We can live in wonderfully spacious, clean & modern houses all year and this pleases us most of the time.  That need for big space and not feeling too hemmed in is important.  When we decorate or change the interior design of our houses we look for space saving everything – from push under spare beds, folding chairs and tables, push back sofas with recliners rather than separate foot stools or ottomans.  Kitchens are designed to have the latest space saving equipment that can easily be washed and put away out of sight.  Yet when we go on holiday or at Christmas time, we absolutely love the over crowded busy atmiosphere.  My relative’s modest country cottage resembes a German Christma market as soon as December  arrives.   We put away the semsible every day white chinaware and out comes the gloriously gawdy Christmas ware – a jumble of reds, greens, golds and silvers.  The place takes on a whole new identity and we live in a splendid yuletide reverie for weeks.  Nothing is too tacky.  Those cute little reindeer cushion covers and holly shaped coasters.  Style and interior design go straight out of the window so not a good time to think about reshaping the house until after the last elf has laughed!