When Persimmon trees shed their leaves in winter, their orange fruit begins to look like big Christmas baubles, making it one of nature's most happy and festive Christmas trees.
And there was some orange under our Christmas tree too!
Hermès' 2013 Christmas card, illustrated by Philippe Dumas. It is an epic 24 pages long, which made it a perfect Advent calender for Hermès lovers.
Some of the decorations which were sprayed with a new coat of gold a couple of weeks ago:
Wearing a Dip Dye Brides de Gala 90 carré as a halter top with a Kelly Double Tour bracelet in ebene
For this year's gift wrapping, I chose silver and winter white paper and decorated it with sparkling crystals, frosted berries and ribbons in ice blue, gold, mulberry and silver.
The big orange box was meant to be a 50th birthday present to myself, but since it did not work out timing-wise, it landed under the Christmas tree instead. And here she finally is, my long-awaited for Birkin in Gris Tourterelle Togo leather with palladium hardware.
Drinks before Christmas Day lunch
Dear MaiTai,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new Birkin, Gris T is such a lovely colour, I have this colour in a Picotin and find it is a wonderfull netural, have fun playing with your new B. Look forward to seeing your pics with her.
Hope you and the family had a wonderfull christmas also.
Best Jane x
Oh how beautiful your Picotin must be! So nice to be color twins with you x
DeleteWhat beautiful pictures, as always, dear MT! It looks like you had a marvelous Christmas - congratulations on the Gris Tourterelle B. Very understated and elegant! And all my best wishes to you and your family for 2014!
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a wonderful Christmas too, and wish all the best for a very happy New Year!
DeleteBeautiful bag. What a wonderful Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas gift!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Jen!
DeleteLovely pictures and your new Birkin is such a beauty! I have a black Birkin but would love to have one in a lighter color too. All the best to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteHope a light sister will join your black beauty one day soon!
DeleteYou look gorgeous in that scarf as blouse - I have yet to do that. I love that gris color - and as a blonde I think will suit you very well indeed. Orange boxes are always a safe bet I find! Happy new year Mai Tai xx
ReplyDeleteHope you’ll have fun trying the halter one day, it’s such a nice way to highlight the center of a scarf x
DeleteI haven't commented in a while though I do follow your beautiful blog for years now and, of course, love everything I have purchased through the MT Collection. I just had to say Happy Holidays and a belated Happy 50th Birthday! I am floored by the latter I must say! I had always presumed you to be somewhere in your 30's. You give us 50 something ladies a good name. :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous and exquisite holiday wrappings and decorations as always. I'm off to buy that gold spray paint myself for next year - thank you!
Enjoy your gorgeous Gris T Birkin, too. You have built a perfect, versatile collection of H bags and she is the perfect addition!
It’s wonderful fun to celebrate my birthday twice this year, thanks so much the lovely compliments and good wishes xx
DeleteYour Christmas posts are some of the prettiest Christmas cards I´ve ever seen and this one is no exception, my dearest MaiTai.
ReplyDeleteThe lovely berries, the pretty orange box with the most charming snow flake, your delicious Christmas biscuits, the beautifully wrapped presents with their lovely ribbons, the crystal pendant that I like so much... I could go on and on... Everything about this post is perfect!
You have such an hability of capturing beauty around you, even in the tiniest thing...
You look wonderful and so does Ms. Birkin. Congratulations and a warm welcome to her. <3. Thank you for sharing a little bit of your Christmas with us. It´s such a joy to be part of our "sisterhood".
To you and to your dear family a very Happy New Year! With love, Manuela
Sending you a celebratory Happy New Year toast, dear Manuela!
DeleteI look forward to sharing this space with you in 2014!
Isn't our fearless leader's new Birkin just beautiful?
To friendship and all things that come in orange boxes...T xx
Cheers to you, dear Trudye, to friendship and to this lovely place called MaiTai´s Picture Book!
