There’s no denying Stacey Solomon loves an occasion – especially one that allows her to go overboard with the decorations at her beloved Essex mansion, aka Pickle Cottage. As Christmas approaches, the mum of four is turning her home into her own Winter Wonderland, and in true Stacey style, she’s keeping her 5.4million Instagram followers up-to-date with all her festive crafting.
But heat’s source says Stacey is starting to feel anxious as she struggles to cope with all the expectations put on her – notably as it’s the first Christmas that she and husband Joe Swash have been married.
“Stacey is used to being busy and stressed in the run-up to Christmas, but this time around, her friends are genuinely worried it might be all too much for her,” our insider says, “While she’s excited to spend her first holiday season as Mr and Mrs at Pickle Cottage, she’s feeling the pressure. Her home life has never been this busy, what with bringing a blended family together and keeping everyone happy, and she insists on doing so much herself.
“On top of all that, she’s worried about posting her perfect Christmas on social media, only to get trolled by people who accuse her of flaunting her wealth. Stacey has been getting teary when discussing it with her friends, as she feels like she can’t win.”
Stacey – who has Zachary, 14 and Leighton, ten, from previous relationships, and Rex, three, and 14-month-old Rose with Joe, who also has son Harry, 15 – has been keen to show her followers about the hacks she’s found to decorate her home, so that people on a budget don’t feel left out. However, the 33 year old knows she’s in a very lucky position and can afford to splash out on food, presents and entertaining, and she’s determined to get the balance right.
“She keeps asking what the rules are now on social media for celebs, because everywhere she looks, people are doing the same as her – but somehow she feels she’s the one who gets blasted all the time. She knows there is a cost-of-living crisis going on at the moment and doesn’t want to seem out of touch, but against that, she also feels her Instagram feed can provide a bit of escapism for people. She often reads positive comments left by fans who say they love seeing her life at Pickle Cottage and are encouraging her to keep doing what she’s doing.
“Obviously, there is a financial benefit to it all because she makes money from her posts, but she genuinely hopes that her content is cheering people up rather than depressing them. She also knows that some people out there are dreading Christmas because they can’t afford anything, and it may seem like Stacey is complaining because she has too much. She honestly feels frightened every day of inadvertently upsetting someone out there.”
But naturally, Stacey’s main concern is making sure all her kids have the best Christmas.
“In an ideal world, Stacey would love all five of the children to be there for the whole holiday period, but she knows that isn’t possible,” we’re told.
“Of course, she has always had to navigate Christmas with Leighton and Zachary after splitting with her exes, so it’s always a tricky time. She would love to have them all under the same roof at Pickle Cottage – and to share it with her fans because, at the end of the day, she is proud of her blended family and everything she’s achieved. Pulling all that off is going to be overwhelming, and Stacey can’t handle trolls ruining it by criticising her online.”