• A look at decor for Christmas 2024 

It’s officially December, which means Christmas is around the corner. 

As the Christmas season approaches, Colombo will likely transform into its uniquely tropical version of a winter wonderland as the spirit of joy and celebration takes over. While traditional holiday decor remains a beloved staple in the Lankan Christmas space, other trends do often come out to play as well. 

With Christmas 2024 almost upon us, The Sunday Morning Brunch chatted to a few businesses which specialise in local Christmas decor on what exciting trends and innovative products the season is likely to have in store. From elegant ornaments and sustainable creations to early shopping sprees, what is setting the tone for this year’s holiday season? 

Comfortable tradition vs. yuletide sophistication

One notable trend this year is a return to classic Christmas colours like red, green, and gold. While previous years saw more unconventional shades such as rose gold and burgundy being popular Christmas palettes, 2024 is seeing a revival of a more timeless Christmas palette. 

“There weren’t any specific new colours this year, it’s been more about traditional colours for us,” Edys Founder Dr. Edward Samarasekara said of what both demand had been like and what Edys had focused on for 2024. 

Top of mind for Edys, one of Colombo’s bigger home decor and furniture shops, is the demand for high-quality Christmas trees with a natural appearance, a product that has become a signature of the company. 

“Our trees have more of a natural feel, like real pine trees, rather than an artificial look. If you’re looking for a really good tree, we’ve got them,” Dr. Samarasekara said.

While traditional decor remains popular, there is a growing preference for sophisticated and modern elements in Christmas decorating. Spaces by Liz Founder Leonie Schokman noted that consumers were exploring options that blended elegance with festive cheer. 

“Christmas décor is becoming more sophisticated than it used to be years ago,” Schokman said. “I personally prefer the glassy, champagne-gold effect, which is more trendy and different. But for most people, traditional styles, like bells and icicles, remain the go-to choice,” she said.

An interior design studio, Spaces by Liz caters to a middle- to high-end market, offering everything from ornaments to carpets that match specific colour themes as well as supplying major businesses like hotels with Christmas decor. 

This year, Schokman shared that transparent glass ornaments, gnomes, and galaxy-inspired reindeer had been particularly popular. Additionally, there has been an increased interest in tabletop trees, door rugs, and even Christmas-themed carpets.

“With over-the-counter decor, the demand has always been more traditional. For some reason, many people don’t like to move away from the traditional Christmas decor, but there’s a small group of customers who are exploring modern styles like rose gold and transparent decor. Even bedroom decorations with little trees have become a trend,” Schokman said of which trends had been the most popular with their customers this year.

“We’ve also introduced Christmas gnomes and elves this year, and those have been very popular. We’ve also had a few requests for decor in colours like purple and pink. There’s also been a lot of demand for Christmas carpets and rugs,” she added. 

Sustainability and local craftsmanship

Over the years, sustainability has become a core aspect of Christmas decor, with consumers showing a preference for eco-friendly, reusable items and also those that incorporate the Sri Lankan spirit. 

The Sunday Morning Brunch spoke to Ceylon Peggs Co-Founder Shermi Wijewardana on what this has meant for how Ceylon Peggs, a business known for its handmade wooden peg dolls and ornaments, approaches decor during the Christmas season. 

“Our products are eco-friendly and reusable, being made of wood,” Wijewardana said, noting that while some characters had stayed local, in a nod to the season, Ceylon Peggs had also been busy crafting the more traditional Christmas figures. “We’ve created Christmas tree ornaments and dolls inspired by Santa, elves, penguins, gingerbread men, and even superheroes like Spiderman and Batman,” she added.

Wijewardana also shared that since sustainability was at the heart of Ceylon Peggs’s approach, they had also been looking to create products that gave customers the chance to support local entrepreneurs and promote sustainable practices. 

This is something that Spaces by Liz has also incorporated, with Schokman sharing that while Spaces by Liz was in itself a new business, it was built on the base of her mother’s work in the same field. She added that their Christmas merchandise was a mix of carefully curated imported products selected to meet customer demand balanced with products designed and made in Sri Lanka. 

“A lot of the Christmas decor we sell is basically made for the UK and the US market, but our bonbons and table decor are 100% manufactured in Sri Lanka,” Shockman explained. 

She added that Spaces by Liz allowed customers the chance to take their Christmas decor further by giving them the opportunity to match carpets, rugs, curtains, and other finishes to their Christmas palette for the year, something that was in surprisingly high demand and could be reused for years to come.

Starting the season early

The season for business usually starts in the last week of November, but another significant trend this year has been an early start to Christmas shopping. Businesses across the board have noticed that consumers have begun preparing for the season much earlier than usual, reflecting a renewed excitement for the holidays.

“Normally, the season starts in early to mid-November, but this time, we launched just after mid-October,” said Dr. Samarasekara, adding that this was an intentional choice that Edys had made which had paid off by early November, with most Christmas trees already sold out.

Schokman also echoed this sentiment, sharing that Spaces by Liz prepared for the Christmas season all year round and this year they had customers begin shopping for decorations as early as March. 

“There’s so much excitement this year,” she noted. “I think it’s because people are finally able to relax and enjoy the holidays after the challenges of the past few years. It’s unbelievable how much people are willing to spend on Christmas and their decor.” 

This high demand has extended beyond ornaments to include personalised services. “Customers want to colour-match their decorations and sometimes they call me late at night for advice,” Schokman laughed. “It’s all part of the excitement of the season.”

Keeping the enthusiasm going

Innovation continues to be a driving force for local businesses, also driving enthusiasm. 

Dr. Samarasekara emphasised that introducing new products each year was key to keeping customers engaged. This year, Edys has introduced large, animated Santa figures that move, sing, and dance – a hit among shoppers. 

“Every year, we try to do something different that isn’t available in the Sri Lankan market,” he said, adding: “The response to our moving, singing Santa figures has been much better than anticipated.”

Schokman also explained that the behind-the-scenes of a business also served to drive enthusiasm. For example, Spaces by Liz employs mainly women, many of whom face challenges at home, providing them with opportunities to work and earn an income. “Most of them either work from home or in our workshops. Their earnings often go toward their children’s tuition fees or medical needs,” she shared.

Wijewardana also stressed the importance of a business’s impact on the communities around them when it came to keeping the customers excited saying: “We work with small-scale artisans and focus on products that reflect Sri Lankan creativity while being environmentally conscious.” 

As Sri Lankans prepare to celebrate Christmas, it’s clear that the decor landscape is a vibrant mix of tradition, innovation, and sustainability. Businesses like Edys, Spaces by Liz, and Ceylon Peggs are not only meeting the evolving tastes of consumers but are also contributing to a deeper sense of community and environmental responsibility.