Christmas Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui?

One of the most exciting things about the festive season is putting up the Christmas tree and decorations. Decorating your house in bright Christmas colours can help put you in a happy, festive mood, and lift your spirits during the dark, cold nights of winter.

The month of December can be quite a stressful time for a lot of people; racing to finish big work projects before the end of the year, rushing to buy cards and presents, and trying to squeeze in visits to various family members and friends can leave you feeling exhausted and unhappy.

Feng Shui (pronounced ‘fung shway’) derives from an ancient Chinese practice, and involves guidance on furniture placement and interior colours, so that they are in balance with the natural world. It is a powerful tool to create peace and harmony in the home; this is especially important during the Christmas period, when we add several extra pieces and colours to our homes, and it can help to make your evenings relaxing and stress free. Here are some tips on how best to place your Christmas decorations to maximise Feng Shui.

Where should I put my Christmas tree?

One of the biggest debates every year is where to place the Christmas tree. Admittedly, it can be quite difficult, especially with large trees, to place them in the perfect spot. Most people like to have their tree in the sitting room, where there is already a lot of big, heavy furniture, which is usually placed so that everybody in the room can see the television. However, it could be more beneficial to change the location of your tree this year to help add some Feng Shui power.

There are certain areas of the home which benefit from different Feng Shui elements, commonly known as bagua areas. The triangular shape of the Christmas tree is a symbol of fire according to Feng Shui, and the most powerful place to position it is in the south east area of your home. This area is considered to be the money and abundance area of the home, and wooden and triangular shapes are particularly powerful in this room. Placing your tree here will attract wealth and prosperity.

If there’s no room for your tree in the the wealth bagua, you can also attract power to your health, love and relationships by placing the tree in the east of your home, or in the centre of the house to fill your home with holiday spirit and joy; the centre is the balancing area of the home.

What colours should I use for my Christmas decorations?

Colours are a very important aspect of Feng Shui, and can affect the energy and mood of your whole house. During the cold, dark nights of winter, it is best to focus on the Feng Shui element of fire. This means including a fireplace if possible, or candles, bright lights, and the use of red or gold decorations. These colours will help warm up your house and make you feel a lot more comfortable and relaxed.

However, it is important to remember that the main principle of Feng Shui is balance; too much red or gold can mean that the energy in your home will overheat, and this can cause emotions to run high and tempers to flare, resulting in family arguments. Too much red in the home during the Christmas period also explains why people often feel burnt out and have no energy when it comes to January.

To balance out the fire, add some cooler colours to your Christmas decorations; the light blue of the element of Water will have a soothing effect, as will a cool silver, and the calming influence of white. Another recommended colour is green; in Feng Shui green is the colour of healing, and helps to relieve stress and create a feeling of peace. Hanging evergreen garlands and wreaths on the front door is believed to ward off bad energy, and attract good fortune.

Following these simple Feng Shui guidelines will ensure that your home is filled with an abundance of Christmas spirit and joy, without your energy burning out and leaving you exhausted by the new year. We hope you have a fantastic Christmas period, filled with lots of happy memories!