DeleteHappy New Year to you and your family. Look forward to sharing many lovely moments with you too next year. Warm hug, Manuela
Yes, Ms. Birkin is very beautiful indeed! <3
DeleteDearest Manuela, you always bring the sweetest and warmest glow to our sisterhood. Much love to you <3
DeleteMerry Christmas, and best wishes in the New Year, dear MaiTai. Lovely new Birkin.
ReplyDeleteWarm orange hugs,
CS
Thank you, my dear CS <3
DeleteDear MaiTai,
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely photos but I must say, I got so excited when I saw the big orange box under the tree! Your Birkin is such a pretty color, I know you will enjoy it for years to come.
Peace and love for the New Year.
Simone xx
Oh the excitement big orange boxes bring! Have a fabulous New Year xx
DeleteDear Mai Tai,
ReplyDeleteEverything you touch turns into something beautiful. Those perfect cookies, the beautiful wrapping - my efforts pale in comparison. I very much like your decorations, the berries, wreath and then the Birkin! Wow! I love Gris Tourturelle and this is a wonderful addition. You look elegant in the scarf halter and gorgeous blazer. I'd like a sip of champagne right there :)
Hugs,
Tanja
The champagne is on ice, waiting for you! Guten Rutsch, und ein frohes Neues Jahr!
DeleteI love seeing snippets of everyone's homes at Christmas time, everything is very beautiful Mai Tai, and oh the joy of the orange box - the only gift that never needs to be wrapped!
ReplyDeleteSo true re the orange box! They always make my heart beat faster, just the way they are.
DeleteYes dear Mai Tai nothing to say more than other comments Just perfect. Just beautiful decoration, refined like yoursef. To give complexes to many of us!
ReplyDeleteAnd now I understand why you returned to Paris in one day.... To fetch your beautiful new coloured Birkin! I like very much this light grey.
Chin chin even Christmas is finished.
P.S. Are you cooking yourself these delicious cookies?
Amities. Monica
Merci, chère Monica. I follow so many traditions my mother has set, and learned so much from her (including Christmas cookie making!)
DeleteSo elegant, so talented and SOOO lucky to have that big orange box under the tree....even if from yourself! :) have a wonderful festive season Mai Tai, kindest regards KjP West Sussex xx
ReplyDeleteI’m still over the moon about the orange box, and feel so very lucky indeed! All the best to you for a great 2014!
DeleteWhat a lovely scene you have set for Xmas dear friend! As always, everything united in perfect harmony. I know how much work goes into pulling this together! Thank you so much for sharing with us. Super excited for you to enjoy your new Birkin! She is a beauty...just like you! A toast to all things beautiful and welcoming hugs to the newest member of your H family...cannot wait to see her at play in 2014! Grinning from ear to ear as I say "Happy New Year" to you and yours and to all in our merry little band, T xx
ReplyDeleteJoining you in the beautiful toast, my dearest friend! You have an amazing gift for bringing happy and festive cheer, what would our little band be without you <3 Hugs and love
DeleteMy Dearest Mai Tai,
ReplyDeleteI join in agreement with all comments above as everyone was SPOT ON!!
You march thru life with such exquisite attention to detail and its a joy to be able to see snippets of what that looks like!!
I am so thrilled that you received that gorgeous B in gris T...I own her as well and find her to be so versatile!! I cant wait to watch how you incorporate her into your wardrobe!!
May you and your beautiful family be blessed with good health and much happiness in 2014!
And so many thanks for taking the time and energy to share so much elegance and style with your Hermes family....you do the company proud!!!
