Finalists Compete for Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year Title

Five festive finalists are vying for the title of Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year when the popular BBC program airs on Monday. For this year’s Christmas edition of Scotland’s Home of the Year, judges have toured residences in Lesmahagow, Cumbernauld, Dalkeith, Alloa, and Fraserburgh. Interior designers Anna Campbell-Jones and Banjo Beale, along with architect Danny Campbell, will assess each house based on its architectural merit, stylish interior, festive flair, and seasonal style. The winner is scheduled to be announced on Monday, December 16, at 8pm on BBC One Scotland. Festive Farmhouse is the residence of Angela and Mark and their four children: Marylee (15), Samuel (14), Marcus (six), and Rosa (five). For this family, Christmas revolves around involving everyone in the festivities, from baking to crafts and gathering foliage for handmade decorations. The family adopts a traditional decorating approach, aiming to establish a nature-inspired Christmas theme throughout their farmhouse. Angela and Mark also enjoy incorporating their children’s arts and crafts into their Christmas home. Mistletoe House is home to Gillian and Philip and their two teenage sons, Mitchell (19) and Mackenzie (16). Each Christmas, Gillian dedicates extensive effort to transforming their family home into a winter wonderland. She insists on undertaking all the decorating herself, stating that “no-one can match her exacting standards.” The house features trees in nearly every room, alongside three embellished doorway arches crafted from hundreds of baubles and a giant garland wrapped along the full length of the staircase. Holly Bank House is occupied by Kirsty, her partner Gordon, and their two children—five-year-old Rae and one-year-old Freddie. The home was previously owned by Kirsty’s grandparents and holds many cherished family memories, particularly during Christmas. Kirsty aims to replicate the magical Christmas she experienced as a child for her own young family. She enjoys utilizing natural materials such as fresh, hand-picked foliage and homemade swags, combined with warm velvets and log fires. Since moving in four years ago, Kirsty discovered a box of her late-gran’s old Christmas decorations, which she has incorporated into her festive designs this year. Santa’s Snug, a property more than 250 years old, is home to Ann and Rolf. They reconfigured the original layout to create a more open-plan living area, which includes a kitchen with a vaulted ceiling—perfect for their giant floating Christmas baubles. Ann enjoys blending old decorations with new concepts and adapts ‘trends’ into her own distinctive style. For Ann, the emphasis is on “little touches,” and Santa’s Snug features quirky festive details sprinkled throughout. Candy Lane Lodge is the residence of Matthew and his partner Stephen, along with their pugs, Isaac and Harry. Matthew is a “self-confessed Christmas enthusiast” and has been decorating for as long as he can recall. His Christmas collection has been meticulously curated since his childhood, and Candy Lane Lodge is now filled with baubles sourced from around the world. He maintains a rule that no two baubles on any of the trees in their Fraserburgh home can be identical. For Matthew and Stephen, Christmas is the highlight of their year. The panel of experts has returned to judge this year’s competition. Anna stated, “I’m looking for a cracking Christmas home filled with personal touches, that’s cosy and convivial but still kind to the planet.” Banjo added, “I’m looking for a Christmas home with all the trimmings, lights, full of decoration, gorgeous full trees and a whole lot of joy – I’m a greedy little Christmas elf.” Danny Campbell remarked, “What I’m looking for in a Christmas home is an authentic attempt to conjure that indescribable feeling of festive spirit using all the senses to spark my own childhood joy for Christmas.” Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year 2024 will be broadcast on BBC One Scotland on Monday, December 16, at 20:00. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.