CHRISTMAS TRENDS 2009

Christmas Ads

E-mail your banner and URL, then click the PayPal button to complete your banner ad purchase:

CHRISTMAS TRENDS 2009

Gentle - Sensitive - Poetic - Fragile - Romantic - Transparent - Flowing - Soft - Translucent

A style that radiates modernity and lightness. Everything combines to give a fragile, gentle, sensual and transparent effect - that is still contemporary. For the 21st century romantic. "Airy" is characterised by lightness and transparency. Soft pastel colors, blurred motifs and fluid structures lure the observer in to a fairylike fantasy world.

"Airy" is a style which exudes modern ease. Everything looks fragile, delicate, sensuous, transparent and yet contemporary. The color parameters are created by chalky pastels ranging from cream to pink and pale grey, all combined with lots of white. Transparent, translucent materials are as light as the colors. They include, for example, facetted crystal glass, mother-of-pearl, chiffon, silk and glazed porcelain. The delicate theme finds expression in fine, linear drawings, blossoms, reliefs, embossing and engraving, as well as light and dark shadow effects. Blurred motifs and flowing structures entice the observer away to a fantasy work. The festive decorations which reflect this style are both romantic and modern.

Fresh - Young - Artificial - Fancy - Spontaneous - Intense - Playful - Sweet - Naive

Characterised by spontaneity, freshness and a happy-go-lucky nature. Styled in a mix of everything that looks sweet, kitschy and girly. Playful reality based on dreams. "Sweet" is reminiscent of a dreamlike, fairytale setting. The colors are radiant and multicolored and the pattern used for walls, floors and recesses is floral.

"Sweet" is a sensuous, feminine theme featuring strong, kitschy colors. The milky palette extends from sand, aqua and turquoise to violet, lime and slate grey. Flowers and blossom sponsor decorations, surfaces and prints. Surfaces look sweet and dainty too. In terms of impact, they are over-sugared, candied and glazed. Materials include plastic, varnish and porcelain, tulle and satin ribbons. Here the dream turns into playful reality. The manner in which the festive occasion is celebrated is as carefree as the style: with spontaneity, intensely, with countless accessories.

Architectural - Practical - Functional - Comfortably Organic - Traditional - Homely

From the creative tension between the modern and the traditional comes a complementary fusion of designs. Functional and cool ultra-modern styles are distinctively contrasted with handcrafted organic elements. The "Comfort" theme plays around with contrasts. Here modernity meets nature and design meets tradition.

"Comfort” plays around with contrasts. Here contemporary style facilitators are combined with traditional elements. Natural stone, in a variety of nuances, meets metallic surfaces like chrome and aluminium. Mirror and glass are used together with sheepskin, bark and cord. Designs include both Norwegian patterns and geometric motifs and stripes as well as stone and wood grains. They include muted colors like slate grey, graphite and caramel combined with brick red. This style represents both a desire for functional aesthetics and trusted comfort. Modern parties feature the original and traditional celebrations the futuristic.

Rich - Decorative - Opulent - Luxurious - Delicate - Extravagantly Aristocratic - Chic - Feminine

Feminine elegance meets luxurious opulence. The viewer is greeted with a tasteful and refined ambience that combines haute couture and exclusive chic. "Obsession" exudes an exclusive, elegant atmosphere. Curved lines, superb high-quality materials and ornately embellished forms determine the look.

"Obsession" reflects a longing for something special. The colors express both feminine elegance and exclusivity. Quartz pink and mauve lighten up mahogany, aubergine, violet and gold. Decorative motifs, ornaments and forms from the animal world define the design. Exclusive materials underline the luxury of the style. They include, for example, lead crystal, precious and paste stones, marble, top quality wood, silk and satin. Ambiente is exquisite and tasteful – here the fantasy of an elegant, luxury life turns into reality – transferred to a stylish family party or extravagant soiree.

In 2009, Christmas tree decoration will take its inspiration from fashion. The tree will be decorated with baubles in every shade of purple. In conjunction with grey, which already gave black a run for its money last year, the tree decorations, candles and decorations will be sophisticated and yet subtle. As an alternative, the trends will continue to be based on white, combined with shades of cream, beige or brown.

Traditional, quality Christmas baubles will decorate the tree, together with glittering wire stars, glass icicles and little birds.

There will also be an element of kitsch to the 2009 festive season: Christmas trees with brightly-colored baubles, garish plastic trees and disco balls in all sizes will add up to a funky Christmas. Inspired by Glam Rock, there are red and black candles with sparkly skulls, roses and silver ornaments.

In 2009, the range of sweet temptations is set to increase. As well as festive treats based on chocolate, espresso and coffee, there are biscuits and gingerbread hearts as tree decorations. Connoisseurs can also decorate the tree with their favorite treats. There are Gouda, blue cheese and Camembert options. There are even little bottles of wine or whisky. New parents can welcome their baby to the world with miniature decorations in the form of shiny bootees and other baby accessories.

In general, there is a trend towards quality neutral decorative items which can be decorated for different festive occasions. Individual pieces give the relevant occasion a Christmassy, summery or glamorous feel and the eye-catching food-related decorations which already featured on 2008 Christmas trees reflect this trend. The manufacturers of Christmas tree decoration are also designing their collections so that they can be used after the Christmas period as decorations for other occasions or events throughout the year.

