carol Weaving – MD of Reed Exhibitions
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
I like Minimalist with Sparkle. It’s reflective of Scandinavia which, for me, is the birthplace of Christmas with its warm tones and must-have sparkles.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
On Christmas Eve we give out our Christmas stockings.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
At home with family and friends.
Carol Weaving – MD of Reed Exhibitions (Carlswald, Midrand)
Sian Cullingworth – Portfolio Director: Lifestyle, Design & Retail portfolio at Reed Exhibitions
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Minimalist…with sparkle. The Scandinavian simple, clean lines and muted tones. My tree is decorated with softened metallics – copper, gold, brass and bronze – and wooden accents. I absolutely love the clean lines, white and silvers with a bit of sparkle.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
My heritage is German, so we always have a big Christmas Eve celebration with the traditional Christmas dinner; turkey, ham and all the trimmings. With all the delicious leftovers, we celebrate Christmas Day out at the pool with cold meats and salads, a typical summer’s day in sunny South Africa.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
We will be spending Christmas at my home this year. It will be our first Christmas with our baby boy.
Sian Cullingworth – Portfolio Director: Lifestyle, Design & Retail portfolio at Reed Exhibitions (Randpark Ridge)
Anita Bloom - Creative Director Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
I LOVE this time of the year – it’s by far my favourite holiday! When it comes to my favourite trend for the season, mine is all about ‘Personalised Touch’ - decorating your space with things you love is always on trend. I will be looking at local and handmade décor items, pulling inspiration from the natural, bringing nature indoors with wooden items, dried and fresh plants and flowers, and keeping the simple, minimalist approach and clean lines… with the sparkle of course!
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
Our favourite tradition is putting up the Christmas tree together. Once our Christmas tree is up, we wait for Holly Harper and Thomas, our family ‘Elves on the Shelf,’ to arrive from the North Pole! Once they arrive, the magic of Christmas begins as they mysteriously move around the house daily leaving little trails of magic everywhere they go! My six-year-old daughter absolutely loves the magic that comes with this special time of the year!
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
At home (my sanctuary) which I don’t get enough time to enjoy during the year! I love spending long, hot days swimming, floating around the pool and entertaining outdoors with friends and family (hello comfort food and wine!). It’s a time we can spend together as a family decorating, cleaning cupboards’ and doing some fun DIY projects around the house. It’s time to ‘take it all’ in, rejuvenate and relax.
Anita Bloom: Creative Director (Bedfordview)
Neil Borthwick – General Manager of Sales at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Greenery and vegetation. I plan to have our Christmas lunch outside using gold-painted pears and green ivy to decorate the table
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
Christmas Eve dinner – our entire family gathers for a full-on feast! This has been going for as long as I can remember and my first memory of it was at my grandparents’ house where turkey, lamb and gammon were all served. Dessert has always been vanilla ice-cream with melted Bar One chocolate and sticky toffee pudding.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
At home. Nothing beats sleeping in late in the comfort of your place and having some proper chill time…with Netflix of course!
Neil Borthwick – General Manager of Sales at Decorex SA (Parktown North/Parkhurst)
Zoë van Niekerk - Marketing Manager: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
My favourite festive trend for 2018 is ‘Personalised Touch’. The festive season is one of my favourites as it is the one time of the year where we can truly bring friends and family together to celebrate, unwind and reflect on the year. Each year, my husband and I host several Christmas parties with friends and families, and for us, it is about creating a special space and setting for every occasion. I love using natural and minimalist elements as my base and then changing it up with a pop of colour or even a little bit of greenery.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
Our festive tradition is slightly different, and it goes by ‘Friendsmas’. Each year we host a dinner party for 16 of our closest friends. Everyone contributes R150 towards the food and my husband and I then have the wonderful challenge of cooking up a delicious three-course meal. Furthermore, each guest is required to bring along a gift – not more than R100 – and then we play a little game called Dirty Santa. Needless to say, a great evening filled with good food, wine, and laughter is had by all.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
I’ll be at home for most of the festive season with my husband and my four gorgeous dogs. It’s the perfect time of the year to unwind, let the stresses of 2018 go and enjoy the finer moments in life with good food, wine and great company. In the New Year we will be heading down to the Midlands for my cousin’s wedding.
Zoë van Niekerk - Marketing Manager: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions (Randpark Ridge)
Angela Chatfield – Senior Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Greenery and vegetation. We always have Christmas outdoors around the pool with plenty of flowers and vegetation to brighten the table. This trend is perfect.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
All the presents are placed at the foot of the tree the night before. Someone is nominated as Father Christmas the next morning (usually a grandchild). This person has to dress up as Father Christmas hand out all the presents.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
In Johannesburg before Christmas as a family and then everyone returns to Cape Town, Australia and London. Then we’re off to Cyprus for a few days and on to Ballito for a week.
