He Natale it is a suspended time, in which reality is maskedsymbols and rituals. An ode to white snow, to illuminations which transform cities into ephemeral settings, into daily rituals renewed every year. Inevitable, in this theater of wonder, is the rush for gifts, which have become a tangible measure of affection: small material signs called to give shape to often complex feelings. And in a world saturated with objects – where everything seems to already exist and nothing is really necessary – the most magical time of the year becomes a valuable opportunity for brands. A strategic threshold to activate stories, build desires, introduce experiencesmultisensoryand amplify your identity thanks to designer packaging, special editions and even edible architecture.Thus, Christmas is transformed into a privileged stage of contemporary commercial seduction.
Fashion Strategies at Christmas
Not only children, but also adults – and even some agnostics – continue to believe in Christmas. And for years, punctual like a liturgy, the celebration also comes to the bedside fashionwho anticipated very profitable room for maneuver on the December calendar. If before the start of the new millennium I Christmas gifts the most purchased were mainly bags and accessories, today the fashion sector maintains its lead, but is changing strategy. Houses are no longer limited to “being under the tree”, but construct desirability through new languages, often transversal, which undermine the traditional logic of luxury.
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Preparation for Christmas starts in Novemberwith dreamlike advertising campaigns and previews of irresistible products ranging from beauty to food. Moreover, the exponential increase in prices recorded over the last two years has inevitably pushed the middle class – once ready to invest in an expensive accessory for a significant gift – to settle for a branded lipstick, a bow-tie candy or an Advent calendar to continue living.the dream. Not only are luxury brands moving towards more “accessible” sectors, but they are investing more and more in marketing and the creation of experiences. The gift is then no longer just an object, but also a sensory or cultural experience: a ticket for an exhibition – of the Dior retrospective in its Gallery from Paris to the Louis Vuitton Foundation exhibitions — or privileged access to the brand’s archives. This is the case of Armani/Silos, where it is possible to book an hour of digital consultation in the magnificent space desired by King Giorgio in Milan.
Luxury city tours for Christmas
For those who like to discover the city during the holidays, the most famous brands create real luxury city toursinstalling windows and lighting in the most emblematic stores, which become places of pilgrimage. In Milan, Bulgari sign the Christmas tree; Ferragamo inaugurates a very fascinating ice rink in Winter Village of the Hotel Portrait; Louis Vuitton sets up enchanted rides in the heart of Paris on which you can ride; Loro Piana transform the spaces of Harrods in London with the Workshop of Wonders; Gucci signs an immersive snow globe installation in Miami’s Design District. It’s impossible not to photograph and share all of this on social networks, arousing curiosity and desire, to the point that people include these stages in their walks, or even organize one-off days. In this way, the public can get closer to otherwise exclusive worlds, savoring their atmospheres, details and suggestions. The result is a generalized experience, in which luxury does not remain confined to boutiques or private events, but is transformed into collective participation, shared imagination and amplified desire.
Fashion packaging at Christmas
It is therefore clear that the sensory aspect has become the new keystone of brand Christmas communication. It is no longer just a question of satisfying the sight, but of involving all the other senses. Today, fashion is not limited to aesthetics: it can be touched, thanks to packaging which affects thecollectible; we smell it with Jacquemus ginger candles or Loewe incense; you can listen to it, with playlists designed for special moments; it can be carefully observed through films and thematic campaigns, such as those of Prada and Louis Vuitton for the end-of-year holidays; and you can even taste it, thanks to limited edition treats and sweets.
But that’s not all. In the sections Christmas specially created on the websites of fashion houses appear in full ready-made lists for him and herboxes with designer packaging, customizable cards and above all games to unbox under the tree. Bottega Veneta has created the most expensive Jenga ever, with blocks of walnut wood kept in a woven calfskin box; Miu Miu instead offered a branded UNO card gamefollowing the idea of Dolce&Gabbana, Pucci, Hermès and Fendi who had already put them on the market. There’s no shortage of reinterpreted gaming classics either: Dior offers an elegant Backgammon, while Balenciaga collaborated with Hasbro for an exclusive version of Monopoly. All desirable products, designed to enter homes and be remembered, intercepting a shared imagination that reaches its peak during the Christmas period. And among the refined packaging, sensory experiences and collectible games, panettone and edible delicacies cannot be missing: small objects of desire which, although intended for taste, become storytelling tools capable of transforming each bite into a moment of shared luxury.
Gourmet initiatives from fashion brands for Christmas
Between convivial moments and moments of celebration, the taste becomes the protagonist. Panettone, nougats and chocolates become small ambassadors of the style and history of the brands, capable of elevating the table to a true scene of luxury, creativity and celebration. Family stories mingle with the refined flavors of these end-of-meal dishes which conclude sacred moments. And every detail, from the packaging to the shopping experience, contributes to building an ambitious and overarching narrative, in which even a perfectly tied bow or the leaven of a panettone becomes part of the story. From classics to the most innovative, panettoni remain the undisputed protagonists of the holidays. Etro, for example, creates a panettone in collaboration with the starred restaurant Aimo e Nadia: a limited edition with double-rising saffron and chocolate flavor, kept in a satin metal box, decorated with the Paisley floral print from the Etro Holiday 2025 collection, and intended to become a functional and decorative object once the dessert is finished. Moschino is no different, wrapping its panettone – enriched with golden raisins, candied Italian orange and Tahitian vanilla, made with Martesana – in gold foil. Two Milanese excellences, united by the values of Italianness, creativity and attention to detail, with a Gold chocolate glaze that gives a jeweled, precious and luminous effect.
Christmas? Make way for luxurious fashion panettoni
Armani by Guido Gobino offers a panettone covered in 63% dark chocolate. The square tin box, with a leather-effect texture and steel-colored details in the corners, is reminiscent of trunks used as suitcases. To complete the packaging, a silver ribbon with platinum stitching and a contrasting printed logo. You can’t miss the traditional panettone from the famous Gucci Osteria by Massimo Bottura, placed in a refined tin box decorated with the unique Herbarium motif. Collaboration with big names in Italian cuisine it now seems a sine qua non condition for leaving your mark. Similarly, Iginio Massari, for The Bridge, packs a sublime panettone in a journaled and numbered Tuscan leather box: there are only four hundred pieces available. The one who went beyond panettone is Dolce&Gabbana, who directly thought of a holiday market in the heart of New York. The iconic Sicilian cart comes to life among the sumptuously decorated trees and panettone made in collaboration with Fiasconaro. In this vast range, any gift you choose to offer or treat yourself – whether for the table or for everyday life – becomes a small gesture of luxury and attention, because Christmas remains a time when desire and wonder merge, celebrating the pleasure of giving and sharing.
Marta Melini
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Eurostar passengers are bracing for further possible delays and cancellations after the rail network was forced to cancel a large part of its London-Europe service on Tuesday.
Rail services to and from continental Europe – on both Eurostar and The Shuttle – were suspended for much of the day after a power outage due to a technical problem and a Shuttle breakdown blocking all routes.
This disruption disrupted New Year’s plans for thousands of passengers LondonParis, Brussels and Amsterdam during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
Repairs are underway to try to resolve the problem.
Eurostar said it was gradually resuming some of its services around 3 p.m. Tuesday, but passengers were asked to stay away.
From the early hours of Friday, the first Eurostar trains to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam around 6 a.m. appeared as canceled, while Le Shuttle recorded delays of at least an hour compared to the reserved departure times.
Eurostar told passengers: “As problems with the overhead power supply in the Channel Tunnel remain, only one line is available to operate trains.
“This means there will still be delays and longer journey times than usual this evening.
“Therefore, we continue to advise our customers to rebook their trip for another day if possible, with free exchanges available.
“We also advise customers not to travel to our stations if their trains have already been cancelled.”
He added: “While this is beyond our control, we apologize for today’s disruption and will continue to keep customers informed of the latest information and help them reschedule their reservations.”
Getlink, which operates the tunnel infrastructure, said repairs to the power supply were underway and traffic services were slowly being restored in both directions.
“Our teams are working to restore the situation as quickly as possible. Waiting times will be adjusted throughout the day,” adds the company.
