Creativity at Christmas time: our round-up of some of the best festive projects
Even more impressive than your auntie’s pixellated reindeer e-card, even more cheery than a paper hat, and even more satisfying than the last green triangle in the Quality Street: here it is, our round-up of the best festive projects we’ve seen this Yuletide.
Isobel’s Christmas card
It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for. Every year Isobel surely spends more time on their festive stunt than most people do on their entire Christmas shopping – three months planning, three hour makeovers and a one-day shoot, to be exact. Last year the agency was transformed into a troupe of monks and this year the bald theme has remained, but they’re all transformed into older versions of themselves. Either that’s really good makeup or they’ve been partying hard already.
True North: Advent calendar
True North’s massive advent calendar
Hell, we’re half way through December but that means there’s still time to admire some fab advent calendars. True North has gone big this year by bringing together a number of design agencies and illustrators to create artworks revealed on the side of a building, which are also available to buy with all profits going to a children’s charity. Images are by creatives including Stanley Chow, The Neighbourhood, Music, Hyper Island and True North themselves.
Day 15 Bella Hadid by Doug English (still)
Love magazine’s online advent calendar
A sexier number here from Love magazine, with a moving image – and often a saucy one at that – behind every window.
Charlotte Heal and Dominic Davies:Valery Demure Christmas shoot
Valery Demure Christmas shoot
I am almost literally (actually literally) salivating over those Turkish delights, such is the power of Charlotte Heal’s art direction on this shoot for jewellery agent Valery Demure. Shot by Dominic Davies, it’s a luxurious but subtle nod to the season of good cheer.
Festive Film Index
Festive Film Index
If you’re anything like me, Christmas is a time to do as little moving as possible in front of as much shit telly and films as possible. But if you’re indecisive, this little site might help – The Festive Film Index to let you easily scroll through films with Bill Murray, those about New York or black and white ones for all the nans out there.
Isabel + Helen: Selfridge’s window
Isabel + Helen’s Selfridge’s window
Bringing their cosmic touch to the high street, Isabel + Helen have made some stunning and mega ambitious windows for Selfridge’s based around the stars and the planets.
March’s Letraset Christmas poster
March is a new agency headed up by Marc Atkinson, and its lovely Christmas offering this year uses Letraset to beautiful effect. “You can’t deny the pleasure of a good rub down, and the beautiful imperfections it creates,” says Marc. “Starting with a complete Letraset sheet, we rubbed down the words “Merry Christmas” onto a card. The resulting posters consist of the remaining unused characters rubbed onto an A3 sheet.”
Alphabetical: Festive lettering
Alphabetical’s festive lettering
Here’s another project that’s making us hungry: Alphabetical studio’s graphic take on festive illuminated letters – in chocolate. The studio moulded dark chocolate into blocks with its logo debossed into them. “We then designed bespoke graphic interpretations of illuminated letters and laser cut them as stencils into acrylic. We then painstakingly sprayed each letter using edible gold spray,” co-founder Tommy Taylor explains.
Moving Brands: GIFts
Moving Brands’ GIFts
“Every year, we all receive something that leaves us wondering if our nearest and dearest know us at all,” laments Moving Brands. “We’re told ‘it’s the thought that counts’, but sometimes it’s the thought that hurts.” Ain’t it just, Moving Brands, ain’t it just. But they’ve made love out of despair in the form of these GIFts, little moving entities formed from the imagery of shit presents.
Supple Studio and Jim K Davies: Sweet 2016
Supple Studio’s Sweet 2016
Supple Studio and copywriter Jim K Davies have collaborated on a sweet, sweet calendar for next year. Each month features a graphic illustration of a sweetie, with copy to match “revealing curious facts about each sugary morsel.” The calendar was printed by Kolor Skemes in Somerset, on paper provided by sponsors G.F Smith.Design Bridge: Christmas Cards
Design Bridge Christmas Cards
New York London Amsterdam Singapore everybody’s talking about….Design Bridge’s Christmas cards! Which celebrate the agency’s year of collaborations with worldwide sign writers, tilers and chalkboard artists.
Beneath the INT christmas tree
We’ve received some great cards this year, featuring baubles, trees and reindeer as well as abstract patterns, rockets and crowds of old folk. We thought that as a thank you we’d photograph the whole bunch, thanks everyone!
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Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.