While Christmas begins to hum from on high, 2026 is quietly glowing already
For the past 25 years or so, Christmas has usually been an Alpine affair. There have been dashes down to Palm Beach north of Sydney, one Christmas in Toronto and a few years back we tried Zürich but it wasn’t the same as being up at our cosy flat in St Moritz with the ancient Denon stereo still spinning well-worn Christmas CDs (Helene Fischer, Idina Menzel, Tatsuro Yamashita, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald and Nancy Wilson), the same decorations on the tree, the amazing smells coming from the kitchen (cardamom, yuzu and dill) and the sounds of the village coming alive for the season.
This year, for the briefest moment, we thought about doing Christmas in Lisbon and got quite excited about filling the shopping trolley at El Corte Inglés and lunch on the sunny terrace. But then we realised that there would be new decorations to be purchased, revised lighting requirements (it is very different to find just the right level of gold light, which is why my mom tends to paint every bulb to take the edge off) and a race to ensure that Lisbon has all the right Swedish and Estonian ingredients. No such worries up in St Moritz as we know every supplier and retailer, and dinner on the 24th comes together seamlessly thanks to our solid set of purveyors.
Having an advance party in place is also useful and for the coming season our Zürich colleague Aude is running the show in our St Moritz pop-up shop and mini café at the Hotel Steffani. By far our smallest retail outpost, it has already been doing a roaring trade and if you happen to be up around the Engadine this winter be sure to drop by for a mocha and any presents that you might need over the coming weeks. As ever, we’ll be hosting a little Christmas cocktail sometime between 25 and 31 December. So keep an eye out for the invite – likely to be sent some time next week.
Before pouring gin and tonics (the evening ritual from the 22nd, this is where the fresh yuzu comes in) and breaking open the rice crackers from Mitsukoshi, there’s still a bit of ground to cover. I was hoping to be in London yesterday and today for the Christmas Market but there’s a rather exciting project under way in Zürich that requires many hands on deck to pull it together and get it humming for the year ahead. You might recall that we have a Monocle apartment at the Oxen in Küsnacht – just down the lake from our offices in Seefeld. From next week the Monocle Townhouse will be nearing the finishing line as furniture arrives from various corners of Europe and ‘real’ lightbulbs are screwed into position for just the right tone and glow. An elegant annex of the Widder Hotel in the heart of Zürich, the Monocle Townhouse will be available for short or long stays and is perfectly positioned for quick connections from the main station and an easy tram hop to our café, shop and Trunk Clothiers outlet on Dufourstrasse. Official photography will take place in the new year, so expect a proper first peek early in January. Also, Monocle Patrons can expect a special invite to a debut cocktail at the start of spring.
If you’re passing through Zürich, pop by to say hello, grab a negroni and enjoy the Christmas mood. Ditto in London and Paris as they do negronis as well! Much of the Monocle advertising crew will be in Zürich this week as we plot out 2026, so it will be a full house and we’re on hand if you want to discuss big ideas for your brand or business. The bar is always open from 16.00. Wishing you a good week ahead. We’re in the home stretch!
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