FARM LIVING, Cozy Country Christmas
This programme is from the August tradeshow. Keep an eye out as we soon announce the new Speak Up programme at Formland Spring 2025, 2. - 4. februar.
In Hall H, trend hunter Anette Eckmann and her creative team have staged an exciting event area inspired by country life and the cozy Christmas season. The concept of the event area celebrates the good old days when anticipation and engagement in preparations were even more important than the size of the gifts beneath the Christmas tree. This area embraces joyful Christmas traditions from the Advent wreath to the traditional Christmas lunch.
We are spicing up the seasonal vibe with 11 creative and cozy Christmas workshops infused with exciting topics. Every day, we set the table for unique Christmas lunches. All workshops and Christmas lunches are free to attend but all have a maximum capacity of 12. You need to book your seat via the links in the programme-section below. The seats are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Underlying Idea of the Concept
The new romantics are eager to escape city life and settle for a meaningful existence in the countryside, offering a relaxed, social, and comfortable community. They seek a life close to nature, enjoying every season and maintaining festive traditions. In these uncertain times, seasonal festivities and well-known traditions become important anchors – something familiar and recurring to look forward to without worry. Nature and the old-fashioned country life foster inspiration as never before, putting these elements at the top of the wish list for every home-seeking individual. The driving force is a strong desire to get close to nature and ourselves. The main objectives are to live a simple, secure, and uncomplicated life, to allow oneself to slow down, and to prioritize the wellbeing of the family.
The goal is to enhance the quality of life, be self-sufficient, and cultivate old virtues and traditions, just like in the past when we produced everything we needed ourselves. It is no longer about the appearance of our homes but how we want to live.
Living in the countryside is a state of mind, not a postal code.
Christmas in the Countryside
Luckily, Christmas returns on the 24th of December – that is a fact. Wouldn’t it be nice to celebrate Christmas just like in the good old days, in rural surroundings? Spending time with your family and enjoying traditions. Finding time to appreciate that the festive Christmas season brings wonderful traditions that unite us and bring us closer together. Visiting Christmas markets, baking Christmas cakes, buying presents, decorating our homes, and gathering over a cozy Christmas dinner bring memories to life that fill our hearts with gratitude and joy.
"Human creativity, opinions, and feelings turn into luxury products. We seek a greater connection and meaningful content in our lives rather than casual trends."
Trendhunter Anette Eckmann
Christmas Workshop Programme
Attendance is free of charge when you have an entrace ticket to Formland. However, prebooking is necessary due to a limited number of participants.
* For booking, please send an e-mail with your name and ticket number via the respective link for each workshop. Your booking not confirmed until you receive an e-mail from Team Formland.
10:30-11:30 — Craft a decorative wreath on a plate — Peter Ødegaard, flower creator and creative consultant [Fully booked] keyboard_arrow_down
![10:30-11:30 — Craft a decorative wreath on a plate — Peter Ødegaard, flower creator and creative consultant [Fully booked]](/admin/public/getimage.ashx?Image=/Files/Images/MCH365/Formland-DK/Messe-2023/Det-sker-på-messen/Workshop-Eckmann/Formland-Eckmann-Studio-Workshops-Peter-Oedegaard.jpg&Width=1620&Height=0&Format=webp&Quality=75&Crop=0)
This is a great scoop! Floral creator Peter Ødegaard will be visiting Formland to conduct a workshop on crafting a Christmas wreath using natural materials. Following both traditional and modern sustainable principles, the wreath should be placed on a platter with a little water. Peter's so-called "wreath platter" will stand out for its aesthetic and decorative effect as well as its long-lasting quality.
During the workshop, Peter will serve rosehip tea and ginger cookies.
All necessary materials for wreath-making will be provided. Of course, you will take your personal wreath home with you.
"I consider wreaths to be very significant; they represent the perfect form without beginning or end. The round shape, the circle, is a kind of divine symbol of eternity."
