Christmas can be a tricky affair for those of discerning taste. For most, the festive period is an excuse to indulge in as much kitsch as possible. But where does that leave the tinselphobic, who might still like to send a card or wrap a present? We’ve done a bit of research and hunted down some more tasteful options to see you through the festive period…
Advent calendar
If you can’t stomach cheap chocolate in the morning but still like to count down the days, Present & Correct have a crafty alternative.
Christmas cards
Where kitsch knows no bounds, help is at hand from Stefi Orazi, a graphic designer with a penchant for London’s Modernist architecture. She’s released a pack of six cards, showing her favourite icons in a flurry of snow.
2009 calendar
Margaret Howell, bastion of the British fashion scene, has a neat line in reissuing classic design pieces from her home shores too. Her 2009 calendar - a rundown of her favourite pieces of British design - is the only one we’ll have on our walls for a whole year.
Tree decorations
Trust the Nordic regions to have tree decorations down pat. Showroom Finland has a line in laser-cut Birch plywood motifs that make a sophisticated addition to a fir tree.
Christmas windows
Luxury brands don’t just pour polystyrene balls into their windows come Christmas. For them the festive shop front is an opportunity to flex their creative muscles a little more than usual. Here’s our pick of the best.
See our pick of the window displays
Wrapping paper
Taking our wrapping as seriously as our present buying, we favour the Japanese screen-printed, hand-stenciled variety over Santa and his reindeers. Chiyogami and Katazome-shi, available online from Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe, are two particular papers that employ techniques from 16th century Japanese kimono designs.
Fragrance
The incense, patchouli and cedarwood notes of Comme’s signature 2 fragrance make for a very festive olfactory experience. On cue they’ve released a limited edition Christmas version called Silver Words - a black lacquered bottle, inscribed with silver words of peace, freedom and love in a variety of languages.
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A new Oxford Street pop-up celebrates IKEA's blue bagsIKEA's iconic blue bag gets its own pop-up concept store, the 'Hus of Frakta'.
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Audemars Piguet and Kaws have created the Royal Oak Concept watch we didn't know we neededThe Audemars Piguet x Kaws Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon 'Companion' is slick wrist-worn art
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A friendly rivalry coloured by kinship: Wendy Maruyama and Tom Loeser on their two-artist show'I wanted to make furniture, just not traditional furniture, but weird furniture,' says Wendy Maruyama on ‘Colorama’, a two-artist show presented at design gallery Superhouse (until 11 January 2025)
