The holidays are (nearly) here. Throw Out Your Pumpkins Because Mariah Carey is Defrosting.
On November 1, merely a day after the end of #SpookySzn, Mariah Carey officially declared the end of Halloween and the start of Christmas. Who gave Mariah the power to do so? Only the queen of Christmas herself.
Ever since its release in 1994, the festive chanteuse’s seminal single All I Want For Christmas is you has re-entered multiple charts every holiday season, in fact occasionally topping it every couple of years, the last time being December 19 of the last year.
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When Mariah sings “I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree,” she means she wants you for her own, but I also think it means it’s time to start re-decorating. Throughout all the years in my life, my parents have stuck to one Christmas color spectrum: bright and cheery red, greens and golds. These are, after all the traditional colors of Christmas festivity.
However, last year, faced with the fact that we were having to spend the holidays in Manila instead of the bright lights of Manhattan, I realized we were ready for a change. So I took it upon myself to redecorate.
Lately, I’ve latched on to Scandinavian minimalism: there is too much clutter in my life, in our lives, and a little streamlining doesn’t hurt. Minimalism seems about as far from Christmas as I am from an emotionally fulfilled life but Christmas is for everyone, even the aesthetically-inclined (also, depending on who you ask, Santa lives near Scandinavia).
Here are some new Christmas décor for the new you.
Design Nueve
Design Nueve is primarily known for their ceramic planters, but every holiday season the locally-based team drops sets of chic, ceramic Christmas tree décor for the discerning eye, described as such “The clean lines of our Scandinavian-inspired Christmas ornaments are perfect for the season’s classy celebrations, while neutral tones lend a modern flair for a more subtle holiday motif,” on the Design Nueve website.
I’ve ordered a set of the Woodland Animals, the European Houses, and the Geometric Pine Trees. Next up are the Snowflakes and Stars. If wood-turned baubles are more your speed, coming very soon are themed designs that take inspiration from childhood toys.
The Design Nueve ornaments are available here
Arket
Part of the H&M Group, Arket’s design sensibility is more in line with that of fellow purveyors of cool, Scandi-chic: COS. So it’s no surprise their Christmas offerings lean the same way, with honeycomb paper ornaments in creams, dusty pinks, light greys, and burnished gold.
I particularly love the 10 cm Honeycomb Ornaments, which come in sets of 2s (I have 14 now, for the tree). Other offerings on the Arket website include paper pine cones, paper stars, and felt ornaments.
Green & Blossoms
Available from November 12 onwards, Green & Blossoms’ Holiday Wreaths are back. These specially made pieces are made with real pine, giving off a fresh scent throughout the whole holiday season. To match with my desired look, I’m partial to the one decked with Limonium. Also available are table runners and mini-trees for your festive Noche Buena feast.
To order, visit the Green & Blossoms Instagram on @greenandblossoms
Crate & Barrel
As a child, I was gifted a Nutcracker from my grandfather. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the Land of Sweets to meet a prince and the Sugarplum Fairy (and defeat mice with my shoe).
Last year, my dad expressed the desire to see nutcrackers for Christmas, and a quick perusal of the Crate & Barrel website showed just the very thing, coming in designs of Breadmaker, Lumberjack, Santa, Toymaker, and Caroler Smoker.
Crate & Barrel Christmas pieces are available here
West Elm
Not particularly from the sort of family that is into Christmas stockings, I have never thought about their importance. Looking at the West Elm website, however, I found some cool stocking holders, which are particularly useful if you don’t feel up to the task of drilling them onto your shelves or mantel.
The Bottle Brush Tree Multi Hook Stocking Holder is one such item and wouldn’t look out of place thanks to its paired-down, neutral aesthetic.
West Elm Christmas pieces are available here