Peter Ødegaard is a true aesthete, and during his workshop, you will learn to craft a Christmas wreath designed to lie on a platter.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
12.30 - 13.30 — ‘Menu de Nöel’ Christmas lunch — hosted by Mette Welløv Chatenet, Maison Mette keyboard_arrow_down
Mette Welløv Chatenet welcomes you to the FARM LIVING kitchen, located in the cozy country Christmas area in Hall H, where she has set a beautiful table. Mette cooks with gear and gadgets from the leading producers of French kitchenware, at the highest gastronomic level, which she distributes in Denmark. The delicate Christmas menu includes Portuguese canned fish and exotic spices from the fantastic Swedish chef Anna Skipper, who resides in Napa Valley, USA.
To spice things up a bit, Mette also offers the finest luxury canned fish in the most beautiful, fun, and colorful packaging from Portuguese Cantara.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
CV
In 1988, Mette Welløv Chatenet moved to Switzerland to study at the University of Lausanne. After 15 years in Switzerland, running her own design store, Mette took a position at Trip Trap in Denmark, where she worked until 2012, when she started her own agency. Among other brands, she represents the remarkable French family business De Buyer, established in 1830 in Les Vosges. The company is the leading producer of French kitchenware for both private and professional use at the highest gastronomic level. In addition to De Buyer, Mette also works with Opinel’s handmade luxury knives. Opinel is also an old family business, founded in 1890 in Chambéry, specializing in knives for outdoor use, children, the kitchen, and for a beautifully set table. Pebbly is a new brand in the lineup, part of De Buyer, offering sustainable products for storage and use in the kitchen.
“In 2017, I met the amazing Swedish chef Anna Skipper, who resides in Napa Valley. She took me on an incredibly exciting spice adventure around the world. I now sell the wonderful metal tins from EPiC SPiCE, filled with marvelous spice blends that transport 'the taste of markets and bazaars' from all the world’s kitchens directly to your home – naturally without additives.”
14.30 - 15.30 — Braid a Welsh Border Christmas ornament of straw — Grethe Holst Smith, interior architect, The Apron Hellerup [Fully booked] keyboard_arrow_down
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The Corn Dollies workshop begins with sorting the pre-soaked straw. Next, you will learn to weave a Welsh Border Christmas ornament. Attending this workshop will provide you with skills to continue working on your own. This beautiful and natural piece of art can be hung on the Christmas tree or used to decorate around the home. It also makes a lovely gift for someone who appreciates handmade items.
Corn dollies are a classic English handicraft tradition. It is a form of straw art made from the stalks and ears of various grains.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
CV: Grethe Holst is an interior architect with her own company, Dovetail Interiors, and she also owns the interior shop "The Apron" on Strandvejen in Hellerup. Here, European craftsmanship and the slow living lifestyle are the focal points. The Apron offers a curated selection of "all things bright and beautiful" for the kitchen and table.
"I love to cook, so it is only natural for me to sell all the great gear and gadgets for the kitchen, sustainable woven and chip baskets, linen tablecloths and napkins, and all the beautiful tableware and cutlery needed to set a lovely table."
16.00 - 17.00 — Create a special wreath of surplus fabric, the new Advent wreath of the year — Anette Eckmann, stylist and trend hunter, Eckmann Studio [Fully booked] keyboard_arrow_down
![16.00 - 17.00 — Create a special wreath of surplus fabric, the new Advent wreath of the year — Anette Eckmann, stylist and trend hunter, Eckmann Studio [Fully booked]](/admin/public/getimage.ashx?Image=/Files/Images/MCH365/Formland-DK/Messe-2023/Det-sker-på-messen/Workshop-Eckmann/Formland-Eckmann-Studio-Workshops-Anette-Eckmann.jpg&Width=1620&Height=0&Format=webp&Quality=75&Crop=0)
Treat your taste buds while trying out your creative skills.
