Even this year Christmas has arrived suddenly. Just yesterday it seemed like we were at the sea, on holiday, with spring temperatures, and instead we have already found decorated shop windows, fake snow, lights, "Jingle bells "and songs by Mariah Carey everywhere. It is time to equip yourself at home with original ideas, designed to surprise ourselves and our guests on festive evenings.
Here are some suggestions:
1 A tree that is out of the ordinary, neither true nor plastic but...paper. You can find it on sale here but you can also try to make it by yourself if you have the right skills. It’s very light and can be placed on the floor or on furniture.
2 Enough with those figurines made with objectionable materials, kitschy and rigorously made in China. Even your nativity scene deserves a makeover, and if you don’t feel like daring with the Hipster style, for sale on the modern nativity site, where Giuseppe wears his pants cuffed and Maria takes selfies with the three wise men, you can make it however you like with the Das, fun for both adults and children. Or if your sweet tooth isn’t too bad, you can turn biscuits into statues at home: you just need the moulds and to resist the temptation to eat them before the 25th.
3 Christmas design with the Don Gino Lamp. If you want to distinguish yourself with the lighting for the parties, an object of great visual and emotional impact is the Don Gino, a bedside lamp designed by Matteo Ugolini for Karman. It has an elegant silhouette, three-legged foot with flower decoration and a flame-shaped light bulb to make Christmas shine with a brand new light. This lamp has a concrete structure and the name it bears is a tribute to a pastor from a small Marche town.
4 The suspended centrepiece, rather than at the centre of the table, especially if you do not know where to place the Italian Christmas cake and sparkling wine. If suspended from the ceiling, this decoration will swing gracefully. It is important not to fill it too much, so it doesn’t crash into the bowl of tortellini.
5 Snow globes with antique and retro charm to relive the atmosphere of the Christmas of the past amidst magic and nostalgia. You can find them in the historical Milan shop Oldtoys, which imports them from Europe and the United States. Or here you can find globes made of wood, handmade using high quality Japanese "Sankio" techniques. In fine woods like maple, walnut, beech and oak, imported from Canada and New Zealand.
6 Jarred sweets make an immediate party and can turn into a gourmet gift idea: in glass containers we can put everything from tiramisu, brownies with chocolate, cupcakes, the preparation for the mulled wine to chestnuts. The food jar is the new trend made with the Christmas theme. More ideas? Wrap it up with ribbon and a card with a list of ingredients and preparation instructions.
7 Garland: it is one of those traditional items that you can’t go without at the front door or placed above the fireplace. If red is as always the most stylish colour, this year it is also accompanied by shades of orange, beige and brown, for a minimal and chic Christmas.