“Eurotunnel apologizes for the inconvenience caused and thanks its customers for their patience and understanding.”
The Channel Tunnel accommodates Eurostar services as well as LeShuttle vehicle trains between the United Kingdom and France.
Learn more: Passenger rights after Channel Tunnel disruption Families devastated by ruined New Year’s trips
Among those affected was cancer patient Ethlyn Buckmire, who spent £3,500 on her son’s dream trip to Disneyland’s 10th anniversary, only for their train to be turned away at the Channel Tunnel.
Ms Buckmire told Sky News she didn’t buy travel insurance because her cancer diagnosis made the premiums too expensive.
“We’re going to try to go home and salvage the rest of the holiday season and try to celebrate his birthday in another way,” she said, “but to be honest, I don’t have the energy, I really don’t. We were looking forward to this trip so much.”
Another family, from Nigeria, risk of being “stranded” in London without a hotel after their ParisThe destination train was also turned back.
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The range of 20 products is designed to help meet daily nutritional needs
The range will be available in M&S Food Halls from January 5(Image: Bloomberg, Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Marks & Spencer is set to launch a new range of meals and snacks, specially designed to help people taking weight loss medication maintain a healthy diet.
The mass retailer announced its Nutrient Dense range, comprised of 20 products carefully formulated to help customers meet their recommended daily intake of fiber, vitamins and minerals. M&S suggests these meals are perfect for those with a reduced appetite or for people taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs.
The range will include an H5O shot, named after its five botanical ingredients, which were chosen and validated by scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The range also includes coconut water, cold-pressed ginger juice, fruit and vegetable fiber, sea moss, as well as salads, meals and breads like Super Seed Oat Bread.
The move follows a significant increase in the number of people using GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Data provided to the Telegraph by life sciences analytics firm IQVIA revealed that 2.49 million packs of Mounjaro and Wegovy were purchased in July, a substantial increase from 493,000 the previous year.
Sales are said to have increased by a further million between July and August, amid widespread reports of stockpiling in anticipation of a price rise in September. It is estimated that around 90 percent of people using weight loss injections purchase them online or at major pharmacies.
The NHS has started rolling out Mounjaro, but there are strict criteria determining patient eligibility. Over the next three years, the health department plans to administer the shots to about 240,000 people.
Nutrient-dense foods are those that offer a higher concentration of vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats, and protein relative to their calorie content. M&S referenced recent results from the government’s 2025 National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which revealed that 96% of the UK population does not meet the daily fiber recommendation.
Annette Peters, Head of Food Trends at M&S, expressed her enthusiasm for the new range: “The Nutrient Dense range is very exciting and is also incredibly useful for anyone trying to achieve their nutritional goals. It’s also great if clients are reducing their food intake, such as those taking weight loss medications.
She added: “We know that the use of GLP-1 medicines is growing, so it is more important than ever to ensure that even if people are eating smaller portions, we are helping to provide them with the right level of nutrients.”
Annette continued: “We challenged ourselves to make products that are more nutrient dense than calorie dense, so that every bite is packed with more of the good stuff we all need.”
The Nutrient Dense range will be available in M&S Foodhalls from 5 January.
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President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands at the start of a joint news conference following a meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever” to a peace deal, President Donald Trump said Sunday as he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort.
He acknowledged, however, that the negotiations are complex and could still fail, leaving the war to drag on for years.
The president’s statements came after the leaders met for talks following what Trump called an “excellent” 2 1/2 hours of telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine sparked the war nearly four years ago.
Trump said he believed Putin still wanted peace, even as Russia launched a new round of attacks on Ukraine while Zelensky flew to the United States for the latest round of negotiations.
“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said at a late afternoon news conference as he stood alongside Zelensky after their meeting. He repeatedly praised his counterpart as “courageous”.
Both Trump and Zelensky acknowledged that thorny questions remain, including whether Russia can retain the Ukrainian territory it controls, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure it is not invaded again in the future. After their discussion, they convened a large group of European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and the leaders of Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland.
Zelensky said Trump had agreed to host European leaders again, possibly at the White House, sometime in January. Trump said the meeting could take place in Washington or “somewhere.”
