Twinkling fairy lights, tinsel and plastic snowmen - it's all a bit too much to take. But this year, some impressive names from the design and art world have got in on the action, banishing the tinsel from sight and upping the festive ante. From Matteo Thunand Antonio Rodriguez taking over Via Montenapoleone in Milan to John Galliano's suprisingly tropical tree for London's Claridges hotel, here's what your eye should catch this Christmas.
Calvin Klein tasked Cuban American artist Anthony Goicolea to come up with the brand's Christmas window installation.
Titled 'Middle Night, a short film by Goicolea', it is inspired by early 19th century toys, snow globes, dioramas, puppets and flip books.
'Middle Night' transports passers by to a snowy winter scene. The action unfolds as the camera rotates around two tents.
The silhouetted figures and scenes within the tents change - sometimes they are dancing or hanging stockings, and sometimes even tucking into Christmas dinner.
The window installation is seen at freestanding ck Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Jeans, and Calvin Klein Underwear stores worldwide, but only select stores will feature the video installation
Red and white colours at Christmas usually conjure images of Santa outfits, but Italian furniture brand Cerruti Baleri has used them to decidedly modern effect in its Milan showroom
Their decorations coincide with the LED Festival Internazionale della Luce di Milano, which runs until 10th January
New York's Moss Gallery is paying tribute to the 30th anniversary of the Italian design revolt, Memphis, with its lego reincarnation of Ettore Sottsass' iconic Carlton room divider,
courtesy of artist Nathan Sawaya
Artist Rachel Thomas has created a giant, inflatable gold take on Mulberry's Bayswater bag for the label's Bond Street store, which can't fail to stop passers by in their tracks
Set designer and illustrator Gary Card has used Loewe's new look packaging (textured paper with a leather-like feel and stamped logo) as building blocks to create a series of playful sculptures in the label's windows, including a giraffe, dog, car and Christmas tree
Another acquatic Christmas window comes courtesy of Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) at Italian department store la Rinascente in Milan, in the form of an origami coral reef, composed of recycled cardboard 'molecules'
