Sure, Christmas trees drenched in tinsel or wrapped in tulle are trending. But for us, the magic of Christmas lies in its kitschiness: tons of fairy lights, mismatched toys and baubles hanging from the branches, and a scary-but-cute elf forgotten from your childhood. It’s imperfect, excessive, and a little ridiculous.
If we could time travel at Christmas, we’d land somewhere before 1999
In a big, overstimulating city. New York. London. Paris. Before everything became content, the season just… happened. Suburban Christmas lived on the streets. Market traders, last-minute shoppers, people bundled up and actually going somewhere. People lingering, strolling, noticing a city they were usually too busy to see. Gold lights everywhere. Shopping bags swinging. Before online shopping, you went into town (preferably with your parents or friends) to find something festive to wear. The season felt louder and softer at the same time. Less curated. More felt.
Christmas outside of a city
A similar kind of joy existed outside the city, just tuned differently. Holiday under snow-heavy fir trees, wooden lodges glowing with pine-scented fireplaces, ski resorts humming in the distance. Everyone layered up in practical, sporty and accidentally chic outfits. You can think the snowbound Alpine hotel in Poirot “The Labours of Hercules” episode where everyone’s suspicious and somehow perfectly dressed. Or Wham!’s Last Christmas in Saas-Fee, with friends on a winter escape, questionable decisions in very good knits, and feelings amplified by altitude.
If you are in the mood for extravaganza, this is the time and this is the place. Some inspiration pour toi.
We are endlessly inspired by the roaring ’20s and the lavish ’30s, especially around the holidays, when dressing up is “allowed”, even for the most ordinary morning errands.
We often look to the Ziegfeld Follies, the opulent Broadway revues inspired by Paris’s Folies Bergère. Produced by Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. from 1907 to 1931, with several revivals in the years that followed, they were known for their grand sets, elaborate costumes, and spectacular numbers, brought to life by the legendary Ziegfeld Girls.
1 film to watch
A Little Princess (1995) by Alfonso Cuarón
Not actually a Christmas film, but a very heart-warming one—which is exactly what the season feels like. A sense of togetherness, a profound generosity and our imagination heightened.
A movie engraved in our memory, even if the last time we watched it was more than 15 years ago. Best enjoyed with your family, all under one blanket —and if you’re near a fireplace, light it up.
We also made a very classic playlist
Happy Holidays!