When it comes to decorations, the old times are back in a modern guise. Christmas baubles with fairy tale figures and sayings bring back childhood memories. Christmas decoration gets a whole new inner life: delicate Christmas figures can be found inside glass baubles, music boxes and retro radios. You can even get Russian dolls which have another of their little sisters inside. To go with these, the manufacturers are offering homewares made of hammered silver and antique ironwares, plus rustic candles with a salt look. Designers are playing with the traditional and the modern. What happens when Erzgebirgische Volkskunst® meets modern design can be seen in the purist figures of smokers and angels in gold, red, white and green.

Among year-round objects, the trend is on large-format decorative items, such as XXL vases in white, cream or beige. There are also clay sculptures, tulips or angel trumpets, or birds, birds’ houses and butterflies to decorate the home. The manufacturers are also increasingly using brushwood, bamboo, roots and hand-dyed wool to create a natural atmosphere.

It is all in the mix: items made from natural materials are combined with modern products such as stainless steel, aluminium, silver and crystal. In line with the trend towards the natural, the subject of sustainability is becoming increasingly relevant in the decoration sector. The climate-neutral organic candle made from sustainable biomass is one new product. Energy-saving LED lights are also making unstoppable progress.

+++Trend scouts - bora.herke
Designers Annetta Palmisano, Cem Bora and Claudia Herke have been working with Messe Frankfurt for the last ten years. As trend scouts they develop powerful themes, the inspiration from which comes from fashion, art, interiors and lifestyle. When visually translating new trends, bora.herke create exceptional sets, which emotively capture and artistically present the trends.

+++Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is Germany’s largest trade fair organiser. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 29 subsidiaries, five branch offices and 48 international Sales Partners, giving it a presence for its customers in more than 150 countries. Events “made by Messe Frankfurt” take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2008, Messe Frankfurt organised more than 100 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.

Eco-friendly products. Re-used, re-cycled, re-purposed. But if you re-gift, remember to re-gift tag!

The Reason for the Season

Religious-themed and spiritual merchandise remains a growth category for indoor and outdoor holiday decor.

Patterns, Shapes, and Textures

Crushed-mirror mosaics, disco balls, glitter, snowflakes, snow texture, metallic.

The "Pampered Pet" trend continues as a lifestyle. The recession is not expected to have much of an impact on this segment of the holiday market. Consumers will be shopping for products in every price range, from affordable fun to high-end luxury. Pet stockings and stocking holders, breed-specific ornaments, frames, jeweled holiday collars and leashes, feeding dishes and beds, jewelry, pet clothing including mommy-and-me type matching outfits, and more.

Consumers are concerned for the health of their fur-babies, which extends beyond food to include organic pet products across all categories.

Candles

Flameless candles continue to trend up.

"Green" candles are increasingly popular.

Religious themes, Angels.

Non-holiday candles and scents, expect to see more general Winter-themes.

Traditional holiday colors remain popular, but look for metallics and glitter, white and pastels.

Mirrored containers.

Lighting

The use of LED lighting will continue to expand.

Lights continue to be added all types of holiday decor.

Affordable

Small Indulgences

Novelty or dark chocolates.

Specialty coffees.

Home baked cookies.

Organic foods.

Pet products.

The nautical style has sailed into all categories of gift and home decor, and has weighed anchor for holiday 2009. (see also Nautical / Christmas )

From scrapbooking to journaling, memory quilts, memory candles and pillows, frames, plates, ornaments, jewelry and holiday cards - look for the "memory" theme to continue as a strong holiday component.

Personalization and customization will continue to be hot in 2009. (see also Personalized / Christmas ) Budget-minded consumers shopping for something special will take advantage of this trend. Personalized products have continued to sell well during this down economy.

Embroidered on pillows and towels, vinyl lettering on walls, painted on wood, walls, glass and planters, etched, routed, stenciled, stamped, needlepointed ... you name it, it's still out there.

The aged look of antiques and vintage postcards is still with us for 2009. Bethany Lowe Designs features vintage style glass and glitter. Silver mercury glass and glitter-encrusted pressed paper. Wreaths, sailboats, Santas, teddys, glass trees and more.

Characters

Think "lifestyle" ... Hobbies and interests, professions, family, vacation destinations, pets, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, milestones, foods and beverages, countries and states.

Florals

Champagne gold,

Silver.

Naturals combined with white.

Owls.

White.

Glitter.

Flowers that are elegantly affordable.

Greeting Cards

Plantable or "seeded" greeting cards.

Recycled - greeting cards made from recycled products.

Christmas is the largest card-sending holiday in the United States - approximately 2.1 billion cards are sent annually.

According to the Greeting Card Association, "handcrafted and intricately decorated greeting cards continue to capture the imagination and buying habits of consumers who want to give sophisticated cards that are both upscale and unusual."

"In stark contrast to the digital-age features of many greeting cards, these unusual cards demonstrate painstaking attention to detail and stand-out artistry. They frequently feature designs incorporating bits of fabric, ribbon, beads, or even tiny origami-like paper decorations that are attached to the card by hand. Elaborately crafted pop-up and paper sculpture cards also fall into this special combination of card, artwork, and gift."

"A similar appreciation of tactile artistry and upscale design can be seen in the growing trend toward incorporating textured papers and special printing methods to create cards with a distinctively luxurious look and feel. Cards featuring letterpress printing, embossing, and a sophisticated use of flocking are at the leading edge of this trend."

Gift Wrap

Reversable - metallic on one side, printed matte on the other.

Scented.

Metallic.

Eco-friendly.