Whether you’re in London, England, or Palm Beach, Florida, the magic of the season can be felt (and seen!) just about everywhere.
Shopping centers, town halls and city squares around the world have gone the distance to present their communities with the most dazzling displays of festive cheer.
And this year, some of our favorite fashion and lifestyle icons – including Iris Apfel, Alexis Bittar and Jimmy Choo – have lent their creative genius to make spirits even brighter designing uber stylish trees. And, in some cases, not trees! FEMAIL rounds up 2022’s must-see spruces!
Known for his Lucite jewelry and reinvented statement pieces, New York-based jewelry designer Alexis Bittar lent his keen eye for extravagant elements to the lobby of the Riggs hotel
Drawing inspiration from the feminine touches found throughout the luxury hotel’s four First Lady suites as well as the metallics of his own work, Alexis’ “Menagerie A Tree” is a feather and tinsel reverie
Designer: Alexis Bittar
Location: Riggs Washington D.C.
Known for his Lucite jewelry and reinvented statement pieces, New York-based jewelry designer Alexis Bittar lent his keen eye for extravagant elements to the lobby of the Riggs hotel.
Drawing inspiration from the feminine touches found throughout the luxury hotel’s four First Lady suites as well as the metallics of his own work, Alexis’ ‘Menagerie A Tree’ is a feather and tinsel reverie.
It features a palette of soft pastel colors accented with high shine silver tinsel and antiqued brush gold detailing.
Oversized pastel feathers are pierced into the tree giving the illusion that it is about to take flight, with custom pearl garlands hanging like icicles and soft fairy lights for a majestic glow.
Those who take a closer look with notice papier mâché and feathered, mirrored and iridescent birds nestle within the branches and tiny glass bottles filled with quotes and inspirational messages from iconic women inside.
‘I loved working with the Riggs team because in essence the hotel is a time capsule to an elegant past in the 1930s,’ Alexis Bittar told DailyMail.com
The hotel was first Riggs Bank in the late 1800s and is one of the last few Richardsonian Romanesque Revival-style buildings in the city.
Maintaining much if its old-school charm, the property still houses the bank’s original pillars, double-height ceilings, brass detailing and vault.
Standing 18 feet high, one would think decorating this magical tree would be a daunting task, but not for someone who has been creating art since childhood.
‘Designing a tree for them (the Riggs) was easy – to me, Christmas and fantasy are intertwined,’ revealed Alexis.
‘I loved, fusing surrealism, femininity and Strength in a playful way.’
Oversized pastel feathers are pierced into the tree giving the illusion that it is about to take flight, with custom pearl garlands hanging like icicles and soft fairy lights for a majestic glow
‘Designing a tree for them (the Riggs) was easy, to me, Christmas and fantasy are intertwined. I loved, fusing surrealism, femininity and Strength in a playful way’
Inspired by her own look, Iris Apfel decorated the Royal Poinciana Plaza’s iconic surfboard Christmas tree with bright colors and over-the-top embellishments, including her trademark round glasses
Adored for her ‘more is more’ approach to dressing with no regard for outside opinion, Iris Apfel embodies the true essence of style: self expression
Designer: Iris Apfel
Location: Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach
Adored for her ‘more is more’ approach to dressing with no regard for outside opinion, Iris Apfel embodies the true essence of style: self expression.
Inspired by her own look, Iris decorated the property’s iconic surfboard Christmas tree with bright colors and over-the-top embellishments, including her trademark round glasses.
‘Palm Beach is incredibly dear to me. It’s where I live seasonally, and when on the island, one of my most frequented destinations is The Royal Poinciana Plaza,’ said the 101-year-old.
‘It’s charming, spirited, and home to the most wonderful restaurants and shops. For the past 5 years, they have partnered with renowned artists and designers to produce a holiday tree made entirely of surfboards, which is really just magical and unexpected.
‘When approached this year to work with The Royal on the installation, I was flattered. What we’ve pulled together emulates my outlook on life- it’s playful, colorful, optimistic and completely unique. I hope everyone who views it, smiles, and is inspired to walk to the beat of their own drum.’
Annually, The Royal celebrates the reveal and lighting of the surfboard holiday tree, with an activity-filled event that has now become a tradition for families and friends in Palm Beach.
Past designers of The Royal Poinciana Plaza Holiday tree include Libertine’s Johnson Hartig, Ashley Longshore, Donald Robertson, and Gray Malin.
‘Palm Beach is incredibly dear to me. It’s where I live seasonally, and when on the island, one of my most frequented destinations is The Royal Poinciana Plaza,’ said the 101-year-old
This marks the twelfth year the famed hotel has enlisted one of the fashion industry’s biggest names to reinterpret the tree in their own distinctive style
Jimmy Choo Creative Director, Sandra Choi, has designed Claridge’s annual Christmas tree
Designer: Sandra Choi for Jimmy Choo
Location: Claridge’s London
Jimmy Choo Creative Director, Sandra Choi, was chosen to design Claridge’s famous Christmas tree.
