Deck the halls: in the Dubai house with nine Christmas trees and a gingerbread kitchen

Now is the time to deck the halls. Also to give some interiors inspiration, or just ignite the spirit of the growing season, The National’s festive homes series takes you into many of the most fabulously decorated residences in the UAE.

Here, we have a peek in to the whimsical but warm Watson home in Dubai’s Jumeirah Islands.

Cherry Watson has loved Christmas decorations since she was a little gal. When she was growing up in London, looking at the baubles and garlands to get with her mother was a time-honoured tradition through the holidays. When Watson switched 10, she took over the decoration of the family home’s Christmas tree.

With years of tree-dressing experience under her belt, Watson also continued to dabble with the craft professionally. The Briton includes a degree popular design and worked for Harrods as a stylist, where time she dressed trees because of its website and magazine. In 2018, Watson brought all that festive experience with her to Dubai.

She currently lives with husband, Ben, and their two dogs, Rosie and Poppy, in a five-bedroom villa in Jumeirah Islands. And with Christmas nearby, she's decked the halls to the brim, with numerous themed Christmas trees, handmade ornaments, Nutcracker figurines and gingerbread men.

“I started establishing the decorations on November 20 and worked for 14 days straight to set everything up,” she says. “And I’m still adding bits and bobs.”

Trees of each type

Spending pride of place in the open-schedule living room will be two large Christmas trees - a 2.5-metre specimen finished up in blush pink and white, and a 3-metre tree on turquoise and gold. Leading to the kitchen can be a bright candy-cane tree, purchased through Amazon, with some decorations handmade by Watson and others purchased from the US. A fourth 2.5-metre tree sits found in the couple’s bedroom upstairs and is decorated within their wedding colours - fuchsia and gold.

Christmas firs aside, Watson’s favourite is a good colourful memory tree that sits on the dining table.

“The memory tree is something I’ve been doing with my mum since I was a kid. We buy what to hold on the trees on each trip we have and we’ve accumulated baubles from across the world - from the Maldives to the Caribbean islands. It possibly features things that I’ve made; there’s one from the seashells on the beach where I got engaged. Hence, for me, that is easily the most sentimental tree,” she says.

This year, Watson added another personalised tree to the roster. When she and Ben acquired married on February 14, good friends and family group provided the couple baubles and various other decorations that now hold on a tiny “wedding tree” that sits next to the memory tree.

“We were so lucky to get a wedding at all of this year,” she says. “I wanted to remember that.”

Additionally, there are three miniature specimens scattered about, racking up the ultimate count of trees in the household to a nifty nine.

Nutcracker figurines galore

Apart from foliage, Watson admits to presenting a soft area for Nutcracker figurines, which she's collected over the years.

“We usually visit America before the holiday season. My husband’s hq is in a tiny town near Washington, which has amazing Holiday shops from where I grab Nutcracker figures. I love the types from Kurt Adler, and my personal favourite is usually one themed on The Wizard of Oz, my favourite movie developing up.

“This year, specifically, I was searching for pink Nutcracker dolls. Since we haven’t had the opportunity to travel, my father and mother are taking some over,” she says.

Apart from these figurines, festive components are homes in every nook and cranny, including a gingerbread-themed kitchen and a guest bathroom done up to resemble a forest. It may seem like a large amount of work and money (the Nutcracker figurines themselves happen to be worth about Dh5,000, as the tree and ornaments from Amazon cost another Dh5,000), but Watson insists it’s all worthwhile.

“It’s an investment. I’m likely to be offering the same decorations following year and another, and just keep increasing it. I’m lucky that the home is definitely big enough to support everything, and that I contain a garage for storage.”

With her family coming over this month, she also knows her efforts will be appreciated.

“All my life, my own mum has made the house amazing for me personally for Christmas, so this is just me personally returning the favour. Besides, since my husband and I haven’t had the opportunity to visit all year, it’s fine to celebrate at home and help to make it somewhat extra.”