A Golden Christmas.
Photography by Georgina Morrison ©
A rustic paddock table, spontaneous styling, and the golden magic of early summer.
Some shoots are born from weeks of planning… and some are born simply because the light is too beautiful to ignore. Our 2023 Christmas styling fell firmly into the second category. One warm evening, we looked out across the paddock at ACH, saw the glow rolling over the sown summer soil, and knew we had to capture it. We dragged a table and chairs outside, gathered a handful of favourite pieces, Sarah styled, Georgie photographed — and just like that, one of our most beloved and iconic ACH Christmas scenes came to life.
The magic lay in its simplicity. Rustic elements were having ‘a moment’ again — especially the raw bush textures and pinecone decorations popping up everywhere on Pinterest — but for us, they’ve always been timeless. They feel honest, grounding, and deeply Australian.
Want to edit like us? Get the Preset Collection here from our education business, The Creative’s Toolkit.
Styling, the ACH Way: Don’t Overthink It
Sarah said it best at the time:
“Sometimes the least planning can produce the best results. Why? Don’t overthink it. Think a colour and start there. Choose an overall theme and stick to it. It’s okay to edit, and leave things out.”
And truly — that’s how this table was built.
White linen. Natural textures. Mixed metals. A touch of bush greenery gathered from the garden. Pinecones we’d had in a basket for months. Ceramics from Hope & Co.. Linen napkins from Ceres Homestead. Market baskets from The Good Gift Co. (Now known as Giorgia) resting quietly under the table. A bottle of Mrs Baker’s Still House Christmas Gin catching the evening light. And a classic Akubra Cattleman tipped casually against a chair, because what’s more Australian than a hat at a country Christmas?
It wasn’t about perfection. It was about ease, instinct, and letting the landscape be the hero.
An Authentic Australian Christmas
One of the loveliest parts of this shoot was how recognisably Australian it felt. No snowflakes or chestnuts roasting. No heavy wintery centrepieces. Instead:
A sunburnt paddock turning gold at dusk
Warm breezes carrying the smell of hay
Natural eucalyptus branches scattered along the table
Pinecones and gum leaves instead of holly
Light linens and simple whites
Mixed metals catching the low sun
And — of course — our beloved sausage dog Betty (known as Boo Boo, Baked Bean or The Snag), sitting proudly at the table in her Christmas bow tie
It reminded us that our Christmas doesn’t need to mimic imagery from the northern hemisphere. It’s warm, bright, sunlit, a little windy, a little wild — and we adore it for what it truly is.
Want to edit like us? Get the Preset Collection here from our education business, The Creative’s Toolkit.
Memories, Nostalgia & Family Traditions
In our Instagram captions, Sarah reminisced about the Christmases of her childhood — road trips to the beach, sprawling family lunches in the rumpus room, paper crowns from bonbons slipping down faces, terrible cracker jokes, and those tiny novelty gifts that felt like treasure when you were little.
She also remembered her Granny’s rice salad, turkey and ham, plum pudding, and the legendary hard sauce (brandy butter), which remains unmatched to this day. Everyone offers to make it now … but none quite compare to the original.
Those memories shaped what we continue to love most about Christmas: togetherness, creativity, stories, and the beauty of the everyday. With that at the heart of your Christmas table setting, you can’t go wrong.
Brands & Makers Featured in Our 2023 Shoot
We were so proud to feature and support incredible regional and Australian makers:
Ceres Homestead – linen napkins
Mrs Baker’s Still House – Christmas Gin
The Good Gift Co. (now Giorgia) – French-style market baskets
Akubra – the iconic, timeless Australian hat
Hope & Co. – our studio atelier brand, handcrafted ceramics (plates, bowls, decor)
Each one added heart and authenticity to the table — a reminder that thoughtful, Australian owned and/or made products that elevate even the simplest setting.
A Christmas message from us, to you.
We wish you the happiest Christmases and memorable time with family and friends. We’re grateful for so much, and thank you for following our gallery. We love celebrating all that we love about country living, and hope it continues to resonate with you.
Love and best wishes from our little corner of regional Victoria,
