IT'S been a hell of year that kicked off with the death of David Bowie, cruelly snatched away Prince in the spring, smacked us in the face with Brexit in the summer and went steadily and shockingly downhill from there until a bewigged Oompa Loompa deceived his way to the White House. So more than ever we need the warm fuzzy glow of Christimas to cheer us all up and persuade ourselves the world is still a good place. We need John Lewis, we need Hygge, we need mulled wine and mince pies, fairy lights and snowflakes, dogs dressed as Christmas puddings and a whole lot of ho ho ho. And nothing makes Christmas more present than a tree and decorations. So whether you've dusted off your friendly old artificial number, filled your home with pine-scented foliage or gone for a more blokey retro look by wrapping some tinsel round the telly, decorating your home in December is a key part of what Christmas is all about. Here are some of this year's biggest trends to help you do it with flair.

TREES

Real versus artificial

Christmas, they say, is all about the children and what better gift could you give them than a future for our planet? It now seems conclusive that a real tree is better for the environment than an artificial one unless you plan to use the fake for more than a decade.

"Christmas trees benefit the environment by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere," said Rory Young, director of Scottish Christmas Trees which sells trees straight from the farm. "One acre of trees provides enough oxygen for at least 18 people. Two and a half acres of Christmas Trees will absorb approximately six tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. Artificial trees are made of oil-based plastic and they don't degrade."

So unless you have an artificial one already, go real. They smell heavenly, some studies claim they reduce stress and there are an increasing number of varieties too. "The majority of people will go for Nordmann Fir," adds Young, "though you get nice citrus scent from a Fraser Fir. The Norway Spruce used to be the tree that everyone traditionally bought but it's not great for retaining its needles but they are good for those on a budget."

If you have an artificial tree there are ways of making it look more realistic, according to John Lewis' Christmas buyer, Dan Cooper. "Look for trees with an irregular outline as these will mirror the look of a real tree," he says. "Fluffing" is apparently a key part of tree process. "Play with moving and lifting branches, extending the angles and sprucing the pine needles, taking care to ensure the fullness of the tree is optimised." Cover the tree's base and use Scenticles – fir scented incense – to imitate the aroma of a natural pine tree.

Cooper recommends 50-100 lights per foot of whichever tree you chose. And if you want to avoid looking like an amateur, try not to clump them round the bottom; a rookie mistake.

Positive purchase power

Think about the impact of your spending power. Buying direct from your local Christmas farm rather than the big brands and garden centres cuts down on "tree miles" and supports the local economy. And if you opt to buy through schemes like the Bethany Christian Trust's Caring Christmas Trees, available in Fife, Edinburgh and Lothians and Glasgow and West, you'll be supporting the charity's work with homeless people and families. Look for other schemes locally. www.caringchristmastrees.com

Generation rent

Then again, why buy? Come January getting rid of your tree is usually a sad business, even though they can be chipped and recycled. If you've got a garden, opt for a potted tree – which are now widely available in all sizes – and keep it till next year. If not, those based in Glasgow can rent a tree from social enterprise Locavore. The small shop, which rented out 180 trees last year and this year expects the scheme to be even more popular, still has five-foot trees available for £36. They will deliver and pick up locally for an extra £5. "Christmas flies in the face of ideas of sustainability but there are things you can do," says founder Reuben Chesters. "After Christmas we plant the trees out in our market garden and they act as a windbreak allowing us to grow organic for our veg boxes." www.glasgowlocavore.org

Multiples

Apparently this year one tree not enough; those in charge of Christmas claim what we need is more excess and are suggesting a second tree. But why stop there? "People are now having a few trees dotted round their homes," says interiors stylist, Rosie Brown of www. papastour.com. "What about a paper poster tree in the kids' rooms that they can colour in themselves, or a food-themed tree in the kitchen/dining space? Think sparkling cupcake baubles and strings of popcorn or red chilli lights." Alternative trees are also available on www.notonthehighstreet.com or get into the DIY aesthetic and go for reclaimed branches, which are free for the eagle-eyed and where it's really at. If you're feeling arty, try making a lithographed printed tree and use Christmas stickers in place of baubles.

