Christmas is most definitely a time for savouring tradition. Rather than the customs that come from other places and times before our own, it's the traditions that are completely unique to our families that mean the most - the ones we've grown up with and built on, year after year. It's these that create the feelings we all yearn for as the silly season approaches: that nostalgia for years gone by, a sense of joy and the excitement we felt as children. Whether it's in the food you prepare, the service you attend, the games you play, the exchange of presents or simply the people with which you spend the day, one or all of these combine to mark a real sense of homecoming. For my three older sisters and me, the moment that always got our hearts racing was when we pulled out our Christmas stockings in preparation for Christmas Eve. My mother had used Hobbytex (ball-point fabric pens) to transform simple pillowcases into ‘magic stockings'; mine had a Tinkerbell drawing on it, and I absolutely loved it (I still love Tinkerbell - such fabulous hips). It was such a small gesture - and definitely not an expensive one - but it added more atmosphere to Christmas than the presents themselves.

I think that the past 12 months of economic uncertainty have made just about everyone stop and think about what really matters. It's not about what you have; it's what you value that makes you who you are. I don't think I'm alone in feeling a sense of reassurance that life is not about building wealth or ‘collateral', but about feeling happy, balanced and free of unnecessary stress. This year, we at Home Beautiful have focused our efforts on inspiring a truly ‘handmade' Christmas, with an emphasis on homemade touches, from hand-stitched stockings to ribbon-wrapped jam jars. It was a good reminder for all of us that it's not about the money you spend, but that it is, as ever, the thought that counts. When you fill your home with gifts and decorations you've made yourself, they embody more love than any hi-tech package could ever convey. I think we'll all feel a sense of relief that this special time of year remains just that, no matter what has come before it.

Wendy