All I want for Christmas with . . . Real Living's Deb Bibby

Deb Bibby is the editor-in-chief of Real Living magazine, and is also just completing the renovation of her own home. She shares her joyful approach to Christmas, along with a playlist to steal and images from the brand new issue of Real Living.  

My Christmas style is…relaxed but special. I love my family to feel that it's an occasion, but not precious – it's joyous and fun! This really is my most favourite time of the year – I love the house full and bubbling.



This year I'll be buying…a Noek Design outdoor wood-fired pizza oven (above)– I'm allowed to treat myself, right? It's glorious and the only thing on my wish list. Designed and made in Australia!

My failsafe Christmas styling tip is…You can never have enough fairy lights – they create magic and it's pretty much all you need. Oh, and flowers from The Boathouse Palm Beach – loads of them. I fill the house with them and then go ahead and put out even more in big fat bunches for a beautiful festive feel.





This Christmas I'll be…firing up my totally gorgeous new vintage-style Smeg oven (if the reno is finished, that is – it'd better be, groan!) and cooking a juicy turkey with my sister-in-law Alex's amazing stuffing. Plus loads of different salads for the vegetarian nieces and nephews. A ham recipe like none other from Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine will be cooked. And, in honour of my brother Adrian, a huge bowl of meringues with fruit and ice cream. He used to devour them before I could get them to the table – no matter how well hidden in the kitchen, he'd find them, to my madness! Oh, and a delicious shaken cocktail on arrival – it gets all the relatives, young and old, dancing before lunch.



My Christmas playlist includes…
Buena Vista Social Club (necessary every year, we can't resist partnering up and dirty dancing, especially after the cocktails );
Lana Del Rey;
Jessie Ware;
Birdy;
Angus and Julia Stone;
and always one ABBA song – my sister-in-law Helen finds it irresistible and the kids all need a laugh!



All I want for Christmas is...
To be surrounded with family and my best friends.

My biggest Christmas disaster was…
Sister-in-law Alex doing serious damage to her knee (three operations so far) playing my son's new Wii Fit athletics game a few Christmases back – we are all fierce competitors. Let the games begin!

After Christmas I'm planning to…
Lie down near cool water and not move for at least a week. Then I'll rev up and party with friends as the New Year arrives.