When did we become such "customisers"? Was it Starbuck's fault, with their grande coffee in a venti cup with any option you want? Or maybe it was when Nike came out with Nike ID – online ordering of custom shoes.

Sometimes when the market hasn’t got what you want you just have to DYI. We love to entertain in our garden in the warmer months so when we went shopping for a big outdoor setting recently we opted for the largest table we could find.

Now don’t panic but its December 1 tomorrow. Breathe deeply and keep calm because we have a host of lovely Christmas gift ideas to share over the next few weeks and if you’ll be hosting Christmas this year ... some lovely decor ideas to make your Christmas a day your guests will talk about all year. Most are available to purchase online. Phew!!!

Did you know that corn can be turned into carpet? Or that a sheep’s wool is brilliant at absorbing and releasing moisture? And ever heard of llama and alpaca carpets?

It’s just a table, right? How green can it really get? Very, very, green, as Light Home found out when we went looking for dining tables with a sustainable edge.

Over the next few weeks we’re posting several blogs by courtesy of Light Home. The posts focus on eco friendly decor which is increasingly becoming a popular choice for those who love both beautiful decor and the planet.

This week we’ve focused on some very original gift ideas. We also have some beautiful prizes to be won and special offers just for our subscribers, so read on to be inspired ....

Here are some new pieces just arrived from Africa for our collectors ... beautiful Christmas gifts with a story.

One month to go, so we’ve put together some ideas for Christmas decorating and gift ideas. You’ll find a host of other ideas in our website, www.decoratorscatalogue.com.au Enjoy.