The advent windows trend sweeping the nation this Christmas

Of all the Christmas trends we've seen this year, advent windows are possibly the most heart-warming. Lighting up the front windows of 24 homes on the same street in places like Sheffield, Cheltenham and Bristol through December, advent windows bring all of the festive cheer.

With over 3,000 Instagram posts to date, this Christmas decorating idea celebrates community. It definitely brings a goodwill-to-all spirit to the Christmas countdown.

Nadia McCowan Hill is Wayfair‘s Resident Style Advisor. She says advent windows have continued to grow in popularity, ‘with no signs of slowing down’ for 2021. The Wayfair style expert comments that they are an ideal crafting project to get the kids involved.

‘Creating a window display will add a decorative touch to the inside of your home, whilst brightening up the outside view for the local community,’ she says. Nadia says bright pops of colour and lighting are key for making yours stand out.

What are advent windows?

Not to be confused with individual Christmas window decorating ideas, advent windows are a team effort. They've been around for a while but became a popular way to lift spirits in December 2020. These real-life advent calendars are certainly nothing new in Greenwich, London.

For the fifteenth year running, windows of homes, pubs, and shops will be revealed from the 1st to 24th December this year. They’ll stay up until January 2nd, and an online map shows the route so you can go on a big festive walk. Perfect for walking off the mince pies.

Feeling inspired? There’s still time to organise an advent window trail in your area, you just need to round up 24 volunteers.

There are no rules as to what kind of festive decorations you put in your window. You can set a theme for your advent windows or give free rein and see what people come up with.

If you want to stick with traditional Christmas ideas, you could create a magical nativity scene. You could fill your window with reindeer, snowmen, and Christmas trees or recreate a scene from your favourite Christmas film. Or why not pay homage to your local area with historical landmarks?

If you get invited to an 'Advent windows' Whatsapp group, you know what to do...