This marks the twelfth year the famed hotel has enlisted one of the fashion industry’s biggest names to reinterpret the tree in their own distinctive style.
Previous brands and designers to have taken on the project include Dior menswear’s artistic director Kim Jones (2021), Diane von Furstenberg, Christian Louboutin, and Dolce & Gabbana.
Not to mention Karl Lagerfeld’s unforgettable upside down tree.
Named ‘The Diamond’, Sandra abandoned the idea of a traditional tree in favor of a sculptural creation crafted from reflective mirrors and accented with light which pulses and undulates.
The diamond has long been an important design detail in the world of Jimmy Choo (even their sneakers feature diamond accents!) and Sandra has dreamed of stepping inside one – therefore the tree has been crafted in such a way guests can actually enter and stand inside it.
The tree is finished with a giant, neon pink bow topper – a nod to one of the key design themes of the brands winter collection.
The diamond has long been an important design detail in the world of Jimmy Choo (even their sneakers feature diamond accents!)
The Connaught enlisted influential East London-born artist and sculptor Suzy Murphy to spread her creative magic to Carlos Place
Influenced from ‘Toby was a Girl’, a series of sketches inspired by her childhood pet, the British-sourced Nordmann Fir tree is decorated with 34 white neon dogs ‘running’ around the tree starting with the smallest at the base, and gradually getting larger as they reach the top
Designer: Suzy Murphy
Location: The Connaught, Mayfair
This year, The Connaught enlisted influential East London-born artist and sculptor Suzy Murphy to spread her creative magic to Carlos Place.
Influenced from ‘Toby was a Girl’, a series of sketches inspired by her childhood pet, the British-sourced Nordmann Fir tree is decorated with 34 white neon dogs ‘running’ around the tree starting with the smallest at the base, and gradually getting larger as they reach the top.
At the base of the 30 ft tall tree, Suzy has used her creative and philosophical mantra ‘solitude, truth, passion and peace’ to describe the various stages one must pass through in order to arrive at ‘Peace’.
At the base of the 30 ft tall tree, Suzy has used her creative and philosophical mantra ‘solitude, truth, passion and peace’ to describe the various stages one must pass through in order to arrive at “Peace”
The Dewberry has partnered with beloved floral and event designer Lewis Miller, for the Charleston hotel’s 2022 holiday décor
Designer: Lewis Miller
Location: The Dewberry, Charleston SC
The Dewberry has partnered with beloved floral and event designer Lewis Miller, for the Charleston hotel’s 2022 holiday décor.
Not your traditional ornaments, the design for the hotel’s tree and interiors draws inspiration from exotic treasures told through unexpected combination of jewel tones, including vibrant turquoise, amethyst and ruby.
Curiosities found and collected are hidden amongst branches and booms allowing guests to discover exotic treasures, butterflies, coral and more nestled among greenery.
Using his floral expertise, the hotel’s lobby and the Living Room are filled with plants, botanicals and silk flowers.
Flora is at the heart of the concept, and the hotel’s lobby and the Living Room are filled with like plants and silk flowers
Swarovski Creative Director Giovanna Engelbert, reimagined The Mark’s façade in crystallized gingerbread form
Located at the heart of Manhattan’s exclusive Upper East Side – the 5-star luxury hotel boats lavish suites and has served as one of the main hotels for Met Gala attendees and visiting celebrities for well over a decade
‘For me, gingerbread evokes childlike wonder, inspiring us to dream, so it has been a great pleasure to design an experience that will spark people’s imaginations at this magical time of year,’ said Giovanna Engelbert
The penthouse – the hotel’s most famous room which spans over 10,000 square feet – also has a tree
Designer: Swarovski
Location: The Mark Hotel, New York City
Swarovski Creative Director Giovanna Engelbert, reimagined The Mark’s façade in crystallized gingerbread form.
Located at the heart of Manhattan’s exclusive Upper East Side, the five-star luxury hotel has served as one of the main hotels for Met Gala attendees for well over a decade, and has been a favorite for A-list guests visiting New York since it opened its doors.
In the lobby stands a Swarovski-decorated tree with green bows and red gemstones at the foot of the staircase, along with two candy carts selling hot chocolate and edible crystal lollipops.
The penthouse – the hotel’s most famous room which spans over 10,000 square feet – also has a tree, which features gold velvet bows and crystal snowflakes.
Engelbert said, ‘The Mark is a New York City icon, and we are so pleased to bring Swarovski’s vision of holiday joy and wonder to this prestigious hotel.
‘For me, gingerbread evokes childlike wonder, inspiring us to dream, so it has been a great pleasure to design an experience that will spark people’s imaginations at this magical time of year.’
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk