Celebrity stylist Donny Gallela has collated his top tips for celebrating Christmas in style:
- I grew up in an Italian household. Mum and Dad are from Southern Italy. Dad always has a nice bottle of Italian liquor such as Disaronno to serve at our Christmas Eve dinner. It’s a really special tradition and every year we look forward to a family drink while we munch on panettone, mums homemade fruit cake (usually also made with Italian liquor)and watch Carols by Candlelight.
- Every year I look forward to Panettone, a traditional Italian Christmas cake. My tip is to invest in a good quality one, I love the Scarpato brand (available from Harris Farm). Always get the original recipe and I highly recommend toasting a slice and spreading a little top quality butter (such as Lurpak). Buon Appetito!
- I have a candle obsession and love burning a special Christmas themed candles. The house is filled with festive scents of cedar Leaf, fruity clove, Eucalyptus and Pine.
- Create a stylish table centrepiece using in season flowers and berries. I love white oriental lillie’s, red anthurium, Christmas bush, red or green berries and some blue gum leaves. For an extra festive touch, get some gold spray paint and lightly coat some native gum nuts branches and add them in too. Elegant glass vases will make the centrepieces look even more special.
- Get creative and personal with the place settings. Instead of a traditional name card use a special photo of that person and write a handwritten note on the back it it. Or place the photo in a frame and write a message on the back of the frame. This year I’ll be using miniature Disaronno Wears Trussardi bottles with a handwritten name tag attached.
- Create a playlist of Christmas Carols by all your favourite artists. My playlist includes Amy Winehouse ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ (2004), Lady Gaga: ‘Christmas Tree’ (2008), Ariana Grande: Santa tell me and Sam Smith: ‘Have yourself a very Merry Christmas’ and one of my favourites, Kylie and Dannii Minogue’s ‘100 Degrees’.
- Go for Gold when setting the table. Set the table, making it feel extra festive and special. Use the special glasswear! I always raid my mums most special credenza full of crystal glasses and flutes. Gold cutlery is trending and really adds to the festive fabulousness. I love this set from Country Road. I also love these gold plates from Spotlight
- I love wrapping my Christmas presents and making them look chic. I always look for unique wrapping ideas. The Style Curator, always inspires me. This year I am loving the black and white pinstripe wrapping paper with gold ribbon, gold bow and gold gift card will be my gift wrap style of choice (idea number 36). For a super personal touch, choose your favourite photos and make your own Christmas wrapping paper.
- If you are getting Christmas party invites and the dress code says “Dress festive”, then look for something in red, white, green or on-trend Metallics silver and gold. Sequins are the perfect go to for the festive season.
- Buying gifts for stylish friends and family (that have everything) can be really tricky. This year, I’m planning to get them all personalised gifts. The Daily Edited offer everything from chic black notebooks, leather card holders, phone cases and key rings.
How To Make A Classic Christmas Wreath
