Eeva Kolu, author of the Uusi Muusa blog, starts counting days to Christmas in October. She picked six timeless Christmas gifts from Finnish Design Shop's selection. Her choices are ideal for aesthetes, who love coffee and candlelight.
Eeva Kolu, how do you prepare for Christmas?
“I'm a Christmas maniac. Just like Mariah Carey, I've decided that the Christmas season starts on November 1. You can go crazy right there and then. Usually, I start counting days to Christmas as early as in mid-October. The actual Christmas holidays are not the thing for me, but I love the excitement and enjoyment in the weeks leading up to Christmas: Christmas lights, Christmas markets, pre-Christmas parties and the lovely pre-Christmas feeling every day at home. In November, I bring out candles, sheepskin rugs and mulled wine cups, and in December, it is time for Christmas carols and the tree.”
What's on your Christmas Eve menu this year?
“I always serve a mix of the traditional dishes and something new. This year, I intend to prepare some game instead of the traditional ham. Of the classic Finnish Christmas dishes, carrot casserole is a must, and I always have Brussels sprouts, root vegetables, champagne and Stilton cheese, as well. I’m not a stickler for tradition, as long as the food is seasonal for winter and more festive than usual.”
6 Christmas gift picks by Eeva Kolu
1. For candle lovers
“A candle snuffer is an item that every candle lover needs but never gets around to buying. A snuffer is a safe way to put out candles, and it saves your tabletops and windowsills from candle wax splatters. The design of Ferm Living brass candle snuffer is simple and timeless.”
• Ferm Living candle snuffer >
2. For aesthetes
“Filled with fruit, Raawii's Strøm bowls are like still life paintings come to life. For me, this would be the ideal gift to an interior decorator who loves arrangements or to anyone who tries to eat more fruit. Many of the best fruits are in season around Christmas, which is something you don't easily realize.”
3. For lovers of cozy atmosphere
“Nappula is my all-time favourite candleholder, because it is designed for large block candles and its convenience in use is unparalleled. As it fits perfectly in your hand, it is easy to move the candles around. In my home, Nappula candleholders travel from the coffee table to the dining table and onwards into the bathroom. A lovely atmosphere is guaranteed.”
• Iittala Nappula pillar candleholder >
4. For coffee connoisseurs
“I have started to like the ways of making coffee that require working with your hands, because they force you to stop and calm down amid the morning rush. The Japanese know how to create coffee accessories that are not only functional but beautiful as well. Good coffee and a coffeemaker play a key role, but the real gourmet grinds the beans at home, for instance with the Hario Skerton grinder.”
5. For myself
“A chandelier with tall candles makes me feel festive. I intend to get the Artek Lucia candleholder as a present for myself. It has a charming sense of warmth and humor. I invest in quality even when it comes to Christmas decorations because I get the extra special feeling when I unwrap every year the same familiar objects that I love.”
6. For someone who enjoys home comforts
“The high-quality Terva bathrobe by Lapuan Kankurit is a perfect Christmas present for almost anyone, because the worst thing I know is to freeze after a shower in winter! The pleasant bathrobe is lovely to wear when making coffee on cold winter mornings. The best thing in the days after Christmas Eve is that you need not get dressed to go out at all. I just lounge around in my pajamas and bathrobe, eating chocolate and reading a book, one after the other.”
• Lapuan Kankurit Terva bathrobe >
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Edit: Laura Hallikainen Photos: Suvi Kesäläinen, Mikko Rasila and manufacturers