Angela Chatfield – Senior Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA (Bryanston, Sandton)
Julie Powell – Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
I love minimalist with sparkle. The sparkle will come from as many fairy lights as we can fit on the Christmas tree, and the minimalist will come from the fact that we will be in a remote destination. Less is more!
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
We celebrate Christmas with another very special family and we have now celebrated Christmas for 64 years consecutively. This was started by our respective grandparents and continues to this day
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
We will be spending the entire festive season on the magical Transkei Wild Coast.
Julie Powell – Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA (Westville, KZN)
Heather Reid – Senior Creative Co-ordinator: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Personal Touch. I will be incorporating this trend into all my Christmas décor this festive season by adding personal elements into the table settings as well as getting customised steel Christmas wall décor from DOT End Designs.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
My family tradition is relatively new, however, it is one of my favourite aspects of my Christmas Day. We take a polaroid picture with our little fur babies by the Christmas tree to add to our photo wall. This came about on our first Christmas with our fur babies.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
I will be spending my festive season relaxing at home.
Heather Reid – Senior Creative Co-ordinator: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions (Bedfordview/ Bedford Gardens)
Kim Steven - Customer Relationship Executive of Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
I love the trend “Minimalist Sparkle”. If you know me, you will soon come to realise that I love anything shiny and sparkly. I feel it adds a little bit of old-world glamour to any moment… be it a cushion on your couch, food, make-up or a sparkly tree decoration. If it sparkles you don’t need add too much, less can be more.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
There is always a photo of each family member on the tree with a candle next to it. On Christmas Eve, from youngest to oldest, each member has to light their candle and pass it on to the next oldest family member. It’s a wonderful tradition that has been passed down from our German ancestors.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
With my family in uMhlanga. My sister and her family are flying in from Australia, so it will be wonderful to all be together again.
Kim Steven - Customer Relationship Executive of Decorex SA (Constantia, Cape Town)
Daniella Galante, Senior Digital Marketing Executive: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Minimalist with sparkle. I love the new minimalism trend and how you can use simple, classic décor pieces to transform a whole room or table setting. I’ll be using subtle, natural colours for crockery, serving dishes and greenery, then adding sparkle through the décor pieces - the serviettes, candleholders and Christmas decorations throughout the house.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
Every year each family gets to host a Christmas party at their house. The hosting family will make the roasts while each family brings a side dish or a dessert – which is always a delicious berry trifle. This has always been the tradition ever since I was a child. Before the festivities begin, we go to church and, on our way there, hand out some food packs to the people standing at the robots.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
In the heart of Mpumalanga, spending time in the bush, going on game drives, site seeing and relaxing.
Daniella Galante, Senior Digital Marketing Executive: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions (Edenvale/ Bedfordview)
Reshnie Govender - Senior Sales Coordinator at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Greenery and vegetation. I will keep everything natural, using only green leaves and flowers.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
We have a potjie for Christmas and this started when my daughter was born.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
At home in Joburg.
Reshnie Govender - Senior Sales Coordinator at Decorex SA (Midrand)
Zinhle Dlamini (aka Zee) – Marketing Coordinator: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Greenery and vegetation. I have been planning on adding some green to my home this year and this trend has inspired me to actually take the time to put this plan into action.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
All the kids dress up on Christmas Day and go out to the neighbours to show off their new outfits, while the adults prepare a feast for lunch.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
I will be visiting family in KwaZulu-Natal (uLundi, Glencoe and Estcourt) which is where I am from.
Zinhle Dlamini (aka Zee) – Marketing Coordinator: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio (Ormonder, Joburg South)
Pontsho Mohlohlo – Operations and Services Manager at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Greenery and vegetation. While flower arrangements are always lovely, adding real greenery is a fresh, stunning way to bring the outside in, especially during the festive season. I personally love adding eucalyptus in my house because it has a very distinct and clean fragrance. Scattering fresh branches of eucalyptus across my home is a gorgeous way of adding a beautiful burst of greenery to my living space, while keeping the rest of the look neutral to really allow the plant to stand out.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
Travelling to the Eastern Cape to visit my gran and spending time at home. I remember this from a very young age and it’s been like that for years now.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
In the Eastern Cape with family.