Anette will be serving cherry wine and “klejner” (deep-fried angel wing cookies), cooked using her mother's recipe. And of course, you will craft a unique Advent wreath to take home with you.
We will play with assembling different patterns and prints in all kinds of colour combinations. You can use various types of fabrics, such as cotton, silk, linen – whatever scraps you have that can be repurposed into a fabric rag wreath. Please bring fabric scraps approximately 50x50 cm. The small leftover pieces will be collected on a "memory" card stating the origin of the fabric rags.
The finished fabric rag wreath can be used as a wall or window hanging, and it can also serve as this year’s Advent wreath, fitted with four candle holders and candles.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
ABOUT THE FABRIC RAG WREATH
The fabric rag wreath dates back to the mid-1800s when it was used by milkmaids to carry the heavy milk pail on their heads. This allowed them to knit while walking. It could also serve as a cushion while the maid leaned against the cow when milking. The wreath is made from old cloths, wrapped around a ring. Fabric rag wreaths became popular again in the 1970s and 1980s when they were used as decorations, for example, on doors. It can be used as a pincushion or something entirely different.
REMEMBER: Please bring your own fabric scraps to the workshop. These can be from an old shirt, a dish towel with a hole, a beautifully worn duvet cover. When making a fabric rag wreath, it makes sense to use various fabric scraps that would otherwise go to waste. There will also be additional fabric scraps, sewing materials, candle holders, and candles available.
10.30 - 11.30 — DIY Christmas ornaments — Cecilie Elisabeth Rudolph, textile designer [Fully booked] keyboard_arrow_down
![10.30 - 11.30 — DIY Christmas ornaments — Cecilie Elisabeth Rudolph, textile designer [Fully booked]](/admin/public/getimage.ashx?Image=/Files/Images/MCH365/Formland-DK/Messe-2023/Det-sker-på-messen/Workshop-Eckmann/Formland-Eckmann-Studio-Workshops-Cecilie-Rudolph.jpg&Width=1620&Height=0&Format=webp&Quality=75&Crop=0)
Join Cecilie Rudolph in her Christmas workshop and enjoy the creative magic of crafting unique holiday decorations. Discover the many beautiful Christmas items designed by Cecilie, and you are guaranteed to get into a festive spirit. Perhaps you have visited Cecilie’s iconic Christmas market in Frederiksberg, which she will be hosting again this year. If you have not yet seen her interpretation of Christmas decorations, hurry up and sign up for the workshop. You never know what Cecilie has in store – it will be magical.
During the workshop, Cecilie will be serving apple mulled wine and “fedtebrød” (Danish coconut shortbread) with rum glaze.
Cecilie Elisabeth Rudolph is a true Christmas enthusiast – everything about her points in that direction: her last name, Rudolph, and her upbringing on a Christmas tree farm.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
CV: Cecilie Elisabeth Rudolph is a textile and print designer, educated at Central Saint Martins in London. She is the founder of her own multidisciplinary design studio, C.E.R. STUDIO. From there, Cecilie creates unique artworks, innovative textile and material experiments, prints for the interior and fashion industries, and commissioned design projects for both private clients and companies. She has a long portfolio of collaborations and design projects, including work with Royal Copenhagen, Georg Jensen Damask, Paustian, Rudolph Care, ELLE, and more.
12.30 - 13.30 — Spanish Mesa Christmas lunch — hosted by Mette and Peter Christensen, Casa Jada keyboard_arrow_down
“Let coziness be the future’s memory” is the theme when Casa Jada welcomes you to a Spanish-inspired Mesa Christmas lunch. You will join Mette and Peter, the married couple who have owned Casa Jada since 2020. The couple loves Spain, its warmth, vibrant colours, culture, and sense of coziness. They will share their story and talk about their Spanish ceramics while you enjoy a cozy and festive meal.
You will receive a small Christmas gift from Casa Jada to take home.
