From Julie Boschi to Mark Wilson: How the Tatler community is decorating their Christmas trees this year

This year, our Christmas decorations continue to celebrate tradition and nostalgia. We tend to keep the same foundational pieces year after year, as the familiar ornaments and arrangements evoke warm memories of past celebrations. There’s a comforting joy in the ritual of placing each piece in its usual spot, allowing cherished traditions to shape our space. For me, the holidays are about celebrating the warmth of family coming together and our decor reflects that sentiment beautifully.

Our colour palette—classic red, white, and copper—paired with a touch of refined elegance, perfectly captures the festive spirit and enhances the season’s charm. These decorations are an expression of our family’s personality: feminine, graceful, and slightly regal, thanks to the influence of my two daughters, Andie and Alex. Beyond the tree, I love creating a cohesive look throughout our home, with a particular focus on the dining room. It’s the heart of our holiday gatherings, where we spend meaningful moments and craft new memories with family and friends.

As someone who grew up here, I always thought of ‘traditional’ Christmas trees as a green, plastic, conical shape covered in artificial snow. When I would go to Baguio, I would look for those conical shapes but I wouldn’t see any outside. When I went to the US for the first time when I was 17, I thought, “This is a tree that comes from another place, and it’s not a Filipino tree.”  

But I saw a lot of bamboo growing in people’s backyards here, so it feels very local. I liked that it has references to a lot of Japanese fishing and Chinese lanterns. The base for the bamboo Christmas tree is a big Chinese jar, similar to what my mom has in her own home.  

Instead of using synthetic materials for the decorations, I wanted to spotlight local forms and materials through the parol (star-shaped lantern) made from abaca on bamboo frames. The Isabel parol, named after my mom, is made by artisans in Sorsogon, who handcraft each lantern. It’s rainy in the Bicol region, so it can take time to dye the abaca lanterns reds, yellows and blues. For the Loly Star, we also used raffia. 

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Christmas is a magical time for our family, brimming with joy, nostalgia, and togetherness. Our home’s design this year celebrates cherished memories and the spirit of the season with gold, champagne, and white accents, complemented by local materials like capiz and sinamay. Opening boxes of ornaments feels like a time capsule, with each piece holding sentimental value. Angels from my mother’s tree, balding white owls adored by my children, and handmade ribbons tell stories of love and laughter. 

This year, I added a white dove to symbolise our prayer for peace and continued the tradition of displaying the Holy Family, a reminder of Christmas’s true essence. Decorating has evolved as my children grow—my youngest, Lucia, pops in to place her favourite ornaments, Isabella meticulously handles the lights, and Alessa balances my maximalist tendencies. Even my husband plays his part, cheering us on from the sidelines.

The festive spirit extends beyond the tree, filling every corner of our home. The staircase gleams with what my children affectionately call a “Christmas explosion.” Handmade ribbons and clusters of ornaments reflect my love for crafting and the personal touch I hope my children will carry into their traditions. While we’ve shifted to an artificial tree for convenience, I keep the setup fresh by moving it to a different spot each year, preserving the excitement. 

For us, decorating is more than aesthetics; it’s about creating a space that embodies our family’s love, memories, and shared traditions. Christmas in our home is not just a celebration—it’s a heartfelt expression of what matters most: faith, family, and the simple yet profound act of being together.  

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