Getting in the spirit of the season

Features Issue 217 Dec, 2019
Text by Evangeline Neve



Christmas is coming and those of us who celebrate are probably already pulling out our crates of festive decorations and either beginning the hunt for a good live tree (not an easy task in Kathmandu, I’ve found) or plumping up the plasticky needles on our years-old artificial one. And while no one really needs any more holiday decorations (or is that just a problem I have?) that doesn’t mean we probably won’t buy some anyway.

I know I will. They’re beautiful, usually quite affordable, and I find them to be small time capsules, reminding you of that particular year’s celebrations. It seems like most years I add a couple to my burgeoning collection, and they often come from Dhukuti, who this year are again launching their new seasonal designs in great style, made, as always, by artisans and crafters using techniques and materials from all over Nepal.

         

There are beautiful ornaments to be found here made of metal and glass, sparkly and delicate, perfect to catch the reflected glow from the strings of twinkling, colorful lights; but I tend to gravitate towards the soft felted wool pieces: the angel with soft pastel-tinted wings, the adorable googly-eyed sheep, each eye slightly askew, the Santa with his hat pulled down low over his eyes, giving him an appealingly rakish look. If you’re traveling for the holidays or looking for something to send as gifts, these soft tree-ornaments are perfect, too; they don’t break and are light to post or stuff into a corner of your suitcase.

Dhukuti also has Christmas stockings and manger scenes in felt, brass, wood and ceramics—I have bought several of those over the years, too, because annoyingly (not really) they seem to become cuter and tinier as each new Christmas rolls around.

This year there’s also a festive yeti family to welcome you and your guests if you’d like to go out all with something a little more unique—it’s cute, yes, but certainly not tiny, and there’s no doubt that being welcomed by this quintessentially Himalayan grouping will give the holiday that extra something special. Whatever your fancy, paying this place a visit is certain to get you in the festive spirit, Nepali-style.

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