The company name CASA = HOME and JADA = Jacob and Daniel, our sons, hence Jacob and Daniel’s home. The heart in our logo symbolizes our love, presence, and life.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
CV: Co-owner and sales manager Mette Christensen and her husband, director Peter Christensen, started Casa Jada together in 2020. Mette is the face of the company, handling sales, marketing, development, design, and maintaining contact with Spain. Mette works full-time at Casa Jada, while Peter still holds a 37-hour job alongside Casa Jada.
“Our two sons and their partners are also involved in Casa Jada, helping out in the store when the parents are at trade shows and events. They bring a youthful perspective, which is invaluable when we need to innovate or see Casa Jada from different angles. We are proud of ‘our treasures’, so please give them a warm welcome”.
“We love our trips to Spain, where we feel at home in the warm and cozy surroundings, close to the Spaniards, who have always welcomed us with warmth, kindness, and compassion.”
14.30 - 15.30 — Embroider your own vintage Christmas table cloth — Bente Halkjær, craft teacher, horticulturist, and stylist [Fully booked] keyboard_arrow_down
![14.30 - 15.30 — Embroider your own vintage Christmas table cloth — Bente Halkjær, craft teacher, horticulturist, and stylist [Fully booked]](/admin/public/getimage.ashx?Image=/Files/Images/MCH365/Formland-DK/Messe-2023/Det-sker-på-messen/Workshop-Eckmann/Formland-Eckmann-Studio-Workshops-Bente-Halkjaer.jpg&Width=1620&Height=0&Format=webp&Quality=75&Crop=0)
During the holiday season, many people put extra effort into setting the table, and the most beautiful tablecloth is brought out of the cupboard. In this workshop, you will learn to embroider on the finest Christmas tablecloths, using white vintage damask tablecloths, top sheets, or ordinary white sheets, transforming them into personalized Christmas tablecloths. You will be equipped with an embroidery needle and learn to create the finest Christmas motifs with just a few simple stitches, starting on a tablecloth that you will look forward to using year after year.
Tablecloths, needles, and threads will be available, and you will, of course, take your personal Christmas tablecloth home with you.
Bente will be serving Christmas treats in the form of “vaniljekranse” (Danish vanilla wreath cookies), baked using her grandmother's recipe, and you can enjoy them with a nice cup of coffee.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
CV: Bente Halkjær is a trained handicraft teacher and has, over the years, developed embroidery designs for magazines and journals. Later, she studied horticulture, so botanical motifs are highly popular with her. As Christmas approaches, she loves to spread the festive spirit with her embroidery, keeping traditions at the center.
16.00 - 17.00 — How to make a scented pomander — Anette Eckmann, stylist and trend hunter, Eckmann Studio keyboard_arrow_down
During the workshop, Anette will be serving a glass of her homemade orange liqueur and her delicious candied orange peels with chocolate.
The finished pomander is yours to take home in a fine box.
The scent of pomanders during the Christmas season is a French tradition that Anette Eckmann cherishes. Fresh oranges or citrus fruits, pierced with countless fragrant cloves, are dried and displayed as decorations in beautiful baskets or on unique trays.
“Making an orange pomander before Christmas has been a tradition for me since I was introduced to the method by Monsieur Lars Antiques @monsieur_lars_antiques, many, many years ago”.
An orange pomander is a spicy, fragrant orange used as a decoration and a kind of incense during the holiday season. The word "pomander" comes from the French pomme d'ambre, meaning "amber apple," a reference to the round shape of the orange.
