EDITOR’S LETTER H G
Hair
&
makeup
by
Samantha
Powell.
Photograph
by
Kristina
Soljo.
Artwork
by
Joshua
Yeldham.
A
t this time of year, let’s take a leaf out of the late country
crooner Glen Campbell’s songbook and try a little kindness!
Putting our gorgeous Christmas issue together and
showcasing couples and families in their beautiful homes
makes me acutely aware that not everyone has the
opportunity to enjoy a lovingly prepared Christmas meal in a magazine-
worthy interior. And there are others who don’t have the happiest
or easiest experience during the festive season. Estrangement, isolation,
blended households and loony family conflicts can all add to an undercurrent
of stress that may not be obvious in the happy snaps. We have now become
so accustomed to spending time alone, engrossed with work or deep in our
devices, that actual, real human contact can be uncomfortable and confronting.
So let’s sideline the totally OTT gifts, venture offline and spend a bit more
time engaging, conversing and listening.
My mother tells me the nicest gift I can give her is preparing a meal: I can
make her a simple omelette and, from the reaction, you would think I’d just
served up lobster thermidor! So this year I am planning to take my
own advice and invest more time and effort in the season’s festivities, starting
with heading down to page 163 for an absolutely delicious and delightfully
easy-to-prepare celebratory menu. And to get the all-important ambience,
I am going to add some truly glamorous table embellishments with the
inspiration from H&G’s fabulous style team on page 29.
Now for that non-hasty, considered shopping! Peruse the unique gift
selections from our featured personalities: TV stars Neale Whitaker and
Silvia Colloca, industrial designer Adam Goodrum, acclaimed landscape
designer Paul Bangay, gallerist Ali Yeldham and our own talented interiors
editor Kate Nixon all share some of their Christmas favourites starting on
page 37. And our shopping pages on page 69 are full of chic, covetable pieces.
We trust you’ll find enough splendid suggestions to empower you to embark
calmly on your shopping adventures.
And don’t forget to show yourself a little kindness... One of the quirkiest
gifts for the early adopters this year is Bluetooth sunglasses, so if all else
fails and you are really craving a little alone time during the festivities but
need to look present, you can simply don your shades and tune out – just
keep on smiling and have a fabulous fesDRINK
Moët Impérial 150th
Anniversary Champagne,
$70; firstchoiceliquor.com.au.TOP PICKS
Tanya’s top fiveSPRITZ
Baie 19 eau de parfum,
$415 for 100ml; http://www.lelabo
fragrances.com.au.anya uc anan, i orincieGIVE
Tiffany & Co ‘Love For Her’
eau de parfum, $200 for
90ml; http://www.davidjones.com.COLLECT
Pandanus Tree, Moonee Beach
artwork by Luke Sciberras;
kingstreetgallery.com.au.READ
The Silver Spoon Classic book,
$69.95; http://www.kinokuniya.
com.au.YOU’RE INVITED
H&G is teaming up with
interior designer and textile
doyenne Tigger Hall to host
a book launch for Australian
Designers at Home with some
of Australia’s leading interior
designers. Join us at 2pm on
December 11 at Tigger Hall’s
store in Paddington, Sydney,
for a chat with the author,
Jenny-Rose Innes, and featured
designers Briony Fitzgerald,
Lynda Kerry and Darryl
Gordon. To book your place,
phone Edwina at Tigger Hall
on (02) 8356 9711. Tickets
are $85 and include light
refreshments and a copy of the
book. It’s a great gift for lovers
of interior design.