old school holiday ideas

three graces

as promised, here are few more traditional ways to add some island style to celebrate the holidays. xmas cards from pacific island art cards spread the aloha spirit around the world with an eloquent holiday greeting translated in hawaiian. take a peek at their entire line of holiday cards and remember all orders over $25 receive free shipping.

island heritage has got you covered in the gift wrap department so you can have plenty of choices when you finally lock yourself away from the rest of the world for that marathon wrapping session. i'm loving the faux lauhala wrap. and if you want to give your gifts that extra special touch be sure to stock up on mele kalikimaka printed ribbon.

of course, nothing says hawaii like a lauhala box and the best source online is ailana kai which has a good selection of box sizes plus lauhala totes and wine bags. the woven boxes are also an earth-friendly option for gift giving since they can be regifted next year or reused to stash stuff for a clutter-free home.

you + pacific home = 20%

ooh, today is customer appreciation day at pacific home so swing by ward and score 20% off everything whether it's new furniture for you or a little something for your favorite design junkie.

there will also be some winter cheer in store with designers sharing their tips for creating stylish holiday table tops and refreshments to enjoy while you shop.

• sale hours: today, 10a to 7p
• map it

wrap it up

 whimsy super lucky + s&g fronds

i'm gearing up for the holidays and have been searching for xmas cards and gift wrap ideas that are stylish &/or irreverent. my favorite gift wrap so far is this adorable super lucky pattern from whimsy press. it's not every day you find a lucky cat protecting your gift and i think it may bode well for the new year.

next up, a more minimal design from snow & graham. the taupe & white fronds design could double as abstract snowflakes and would look particularly elegant under the tree. even better, both designs are suitable all year long so you won't have to store oodles of gift wrap for different occasions.

iomoi palm beach tree + rsp palm tree

i am always on the hunt for pretty stationary and last year scored a good deal on pre-printed xmas cards from iomoi. this year, customization is king and iomoi has a nice selection of tropical designs for those with the budget to splurge on personalized holiday wishes. just remember that turnaround time is currently 7 business days so get your order in soon so you have enough time to get your cards in the post.

last but not least, i am loving the palm tree holiday card from rock scissor paper. they always have the coolest retro style designs and this card will definitely stand out amongst all the others that arrive in the mail.

now that i've exhausted all the modern resources, i'll be hunting for more traditional island style holiday ideas. check back in a few days for the scoop!

stocking spectacular

mele kalikimaka stockings

expecting to be on the nice list this year and waking up to find little bundles of holiday treats waiting for you on christmas morning? the tree may be the biggest thing on your decorating list but don't forget about xmas stockings pretty enough to receive non-coal goodies from a certain someone.

i decided it was time to go hunting for stockings with a little aloha spirit for those of us who appreciate good design. the ground rules? no raffia or surfing santas and i soon discovered this was no easy task. after many, many clicks, i was relieved to find these elegant hand quilted xmas stockings from kenui quilts that mix traditional hawaiian design with the festive colors of the holiday season.

hable construction hawaii holiday

a bit too traditional for you? my favorite is this playful hawaii holiday stocking from nyc's hable construction. yes, it's a tad pricey but the feel good factor is high once you consider the number of holiday uses it will endure and that the felt appliqué design is sewn by a woman's cooperative in hungary. act fast if you love it since this is a web exclusive design and quantities are limited (fyi - the other color in this pattern recently sold out and has a waitlist for 2007!).

textile dinner design

this vibrant silk table runner is a colorful and contemporary way to bring some island style to your home over the holiday season. vicky durand, the surfer turned textile artist, hand prints all the designs for her hawaiian wearable art collection and recently expanded her line to include accessories for the home (check out the washable silk shower curtains if you want to add a little tropical punch to your bath).

you can have your pick of colors and patterns when shopping online or stop by one of the many boutiques & museum shops that stock hawaiian wearable art around the islands.