Zelensky thanked Trump for his work. “Ukraine is ready for peace,” he said.
Trump and Putin will talk again
Trump said he would follow the meeting with another call to Putin. Earlier on Sunday, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuriy Ushakov, said the Trump-Putin call was initiated by the American side and was “friendly, benevolent and pragmatic.” Ushakov said Trump and Putin agreed to speak again “quickly” after Trump’s meeting with Zelensky.
But Ushakov added that a “bold and responsible political decision is needed by kyiv” on the bitterly contested Donbass region in eastern Ukraine and other disputed issues for there to be a “complete cessation” of hostilities.
Both leaders identified the choice of the future of the Donbas region as a major sticking point.
Trump said the sides were moving closer to a deal. “It’s a very difficult issue but one that I think will be resolved,” he said.
Zelensky said: “Our attitude is very clear. That is why President Trump said that this is a very difficult issue and, of course, we have different positions on this with Russia.”
However, Trump said he still believed Putin was “very serious” about ending the war, even as Russia continued to strike targets in Ukraine while Zelensky traveled to the United States. Trump said: “I think Ukraine has also launched some very powerful attacks. »
He raised the possibility that the negotiations could still fail.
“In a few weeks we’ll know one way or the other, I think,” Trump said. “We might have something where something you don’t think about is a big thing and breaks it. Look, this was a very difficult negotiation. Very detailed.”
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky underscored the apparent progress made by Trump’s top negotiators in recent weeks, as the sides exchanged draft peace plans to end the fighting. Zelenskyy told reporters Friday that the 20-point draft proposal discussed by negotiators was “about 90 percent ready” — echoing a figure and optimism expressed by U.S. officials when Trump’s chief negotiators met with Zelenskyy in Berlin this month.
During recent negotiations, the United States agreed to offer Ukraine certain security guarantees similar to those offered to other NATO members. The proposal comes as Zelensky says he is ready to abandon his country’s candidacy for the security alliance if Ukraine benefits from NATO-like protection, intended to protect it against future Russian attacks.
“Intensive” weeks to come
Zelensky also spoke on Christmas Day with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. The Ukrainian leader said they discussed “some substantive details” and warned that “there is still work to be done on sensitive issues” and that “the coming weeks could also be intense.”
The US president has worked to end the war in Ukraine for much of his first year in office, venting anger at both Zelensky and Putin while publicly acknowledging the difficulty of ending the conflict. Gone are the days when, as a candidate in 2024, he boasted of being able to resolve fights in a day. Indeed, on Sunday, Trump spoke several times about the complexity of the negotiations.
After welcoming Zelensky to the White House in October, Trump demanded that Russia and Ukraine stop fighting and “stop at the battle line,” implying that Moscow should be able to hold on to the territory it captured from Ukraine.
Zelensky said last week he would be ready to withdraw his troops from Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end the war, if Russia also withdrew and the area became a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces.
Putin wants Russian achievements to be preserved, and more
Putin has publicly stated that he wants all areas of four key regions that have been captured by his forces, as well as the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He also insisted that Ukraine withdraw from some areas of eastern Ukraine that Moscow’s forces have not captured. Kyiv has publicly rejected all these demands.
The Kremlin also wants Ukraine to abandon its NATO candidacy. He warned that he would not accept the deployment of troops from the military alliance and that he would consider them a “legitimate target”.
Putin also said Ukraine must limit the size of its army and grant official status to the Russian language, demands he made from the start of the conflict.
Ushakov told business daily Kommersant this month that Russian police and national guards would remain in parts of Donetsk – one of the two main regions, along with Luhansk, that make up the Donbass region – even if it became a demilitarized zone under a possible peace plan.
Ushakov warned that trying to reach a compromise could take a long time. He said U.S. proposals that took Russian demands into account had been “worsened” by changes proposed by Ukraine and its European allies.
Trump appeared somewhat receptive to Putin’s demands, saying the Russian president could be persuaded to end the war if kyiv agreed to cede Ukrainian lands in the Donbas region and if Western powers offered economic incentives to bring Russia back into the global economy.
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