A simple Christmas with Georg Jensen’s Christmas Collectibles 2019 [ad]

[ad – this is a paid partnership with Georg Jensen]

Memories of cosy, festive moments spent together around the Christmas tree hold a very special place in my heart. After the rigmarole of going to the local farm to choose the perfect tree (not a decision to be taken lightly in our household, each fir tree had to be weighed up and assessed for its bushiness and even spread of branches…), my favourite bit was getting the decorations down from the loft and rediscovering all our forgotten treasures once again. Each precious decoration was lovingly wrapped in newspaper or delicate tissue paper, from fragile glass baubles to sparkly icicles, and even home-made creations crafted when I was a child. As we had a rule of only one new decoration each year, the unwrapping and peeling back of paper held with it little recollections of past Christmases…

I’ve carried this mindset with me into my home today. Being told as a child that you can have just one decoration from the shop forces you to carefully consider your choices. I’ve always embraced a less is more approach, but now more than ever with concerns around sustainability and unnecessary consumerism, I want to treasure beautiful pieces that are built to last and that I can enjoy year after year. Little by little, I’m slowly trying to build up my own collection of timeless Christmas decorations that I can one day pass down to my own children so they can create their own traditions. No kitsch tinsel or plastic decorations please!

Georg Jensen’s Christmas Collectibles collection seems like a good place to start. Each year, Danish company Georg Jensen releases a new, limited-edition series of festive baubles and decorations created by a different designer. Made in Denmark, these classic designs are beautifully crafted in their Copenhagen smithy using 18 karat gold plated brass (there’s also palladium plated brass too if you prefer the look of silver). Whether you choose a selection from the same year or treat yourself to just one new addition every year, they’re designed to be collected and cherished. I like to think of them like jewellery for the house – an investment that brings joy year after year.

This year, Danish designer and long-time Georg Jensen collaborator Sanne Lund Traberg has interpreted the classic symbols of love, togetherness and tradition as a series of heart, star and tree decorations. Inspired by geometric Cubist shapes and the decorative style of the Art Deco movement, the pieces feature perforated cut-outs that catch the light and the reflections around them. They’re festive without going overboard on the sparkle.

They remind me of angel chimes we had as a child – those magical, gold tea light holders where the movement of the flame would spin a little carousel above. The smaller, solid star and heart decorations almost look like chocolates wrapped in gold foil – another childhood delight to be pinched from the Christmas tree!

But, while Traberg’s Christmas Collectibles have an element of the classic, they’re also clearly contemporary with their clean lines and smooth, shiny surfaces. Instead of a traditional Christmas tree (we won’t be getting one this year), I’ve displayed the decorations on something a little more alternative – a festive branch! Dangling from a branch of pine by varying lengths of natural twine, they create an eye-catching, sculptural feature in the living room.

If a hanging branch is a little abstract for you, I’ve also made my own wreath using sprigs of pine and eucalyptus, as well as olive and rosemary cuttings from my garden (I’ll have a tutorial on how to make this up soon!). The golden jewels of the Christmas Collectibles collection nestle into the foliage and add a rich, luxurious touch to the simple wreath. It’s too good to hang on the front door, I want to admire it everyday until Christmas!

Christmas decorating in a minimalist homes can be tricky – you want to add a hint of festive magic without bringing in too much clutter. A few choice decorations and some natural greenery help bring the Christmas spirit in a considered, elegant way. A merry simple Christmas to you!