Christmas Bling: Luxurious decor to make your holidays extra special

Inspired to make a statement this Christmas? The holidays are a few weeks away but now is the time to take stock of all your trimmings and decor needs… Exclusive baubles, a fancy wreath, designer candle stands or more playful accessories – out with the old and in with the ultra-luxe options for a glam season ahead…

Home for holidays_ Curate a cracking Christmas with these festive home decorations indigo living christmas tree — *(Photo courtesy of Indigo Living)*

No December can be complete without that focal point in the living room of every family that celebrates Christmas – the tree. Although the city does not grow its own festive foliage, whether you’re browsing for a classic pine tree, a Douglas fir or its minimalist Noble cousin, there’s a wealth of choice out there to serve any size and style of household. Check out our detailed guide to buying a Christmas tree in Hong Kong.

Indigo Living Christmas Collection 2021

Home for holidays_ Curate a cracking Christmas with these festive home decorations indigo living christmas wreath — *(Photo courtesy of Indigo Living)*

Once your tree is all set up, it’s time for the festive adornments of ornaments, decorations and seasonal foliage. Indigo Living meticulously curates a wide range of decorations, such as classic baubles, candle rings and wreaths (HK$130 to HK$500).The company has launched two exclusive Christmas collections that capture the nostalgia of those magical Christmases of our youth. Gold, green, red, white and silver hues exude a more traditional yet bold vibe in the Christmas Glamour range, while the Snowfall Serenity line takes a more pared-back approach with rustic and neutral tones for a warmer, moodier feel.

Rosewood Holiday Edit

*(Photo courtesy of Rosewood Hong Kong)*

The gift edit at Rosewood, one of Hong Kong’s top hotels, never fails to impress. This year, the hotel has set-up a cosy wooden chalet right at the entrance which will not only spoil you for decorating and gifting choices but also bring back memories of a magical, white English Christmas. Specialities from the delectable Butterfly Patisserie, exclusive fresh wreaths (HK$1,988 onwards), coveted baubles, dog collars (HK$488) for a paw-feet Christmas, unique creations from Bloom and Blossoms, plus a sprinkling of other awe-inspiring items can be bought here. The pop-up serves till the 26 December and will have Santa climb through the chimneys to meet and greet guests on the “nice” list on 24 and 25 December… Did someone say it’s beginning to look like a fun Christmas?

Gossens Coral Candlestick Holder, Lane Crawford

For an even more sumptuous touch to your festive decor at home, a stroll through Lane Crawford might be just the trip you need for all your yultide preparations, from a honeysuckle candlestick by Loewe to tableware by Baccarat to Shishi tree ornaments, The golden luxe Coral Candlestick holder (HK$7,800) from Gossens is also a standout. Plated with 24k gold on brass, it is an elegant presentation that reflects the maison’s mastery in gold-smithery, inspiring a Baroque-inspired aesthetic.

Shishi Metal Ginko Leaf Garland, Lane Crawford

Home for holidays Curate a cracking Christmas with these decorations shishi garland — *(Photo courtesy of Lane Crawford)*

To complement a luxe golden Christmas, Shishi’s Small Cone, Ginko Leaf and Mini Star garlands (HK$230-$460) are an uplifting choice to channel the holiday spirit. These décor items add a cracking, timeless appeal to the dinner table or enhance the wintery vibe wherever they’ve placed.

christmas-bling-luxurious-unique-decorations-maisonkurkdijian-paris-festive-scented-candle-gafencu-hongkong — *(Photo courtesy of MFK)*

Maison Francis Kurkdijan Festive Scented Candles

Complete the ambiance of your homely abode with an olfactory element that will inspire the senses with classic and modern festive scents for the home, courtesy of French perfumery Maison Francis Kurkdijian. Launching its set of three scented candles (HK$900), each one is long-lasting and transports you to the sweet, warm and joyous memories of funfairs and Christmas markets, toffee apples and ginger bread, and peaceful walks in the forest. Free, christmassy and delicate, the collection serves as the perfect touch to elevate the festive ambiance at your home or even for gift purposes. The exquisite candles can be bought at the maison’s ‘Holiday Pop-up’ at Lane Crawford, Times Square till December 22.

The Lion Rock Press Christmas Glass Bauble Set

Home for holidays_ Curate a cracking Christmas with these festive home decorations the lion rock christmas glass bauble — *(Photo courtesy of The Lion Rock)*

For Hong Kong-inspired festive embellishments look no further than stationery and gift specialist The Lion Rock Press. Their hand-painted Christmas glass baubles honour the ancient Chinese painting technique of nei hua, otherwise known as ‘inside bottle painting’. Each white-and-blue piece (HK$220) is an illustrative interpretation of a starry Christmas in Hong Kong and an ode to the artisanal craftsmen of yesteryear.

Also Read: Step inside this modern Kowloon home awash in neutral hues

Buy your Christmas tree before it’s too late!

Whether you buy fake or fir – Christmas trees are going to be in short supply in Hong Kong! It will be a smart idea to sort out your Christmas trees before supply, shipping and other such bottlenecks wreck the festive cheer. Here’s a roundup of our favourite places to buy Christmas trees in Hong Kong:

Chun Hing Garden
Yuen Long
A popular stop for families every holiday season is this Yuen Long set 30-year old landscaping experts. Offering a range of Noble Firs and Douglas Firs from top-tier plantations in the US, they provide a selection of saplings as short as 3ft to evergreens as massive as 20ft (HK$910 to HK$47,000). Not to mention, their wreaths, tree toppers and centerpieces make for beautiful inclusions in your festive decoration.

