Christmas round-up: cards, calendars, trees and lights

The first of our festive round-ups brings you cards, calendars, trees and lights.

Victoria and Albert Museum Christmas Tree

Source: c Victoria and Albert Museum London.

Victoria and Albert Museum Christmas Tree

The V&A’s Red Velvet Tree of Love              

This year’s V&A grand entrance Christmas tree has been created by artists Helen and Colin David. Titled the Red Velvet Tree of Love, the tree is coated in red flocking to create a velvety appearance. The design for the tree was inspired by the V&A’s collection, specifically a H.F.C Rampendahl chair dating from 1860, which has a frame primarily made from real antlers and is upholstered in velvet.

Victoria and Albert Museum Christmas Tree

Source: c Victoria and Albert Museum London.

Victoria and Albert Museum Christmas Tree

Fedrigoni’s Post-It style calendar

Fedrigoni calendar
Fedrigoni calendar

The 2014 Fedrigoni Sirio desk calendar was designed by Cornwall based designer Paul Betowski, and takes inspiration from the humble Post-it note.

AKA’s student-designed Christmas cards

Card by Gerladine Peclard
Card by Gerladine Peclard

Consultancy AKA brought in University of the Arts London Students to design their Christmas cards this year, selecting designs from a competition that asked them to respond to the theme ‘Experiencing Great Art and Entertainment’. The prize winner, Gerladine Peclard, and the four runners up received a cash prize from the UAL/AKA Scholarship fund.

You can view the runner-up designs here.

Deustche Post’s advent calendar

Steve Scott's Deutsche Post advent calendar
Steve Scott’s Deutsche Post advent calendar

Illustrator Steve Scott has designed and illustrated the 2013 advent calendar for Deustche Post. The illustrator, represented by Jelly, created a calendar that unveils a story with each door that’s opened. Chocolates are, of course, also included.

Pernilla Ohrstedt’s EDITION tree

EDITION tree
EDITION tree

Swedish architect and designer Pernilla Ohrstedt has designed the Christmas tree for London hotel EDITION, in collaboration with Nikki Tibbles. The tree features 16 bespoke three-dimensional argon-filled bent-glass stars, which gradually change their appearance and light as you move round the tree.

Isobel’s ballroom blitz

Isobel card
Isobel card

Consultancy Isobel took to the ballroom to create their 2013 Christmas card. The group photo took nine hours to create, in  a 1950s-themed shoot at the Grade 2 listed Rivoli in south London – the UK’s only remaining intact 1950’s ballroom, according to Isobel.

Sapient Nitro’s paper-art cards

Sapient Nitro wrapping paper
Sapient Nitro wrapping paper

Sapient Nitro has created a total of 12 designs for its card this year, referencing the 12 days of Christmas – each of which doubles up as snazzy wrapping paper. Techniques including scented inks, spot UV, metallic foils, paper cutting and glitter are used, with each piece representing one of the 12 countries in which Sapient Nitro has offices including Germany, Singapore, Russia, Brazil and the UK.

King’s Cross illuminations

King's Cross lights
King’s Cross lights

Produce UK has designed and built the Xmas lights at King’s Cross, with art direction by Philip Cooper. The designs use snowflakes formed from the individuals characters of the King’s Cross logo.  Reflective materials are used so that the designs shine during daylight, as well as at night.

Nick Marston’s cards for WAA

WAA Christmas Card.
WAA Christmas Card.

Consultancy WAA brought in illustrator Nick Marston to design 12 illustrated festive riddles – each one depicts a common Christmas-related word or phrase for recipients to try and work out. Even if you’re not on WAA’s card list, you can have a go at solving the riddles on the Can You Crack Christmas site http://canyoucrackchristmas.co.uk

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  • David Gladding November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Forgetting this beauty of a card? Real-time twitter mapping Christmassyness across London! http://liveposter.com/xmas/

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