CIARA ELLIOTT: A STRESS FREE CHRISTMAS
We caught up with Ciara Elliott; magazine editor, interior’s influencer, mother of two and general busy bee for a coffee in the lovely local village of Dedham. There we chatted about how she makes it work and getting ready for Christmas.
Ciara, you are a bit of a superwoman, tell us a little about yourself.
I am a magazine editor, interior journalist, fashion fanatic, wife and mother of two girls. I run a pre-loved clothes fashion event called Fashion Re:Boot which started here in the South East but now pops up all over the UK, the next one is in Norwich. I also love Instagram and play an active part in the interiors community online, I enjoy it as a creative outlet for myself.
What do you love?
Autumnal mornings, and summer evenings – good food, wine and company and gathering with friends and family any time of year. I love losing myself in a book or film. I love long bubble baths and lazy Sunday breakfasts as well as simple cycle rides, walks in the countryside and getting out on for a run with friends or else on my own and a good podcast. I also do all my reading on audible now so I need to have a reason to put my earphones on. This is usually what gets me running!!
You are obviously busy! What tactics do you employ for managing everything through the Christmas season?
Time planning is key! This might sound obvious but writing that list – whether it’s who to send cards to, who to buy gifts for, what to get into the house to cook during Xmas and New Year – it all helps! If there are babysitters to book, presents to buy for teachers, new outfits for the kids to organise – get on it! I find I always feel better when I am actually have a plan for the stuff I need to do, I get nervous when I feel I may have forgotten things so I generally find the more the lists the better. You can actually sit down and take a day to plan and a day to action. Once you’ve done what you can and if there are loose ends, give up on it. Pour yourself a sherry and watch something funny on TV or listen to some music you love. You’ve done your best.
I try to keep it simple. A big thing for me this year is that due to the fact we are in massive saving mode (wedding earlier in the year, a house project underway) there is no getting back to see my own family in Ireland, which makes me a little glum. But having had a little sadness about it I am now turning it around and focussing on the positives and thinking of the massive peace of mind that this also brings with it.
There is such a tendency to rush around, which is mainly what I do every year. This year, I am deciding that our lack of finances could be a very good thing as it means you have less choices and just need to be grounded and where you are.
It might sound corny but the other big thing I am learning all the time – and that Christmas pulls focus on – is to look at the positives and the things I do have in my life, rather than always striving for perfection and seeing the gaps where things could have been better. The best way to do this is to embrace what’s here – let life get messy and give up on it all being perfect. It also helps to get out and do your bit in the community – and (I know this also sounds terribly corny but it’s true) help others when you can.
The last thing would be to take time out when you need to. Although being around extended family and friends can be one of the great joys of life, it can also be fraught with tension and sadness. To be honest, the older I get, the more I realise that if you have a complicated upbringing it is very hard to shake it off and Christmas can be a particularly hard time if this is the case. Try to keep it all in perspective. If things are upsetting you, schedule some extra time out and have a walk, take a long bath or curl up on the sofa with a movie. Talk to someone understanding and take a lie down. If you can’t take proper time out just try a few minutes breathing and centering yourself again.
Finally what do you love about Crumpet?
I love the warmth and feel of cashmere and wearing it makes me happy. I love what Crumpet does with cashmere – that it is top quality and ethically produced and comes in a small edit of beautiful designs. I like that they don’t scrimp on quality.
Instagram: @ciaraelliott, @fash-reboot