Pontsho Mohlohlo – Operations and Services Manager at Decorex SA (Liefde en Vrede, South of Joburg)
Josephine Sekwelenkwe - Admin Manager and PA: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Greenery and vegetation. I plan on keeping the décor very neutral and using some fresh eucalyptus branches to add an attractive burst of greenery.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
We always spend time family and extended family, enjoying meals with lots of food!
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
I’m staying in and around Joburg, resting. Around Joburg.
Josephine Sekwelenkwe - Admin Manager and PA: Lifestyle, Design & Retail Portfolio at Reed Exhibitions (Randburg: Sundowner/ Northwold)
Henk Viljoen - Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Minimalist with sparkle. My festive table will be livened up using earthy tones – browns, creams and beiges - combined with geometric metallic lanterns, bouquets of vegetables and herbs (with a touch of red and green, the traditional festive colours).
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
Spending time with the family while enjoying a feast of turkey, gammon, cold meats, various salads and desserts like malva pudding. My family’s tradition is to eat!
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
I will be spending my festive holiday in Hong Kong and Bali.
Henk Viljoen - Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA (Ruimsig – Roodepoort)
Anneline Naidoo – Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
Greenery and vegetation. I will be incorporating greenery into the décor, with a beautiful table setting for Christmas lunch that will definitely add a sense of liveliness and freshness into our home this festive season. Not forgetting canisters filled with G&Ts, with a selection of berries, summer fruit and fresh herbs to tie in the vegetation element.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
We spend Christmas Eve dinner at my gran’s with all her grandkids, having a rather special mutton biryani (she never shares the recipe), followed by pudding that’s loaded with R5 coins – her way of spoiling her grandies and having the entire family over.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
With salty air, and messy hair, basking in the sun in Durbs!
Anneline Naidoo – Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA (Midrand)
Tawanda Runganga - Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
My favourite trend at the moment has to be the monochrome geometric. It’s the ideal trend for someone like me who stays in an apartment. I particularly like the minimalistic look with the colours. Nothing too colourful - a simple black and white combination will suffice. A great way to incorporate this is, instead of a conventional Christmas tree, maybe a geometric, decorative tree with gifts in geometric-style gift wrapping.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
My grandmother would invite my cousins and I to her home to help put up the Christmas decorations and decorate her Christmas tree.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
At home with family.
Tawanda Runganga - Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA (Northgate)
Katy Meurs – Services Manager at Decorex SA
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
My favourite trend is dried botanic and natural textures. I love dried trees which can be painted in various colours, and conifer cones that are dipped in paint make for a really beautiful Christmas tree – these are always my home DIY projects. The upside is you are buying local, creating employment, and spreading Christmas cheer around South Africa.
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
The Christmas Eve drive. Every Christmas Eve, my family and I get in the car once it is dark and drive around the area looking at the Christmas lights illuminating all the houses. Our family started this when myself and my cousins were young.
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
In Alberton, Brackendowns.
Princess Tsotesti - Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex
- What's your favourite festive season 2018 trend and how will you incorporate it into your festive décor?
I like the Personalised Touch trend because I can actually go wild and do something for each guest, according to their personality. We use our own traditional recipes to prepare the food and adding a personal touch to the décor makes it unique. It’s one of a kind and there’s something for everyone!
- What’s a unique family tradition you follow and how did it begin?
We get together with the extended family and enjoy a Christmas feast together. It started with all the cousins and we make this a real family day!
- Where will you be spending this festive holiday?
At home in Soweto.
Princess Tsotesti - Customer Relationship Executive at Decorex SA (Soweto)
For more décor, design and lifestyle ideas and inspiration, get your tickets to Decorex SA 2019 – Decorex Durban, Decorex Cape Town and Decorex Joburg – at www.decorex.co.za. Themed ‘Designing for Africa – feels like home’ Decorex SA 2019 promises a full programme of new features curated by leading designers, as well as all the latest in décor products and trends.
DECOREX SA 2019 DETAILS
Decorex Durban
21 – 24 March 2019
10am – 6pm daily
Durban Exhibition Centre
Trade-focused day: 22 March 2019
Ticket Prices: Adults – R95
Student/Pensioners – R85
Kids U12 – R20
Trade – R85
Decorex Cape Town
1 – 5 May 2019
10am – 6pm daily
Cape Town International Convention Centre
Trade-focused day: 2 - 3 May 2019
Ticket Prices: Adults – R110
Student/Pensioners – R100
Kids U12 – R20
Trade – R100
Decorex Joburg
7 – 11 August 2019
10am - 6pm daily
Gallagher Convention Centre
Public holiday: 9 August
Trade-focused days: 7 - 8 August 2019
Ticket Prices: Adults – R120
Student/Pensioners – R100
Kids U12 – R20
Trade – R100