DECORATION

Go natural

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly" goes the popular carol and it also looks good in your living room too. Bring the outdoors inside this year and fill your house with ivy, pine foliage and mistletoe. For non-Christians who still celebrate Christmas, it's in keeping with Yuletide, Midwinter and Winter Solstice celebrations, so makes more sense. Light a fire and some candles and it's the very definition of Hygge – a Danish word roughly translating as "the art of cosy".

"For me making your own wreath is all part of the preparation for Christmas and something my family always do together," says Brown.

If foraging for foliage sounds like the waste of a good winter walk, an increasing number of florists and other organisations are offering workshops and provide materials. Woodland-based social enterprise Green Aspirations is running craft sessions for kids and grown-ups in Milngavie and will be creating baubles made using wooden discs, acorns and conkers as well as Christmas wreaths. Look out for local listings.

The shops are full of natural materials too. "Continuing on the Hygge theme, there is a strong Northern climes feel inspired by the low winter light and rugged landscapes," adds Brown. "Craft is merging with modern technologies to create some really special pieces, such as laser-cut wooden decorations and hand-blown glass baubles. Colours are natural or monochrome and sparkle is pared down." www.greenaspirationsscotland.co.uk

It's all about kitsch

But if that all sounds a bit dull, this year you can also kitsch it up to your heart's content. Shops like Paperchase and Urban outfitters are going big on fast-food influenced decorations because after all, nothing says Christmas like a big glittery slice of pizza or a poke of French fries. Naturally, flamingos and unicorns are also on trend along with big pompoms and bright colours and it's all super-shiny. Flying Tiger has got plenty of good-value multipacks. The great thing about the kitsch look is you can get the kids involved. Get out the card, ribbon and glitter glue and let them go for it. www.paperchase.co.uk or www.urbanoutfitters.com/uk

More is more

Designers and buyers are also pushing the luxe look which is all about traditional Christmas colours, precious stones and sparkles, peacock feathers and flounces, with more than a dash of nostalgia. "Traditional styles will always be in fashion," says Dan Cooper of John Lewis. "Reds, golds and greens as well as dashes of white and silver are naturally the go-to palette for the festive season and its traditional style decorations that offer these colours most. Decorations that depict Dickensian artwork and classic representations of Father Christmas and Yuletide evoke a sense of family, tradition and the values of the festive period." Dim the lights and reveal in a magical sense of Christmas past.

Lady things

The puerile boastings of America's moronic new President aside, the vagina has been quietly fighting back in 2016. From featuring on sell-out feminist badges to the cult status of blogs such as 'How to make me come' and the 'Vagina Dispatches' section in a worthy London-based newspaper – featuring videos including '10 things you need to know about the vagina' and an introduction to the vulva – the vagina is having a moment. So what better way to see out the misogyny we've witnessed over recent months than decorating your tree with 'vaginaments'?

Lovingly made in soft heirloom-quality wool-blend felt by Esty seller Suzanne McAleenan in Ontario, these cutie little beauties have a little metal bell stitched strategically within the folds. Some have piercings or are fur trimmed. What's more each has its own name and description and, like vaginas themselves, are unique in their own special way. Sadly, orders made can no longer be guaranteed to come before Christmas, but as McAleenan points out, "A good vagina is worth the wait", so you can always get your order in for next year. A cool vaginament will never go out of style. www.etsy.com

WHEN

There are suitable sayings for many times of the year. "Ne'er cast a clout till May be out", for example, warns against going out without a vest until summer is really upon us. There doesn't seem to be a similarly suitable warning against putting your tree up before November ends but there definitely should be. Real traditionalists will know that the tree is meant to go up on Christmas eve and come down on the 12th day of Christmas. It's supposed to be bad luck if you keep it up past 5 January. But if you can resist the pressure until 24 December it really will be a Christmas miracle.