Also available to order online, deliveries to the home start in late November and can also be picked up afterwards to be sent to EcoPark for recycling.

Anglo Chinese Florist
Central
Having been in the industry for over 60 years, it is one of the city’s most trusted institution and supplier for Christmas trees. Every year, they stock five to six-feet Noble and Douglas Firs (HK$900 to $3,600), as well as beautiful miniature decorated handmade trees and essential festive décor such as wreaths, garlands, poinsettias and ornaments.

Also available online, they offer delivery and removal services, as well as watering kits for your trees.

P&F Garden
Pok Fu Lam
A stroll through this three-decade old local nursery makes a perfect opportunity to create joyful memories with the kids as you browse through their offering of Noble Firs that stand up to six to seven-feet tall (HK$2,900). Here, you can find a range of other festive plants too, from table top trees and wreaths and poinsettias. However due to shipment delays this year, they won’t be taking orders until late November to December when deliveries arrive.

Brighten Floriculture (Flower Market)
Mong Kok
A trip to the Flower Market always makes for a fun and convenient shopping experience with friends and family, especially during the holiday season. Surrounded by festive foliage, the street that stretches from Mong Kok to Prince Edward transforms into an all-out display of shop after shop of Christmas Trees of every shape and type. One store in particular, Brighten Floriculture offers a wide range of quality choices from miniature trees, wreaths, Christmas lights and more.

Alternatively, if you want something truly extravagant and don’t mind the excessive price tag, Rosewood Hong Kong has lavish Noble Fir trees and fresh Christmas wreaths all decked up (HK$1,688 to HK$17,888) with gorgeous ornaments and dripping with sparkles that bound to impress your guests.

Buy your Christmas tree before it's too late gafencu_4 — (Photo courtesy of Indigo Living)

However, for those prone to what is called “Christmas tree syndrome”, an allergic reaction to irritating components from the sap of a tree, Indigo Living has just launched their 2021 Christmas Collection of décor and miniature trees specially designed and curated with their international design partners. Choose from a mini 60cm Christmas tree or a family-sized 210cm Noble Pine.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to go all out this holiday season, DaSilva’s Creations may be just the ticket for your grandiose thematic festivities. Having a hand in city’s most spectacular Christmas displays, they are known for their stunning Christmas trees, wreaths and even table settings, of different themes. Their trees come beautifully decorated with ornaments, textured ribbons, bead garlands, crystals, a star topper and LED lights (HK$4,280 to $5,480).

Also Read: Festive home decor to brighten your Christmas celebrations

Impress your guests with these sumptuous Christmas table setting ideas

‘Tis the season to rejoice and celebrate with beloved friends and family, and what better way to do so than to share a festive feast in the comfort and safety of your own home? Besides providing an excuse to gather your loved ones, it serves as the perfect reason to show off your well-honed table setting skills. If you’re at a loss for where to begin, fear not, for the Gafencu team has some top tips to ensure your dinner table is dressed to impress, no matter what its shape or size.

Long rectangular table with a festive cottage setting
The long length of a rectangular table provides a large space for big dinner groups and are perfect for those who enjoy their decorations down to every detail. Impress guests with a winter wonderland theme with a floral-lace tablecloth styled with rustic accents such as acorns, wicker placemats or a wooden centrepiece, like the Firewood Crackle wreath from Van der Bloom. A finish touch to add to the woody undertone is loosely folding in a cinnamon stick with a serviette and twine for every plate.
The perfect winter-wonderland colour combinations: White, brown & peach or baby blue

christmas dining table ideas for tablescape gafencu magazine simply elegant round table — image from homyhomee.com

Simply elegant round table setting
Round tables are a little tricker to tablescape given its shape. It’s best to avoid large centerpieces as they make conversations across the table awkward. In this case, keeping it simple really creates maximum impact. Pour your creativity into selecting the perfect tableware instead. Patterned plates are sure to make an impression here like, Gucci’s Herbarium dinner plate.
Centerpiece for a round table: A tall centrepiece adds dimension to the small structure but is advisable to keep it narrow while wide centrepieces are better short and round to fit the shape of the table better.

christmas dining table ideas for tablescape gafencu magazine warm square table — image from kitchenmagic.com

Warm Christmas square table setting
A square table can either make or break the impact of a luxurious table setting display, but don’t be afraid to break a few rules as this type of table can be versatile to style. Whether you opt for a tall, attention-grabbing centrepiece, or intersperse the surface with decorative patterns like those featured on the Bernardaud and Artedona tablewares, a nice finishing touch is to lay out elegantly-tied white-and-red striped ribbons around the table napkins of each guest’s plate for a sweet candy cane touch.
Other festive decorations can include: Christmas flower centrepieces and gold coated utensils or white candles in a see-through glass will bring a warm and festive ambiance to the table.

christmas dining table ideas for tablescape gafencu magazine oval table — image from 2ladiesandachair.com

Christmas garland oval table setting
Boasting the perfect combination of an elongated shape and circular curves, oval tables are ideal for Christmas feasts. For a truly festive presentation, replacing a table runner with an arrangement of dark and light shades of green leaves or herbs to act as garlands can’t go wrong. Add holly fruits or pomegranates as Christmas ball ornaments to further enliven the dining table. The warm hues and strong colour contrast can be perfectly matched with cooler toned tableware such as the floral Voile Plate in white from Franc Franc or the Anthemion blue plate from Wedgewood.
Festive colour combinations: Green, red, white and gold.

Feature image from stylewithlace.com