It is a simple and relaxing project – a handicraft that brings everyone around the table together. The lovely fragrance that develops during the work creates a festive atmosphere and enchants the entire house during the holiday season. Pomanders can be hung with ribbons or decorated on trays. The finished pomanders are preserved in a spice mixture that helps keep the lovely orange pomanders for several years, so they can be decorative and spread a delightful scent of cloves and oranges year after year.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
10.30 - 11.30 — Create your own unique Christmas tea — Ole Johnsen by Sips, Artisan tea atelier keyboard_arrow_down
Ole Johnsen welcomes you to by SIPS’s world, an Artisan Tea Atelier based in Sweden. The company’s tea odyssey has always been driven by a deep respect for the art of tea-making, where each blend tells a story of heritage, craftsmanship, and passion. As a participant, you will embark on a sensory journey and delve into the intricate nuances of blending the perfect tea combinations. It is about rekindling the mystical allure of tea and creating something truly unparalleled – a touch of magic. Experience how the magic of Christmas unfolds in a delightful cup of tea and a tea-infused Christmas cake.
There will be fragrant herbs and everything you need for the workshop. And, of course, you can take home your personal Christmas tea in a beautiful container. There will be a release and tasting of this year’s newly developed Christmas tea, and you will be served quince jelly candy with the tea during the workshop.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
12.30 - 13.30 — French country style Christmas lunch — Hosted by Caroline Lie Korsgaard, Lie Gourmet and Christian Vedel Egly, Walnut Street keyboard_arrow_down
Caroline Lie Korsgaard from Lie Gourmet and Christian Vedel Egly from Walnut Street, featuring the Swedish brand Tell me More, invite you to a Christmas lunch where 12 guests will be welcomed into the world of Swedish linen, handcrafted ceramics, and French delicacies. The Christmas lunch will delight your senses with original delicacies inspired by the uncomplicated French country kitchen. Come and enjoy the company of Caroline and Christian, along with 12 other guests. The meal promises to be an experience full of warmth and coziness around the Christmas-decorated long table. Hear, taste, and enjoy a classic culinary experience filled with sensory delight. Christian will set the table, and together with Caroline, they will share the stories behind the Christmas lunch, the beautifully set table, the lovely dinnerware, and the development of the delicious delicacies brimming with love and flavor. You will take home a goodie bag.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
MENU
Apéritif/Snack
Salted potato chips with olive tapenade
Main Course
Paté de campagne with fig confit & charcuterie with honey/rosemary mustard, truffle mayonnaise, and lemon olives. Served with baguettes.
Dessert
French comté cheese with orange confit
French nougat sticks with almonds
Wines
White and red wines from Provence
14.30 - 15.30 — How to make a ’Bûche de Noël’ a French inspired Yule Log — Anette Eckmann, stylist and trend hunter, Eckmann Studio keyboard_arrow_down
Join Anette Eckmann’s Christmas workshop where you will learn to make her version of a French Bûche de Noël, the most delightful Christmas confectionery. Bûche de Noël is a classic French Christmas cake shaped like a log. Anette’s version does not require baking; instead, it is crafted by hand and decorated to perfection.
You will have access to marzipan, soft nougat, and chocolate. And, of course, you can take home your own Christmas log in a lovely box. As we work, we will enjoy a glass of vin chaud rouge – French mulled wine from Lie Gourmet – and Calissons from Aix-en-Provence, made using Marie Holm’s excellent recipe.
*Only 12 seats available. Write name and ticket ID in your booking email.
“Every year at Christmas, I make Bûche de Noël confection rolls with my grandchildren. It is an unmissable Christmas tradition, and they take great pride in presenting the log to the family on Christmas Eve after dinner. I have been fascinated by the Bûche de Noël ever since I saw one in Paris many years ago. Back in Denmark, I decided to create our traditional Christmas marzipan bar in the shape of a log and decorate it, inspired by Paris and the plants and animals of the forest.”
A Bûche de Noël (Bûche means log) is a traditional Christmas cake resembling a log, served at the end of the Christmas meal. The log holds symbolic significance historically. It was once customary to place an extra-large log in the fireplace just before Christmas, so it would burn slowly throughout the holiday. As fireplaces disappeared from French homes in the 1900s, the idea of the log as a dessert emerged.