High or low...Can you tell the difference?

High or low... can you tell the difference?

High $1,966.50

• GIFT WRAP FABRIC Nani Iro cotton (Red with stars) The Workroom, $25 per metre.
• RIBBON Grosgrain 8800 in 47b Gold, 36mm, Mokuba, 416-504-5358, $23.50 per metre.
• GIFT WRAP PAPER Handmade gold Momi, The Paper Place, $13 per large sheet.
• RIBBON Silk 30000 ribbon in 68 Teal, 38mm. Mokuba, 416-504-5358, $47.50 per metre.
• GIFT WRAP FABRIC Sara Morgan cotton Blue Hill 7630 (Light blue with polka dots). The Workroom, $15 per metre.
• RIBBON Silk 30000 ribbon in 38 Green, 25mm. Mokuba, 416-504-5358, $28.50 per metre.
• BAG Waxed cotton twill Lux Midi bag in Cranberry. The Brave Brown Bag, $120.
• ORNAMENT Vintage teardrop ornament. Vintageer, $12 US per set of 5.
• GIFT WRAP PAPER Chiyogami 525 PAPER in Green, The Paper Place, $16 per large sheet.
• ORNAMENT Vintage reflector ornament. By the Wayside, $5 US.
• BELLS Vintage bells. Raggedyree, $5 US per set of 12.
• GIFT WRAP PAPER Gold paper, Hallmark, $5 per roll. 
• RIBBON Silk 30000 Ribbon in 50 Red, 50mm. Mokuba, 416-504-5358, $57 per metre.
• STUFFED BEAR Mohair Luca Suffed bear. Steiff, $185. 
• BLANKET Twin wool Millennium Point blanket in grey. The Bay, $295.
• SHEEPSKIN Small Sheepskin. Design Within Reach, $105 US.
• BENCH White oak Big Sur bench in Natural, 71½" Crate and Barrel, $999.

Low $825

• GIFT WRAP PAPER Red paper. Hallmark, $5 per roll.
• STICKERS Avery star stickers. Staples, $2.50 per pack.
• RIBBON Gold metallic nylon ribbon. Michaels, $6 per roll.
• GIFT WRAP PAPER Gold paper. Hallmark, $5 per roll.
• RIBBON Satin 1150 ribbon in 102 Teal, 36mm. Mokuba, 416-504-5358, $8 per metre.
• GIFT WRAP PAPER Silver paper. Hallmark, $5 per roll.
• LABELS Avery round multi-use labels. Staples, $5.50 per pack.
• RIBBON Satin 1150 ribbon in 38 Green, 25mm. Mokuba, 416-504-5358, $5 per metre.
• PAPER BAG Medium red paper bag. Michaels, $1.50.
• ORNAMENT Teardrop ornament , $6 US per set of 8. Silver ball ornament, $20 US per set of 60, Amazon. Cotton Shadowed Metallic Dot
• FABRIC - Cotton Shadowed Metallic dot Christmas Magic fabric (Dark green) Fabricland, $10 per metre. 
• BELLS Toho Shoji, $0.60 US each.
• GIFT WRAP PAPER Gold paper. Hallmark, $5 per roll.
• RIBBON Red ribbon. Michaels, $6 per roll. 
• STUFFED BEAR Gund Plush Maxi stuffed bear in tan. Enesco, $20.
• BLANKET Twin wool Natural blanket in Brown Stripe. MacAusland’s Woollen
• Mills, $74.
• SHEEPSKIN Rens sheepskin. Ikea, $40.
• BENCH Reclaimed pine Emmerson bench, 58" West Elm, $599.

Gift wrap
Continue your casual country christmas decorating right down to the gift wrap. This is not the place for froufrou patterns in strict shades but simple motifs in soft colours that pay tribute to the fact that you didn’t buy every element from the same store (and you might even be using remnants from holidays past). This style calls for effortless elegance, so add classic bells (literally) and whistles (like ribbons and bows) and, whatever you do, don’t go same-same and uniform (although, we know, the nutcracker made his look sooo good).

Christmas tree ornaments: High
Forest-dwelling creatures and wooden elements in a palette of browns, beiges, whites and creams, all illuminated by white twinkle lights like the stars in the night sky: Get inspired by these Christmas tree ornaments for the simple charm of a woodland look.

High $62
Ornaments from Chapters Indigo (Clockwise from top left):

• Cut-wood Heart, $7.50
• White Owl, $12.50
• Bark Tree, $4.50
• Dove, $24.50 per set of 3
• Leaves Ball, $7.50
• Reindeer Wood Cutout, $5.50

Low $20
Ornaments from Canadian Tire (Clockwise from top left):

• Natural Bird House, $5
• white polyresin Owl, $2
• wooden Cutout Tree, $2
• 3-D Laser-cut Bird, $4
• Birch Ball, $4
• Wooden Moose, $3

Wool blanket
If the romance of reading a good book under a heavy wool blanket in the dead of winter isn’t reason enough to invest in one of these beautiful blankets, perhaps knowing wool’s credentials will: Wool regulates temperature, keeping you sweat-free in summer and warm in winter; it’s hypoallergenic, with resistance to bacteria, mould and mildew; plus, it’s incredibly longlasting. Need we say more?

1 Twin wool Natural in Brown Stripe. MacAusland’s Woollen Mills, $74.
2 Wool D-Constructed. CB2, $149.
3 Lamb’s wool Vinga in light grey. Klippan, $119.
4 Italian wool and alpaca-knit in Fog Grey. Restoration Hardware, $229 US.
5 Twin wool Millennium Point in Grey. The Bay, $295. Faux Christmas tree
Buy an artificial Christmas tree and say goodbye to cold-weather chopping (or shopping), hail-storm hauling, set-up struggling and shedded-needle sweeping. Faux has never felt so appealing!

Here’s what to know when buying a quality faux tree:

• Know the measurements of the area you’d like the tree to fill, and buy accordingly. Allow at least 6" between the tip of your tree and the ceiling.
• Ensure the metal stand is sturdy, to keep the trimmed tree from tipping.
• When fully set up, you shouldn’t see the centre pole of the untrimmed tree.
• Hinged branches are way easier than hooked-in ones.
• Look for a well-lit tree. The highest density built-in light distribution is between 80 and 100 lights per foot.

1 Avantgarde Craft, 48" x 7½', sold with 400 lights, 155 pre-selected ornaments and a tree skirt. Korhani Home, $350.
2 Pre-lit Hard Needle Pine, 42" x 7' Canadian Tire, $280.
3 PC Pre-lit Mixed Cashmere, 45" x 7½', Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $229.
4 Slim in Two-Tone Green, 30" x 7½', Urban Barn, 159.