Hugs and kisses,
Oh my dear orange gaga, I am so very thrilled to be twins with you on Ms Gris T!! All the best to you and your family for the New Year too, hope it will bring happiness, good health and many beautiful moments x
DeleteSeasons greetings to you and your family , dear Mait Tai. As often commented up above, you have a gift, a gift to make very simple things in life beautiful and chic. Congrats on your new addition, and it would be nice to read a post about your forever growing H bag collection, I have lost count. You were the one that made me hunt down a picotin a few years back:)
ReplyDeleteBises
Freida
So wonderful to know about your Picotin, carry her in health and happiness! Thank you also for the suggestion, it is a lovely idea to gather the entire bag family for a post xx
DeleteWell …. How could I say that ….. I am SOOOO jealous of your new Birkin (I was supposed to receive my first Birkin for my young looking 50’s beginning of December but despite the reservation done in April Hermes didn’t make it…. ), but you are so sweet dear MT that in the main time I feel SOOOO happy for you!
ReplyDeleteJust one question : do you really think that people will dare to eat such beautifully wrapped Christmas biscuits ?
Wishing you and to all MT addicts the best for 2014.
Xx Catherine
Oh Catherine, happy happy belated birthday to you, and a warm welcome to our club!! The long wait will make the arrival of your Birkin even more special, plus you’ll get to celebrate your birthday twice! Re the cookies: as far as I’m told, they never last long! ;-)
DeleteI think that you live in a very nice house with beautiful trees dear MT.
ReplyDeleteYour new Birkin is really fantastic. I love the colour and also how you are dressed for Christmas.
I wish you all the best for New Year and continue to make us to dream.
Sylvia
Thank you so much, dear Sylvia!
DeleteWelcome Ms.Gris Birkin! I have been considering the gris with gold HW....but it looks elegant in palladium :) How utterly radiant you look in that lovely jacket and scarf halter. Your holiday decorations are so beautifully inspired by nature...what wonderful memories you're creating for DS!
ReplyDeleteHope you're doing something fantastic for New Year's Eve. We generally stay tucked in, so that we can enjoy our Mummer's Parade here in Philadelphia. It's very much like Mardi Gras, Carnivale, etc and we host lots of friends and family that day.
Enjoy your new bag in good health and happy 2014!
Gris T with gold HW sounds utterly beautiful! Tonight we’ll be going to a friend’s house, but there are no parades here! Have a most fun and fantastic evening with your family and friends!
Deleteyou look divine as does the house and the bag happy christmas!!!!! xxxxxx PS thank you for the email about for 1st scarf I loved it x
ReplyDeleteHere’s to the New Year, and our first scarves! x
DeleteWow ! I think all the superlatives have been said and I echo them ! Love, love , love the bag.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and family.
N.J.🎉🎆🎇
I was completely floored by all the beautiful comments too! So happy you like the bag, and a very happy New Year to you!
DeleteMy dear ladies, I can not tell you how much your beautiful comments meant to me. The lovely good wishes and sweet and kind compliments added such a warm and happy extra glow to the festive spirit of these holidays, thank you so much <3 Our friendship and the wonderful bond of this sisterhood are so special and dear to me, and and I look forward to the fun we’ll have in the year to come. Wishing you, and all other readers a happy, healthy and most fabulous New Year 2014! xox
ReplyDeleteThank you dearest Mai for giving us readers so much joy through your blog and kind comments. You are such an inspiration! Yesterday I went by the Hérmes store here and on the shelf sttod a beautiful orange Picotin and she simply had to come home with me. When I stood there in the store and they prepared the lovely box I thought of you and your impeccable style. I look forward to starting the new year with my new orange beauty and soon my new scarf fur collars from you. Wishing you a magical evening and a faboulous 2014. Johanna
ReplyDeleteMy dearest MaiTai,
ReplyDeleteEverything is glowing, glistening and sparkling with so much wonderful Christmas joy! And a warmest welcome to your newest beauty, Ms. Gris Tourterelle - what an exceptionally timeless beauty to commemorate your very special year!
Thank you, my dearest MaiTai, for all the immense joy you continue to bring. You are so very beloved, admired and most truly appreciated for all the extraordinary kindness you've given us. There is always so much happiness, goodness and beauty wherever you are, always spreading your special golden sunshine so warmly and generously. Wishing you and your loved ones the most wonderful New Year 2014! All my love always with a million happy New Year hugs and kisses <3 xox