Shoemaker Live and Jakarta International Expo are pleased to announce an extraordinary celebration of music and legacy as the incomparable Andrea Bocelli returns to Indonesia with Bank SMBC Indonesia and BNI present: Andrea Bocelli Romanza 30th Anniversary World Tour Indonesia. Two Wonders, One Voice, the concerts commemorate three decades of the world’s most celebrated classical crossover albums. The highly anticipated Indonesia leg will present two distinctive performances, beginning at the majestic Borobudur Temple in Magelang on October 31, followed by a second performance at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Kemayoran, Jakarta, on November 3.
British travellers have even more reason to visit Malaysia in 2026, with the country celebrating Visit Malaysia Year 2026–2027 alongside the surprising return of Formula 1 to Sepang after nine years. The iconic circuit is stepping in to host the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix, adding a major international sporting event to Malaysia’s packed tourism calendar.
Personally, whenever I get home from a long, busy day, I like to light my favourite scented candle and put my feet up. But what I hadn’t realised is that, according to the principles of Feng Shui, where you position your candles in the home is important and can affect the energy of your space.
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that consists of arranging spaces in order to harmonise with the natural world. It literally translates to wind-water. And if you’ve been wondering whether your best candles may have an impact on your home’s harmony, you’d be right.
Reflective of the fire element, candles are a great way to awaken stagnant spaces and encourage high energy and clarity in your home. Here’s everything you need to know.
Where to position a candle according to Feng Shui
When considering where to position a candle according to Feng Shui, you should avoid areas of clutter and try to place your candle as central to the room as possible.
(Image credit: Future PLC/Brent Darby)
‘Firstly, avoiding areas of clutter can help create a sense of calm and prevent spaces from feeling stagnant. Disorganised spaces can clutter the mind, so I’d recommend choosing calm, uncluttered areas as a starting point,’ explains ARRAN Sense of Scotland’s in-house Fragrance Expert, Robin Fisher.
‘In terms of specific locations within the home, placing candles in a position in the centre of a room is a preferable option. South, southwest and northeast areas can also be good locations if the centre isn’t possible.’
Robin also points out the importance of using candles safely. As it is an open flame, you should keep it out of reach of kids and pets, away from curtains and never leave it unattended. You should also trim your wick before use to help stop your candle from tunnelling.
Why are candles important for Feng Shui?
Within the principles of Feng Shui, there are five elements to be aware of: earth, metal, wind, water and fire. You should try to balance each of these elements in your home to achieve harmony, and unsurprisingly, candles are one of the best ways to represent the fire element.
(Image credit: Future PLC/Richard Kiely)
‘The fire element is associated with transformation, high energy and clarity of intention, making candles a simple way to awaken stagnant spaces, bring warmth and shift energy flows within the home,’ says Robin.
Robin also explains that scent can affect the energy of your space. There are scents to help calm you, scents to energise you, and scents to make you happier, and all of these can be used as part of your Feng Shui process to improve your home’s energy.
‘For inspiring calm and rest in the bedroom, I’d recommend choosing soothing scents such as chamomile or lavender to help promote deep sleep,’ recommends Robin.
‘To bring a sense of clarity and energy to work spaces and home offices, bergamot and grapefruit are great choices. Their fresh, uplifting character can help create an atmosphere designed to boost focus and productivity.
‘To refresh areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, citrus scents such as orange and lemon, or sharp peppermint, can help to refresh these areas and create a clean and invigorating atmosphere.
‘Finally, to promote harmony in living areas, scents such as sandalwood and vanilla can help nurture a warm, welcoming environment.’
Scents we lov
M&S
Bed Ceramic Candle
Trust me, M&S’s Bed Candle smells so cosy and comforting. Gentle and slightly fruity, it has a fresh, clean scent making it great for relaxing.
Moments Pear Blossom Candle
I currently have this candle on my coffee table and it smells gorgeous. It’s fresh, pear scent makes my living room smell like a summer orchard.
Buhn
Soft Focus Candle
Described as smelling like ‘golden hour’ this is my favourite fragrance to scent my bedroom. It’s warm and cosy, blending tonka bean, amber and jasmine.
Now if you excuse we, I’m off to ensure my candles are all well-positioned to bring clarity and harmony to my home.
I know, I know! It’s only August; it’s still technically summer – so why am I talking to you about Christmas already?! I don’t get to decide when new collections, products and the best Christmas decorations drop, so please don’t shoot the messenger. But I’m afraid that if you wait to shop these adorable decs until next month or even longer, then they might be gone.
Every year, these foodie decorations are an instant sellout success as soon as the M&S Christmas shop opens – but this year, the retailer is going live even earlier with a quiet drop of these iconic designs even ahead of the actual opening of the full Christmas shop. And yet, shoppers have managed to find their way to them, as the already-mentioned Cookies tree decoration is currently trending on the M&S website.
(Image credit: M&S)
Last year, it was all about the Colin the Caterpillar bauble which quickly sold out. Sadly, this beloved design isn’t back this year, or at least not yet – there’s still a chance more designs will launch once the Christmas shop officially opens. Instead, M&S is selling a Connie the Caterpillar decoration this year, likely assuming most people have already got Colin last year and can now get Connie to have the full pair. And the attention to detail is impressive as the glass decoration comes boxed just like the dessert would.
These are all the foodhall-themed M&S Christmas decorations that I recommend snapping now while you still can so that you don’t have to regret missing out later.
Top picks
M&S
Glass Hanging Cookies Tree Decorations
The M&S cookies are a beloved treat for many so it’s not surprising that people are going crazy for them. Especially since the decoration is so well done, as a stack of tiny cookies is actually sitting in a transparent case that looks like the plastic bag they always come in.
M&S
Connie the Caterpillar Glass Tree Decoration
M&S clearly doesn’t want your Colin the Caterpillar decoration to go lonely on your tree this festive season. So now you can have the happy couple adorning your tree together, side by side. How adorable is that?!
M&S
2 Pack Coffee Glass Hanging Decorations
As an avid cafetiere user – I have this Bodum cafetiere from Selfridges – this is actually the decoration design I’m most excited about. And I’m not alone in this as our Editor in Chief, Heather Young has already purchased hers.
M&S
2 Pack Percy Pig Glitter Glass Baubles
Percy Pigs are another iconic M&S sweet. So, of course, that this set is currently the bestseller following the cookies and Connie. And how fun that you get both the bag and the gummy sweet itself!
M&S
Big Daddy Pistachio Bar Glass Ornament
Do you remember Marks & Spencer’s viral Big Daddy pistachio-filled chocolate bar? For a period of time, my Instagram was flooded with people going into M&S shops trying to find it and then taste testing it. So it’s only right this cultural moment got turned into a Christmas bauble!
M&S
Prosecco Bottle Glass Hanging Tree Decoration
No festive season is complete without some fizz – so why not put some on your tree, too?! This prosecco decoration also comes in a two-pack with oysters if that’s something you like to indulge in.
Which one of these foodie M&S baubles is your favourite? Or are you waiting for the season to be a bit more appropriate for Christmas decoration shopping and more Christmas shops to open before committing?
