A Foolproof Recipe for Happy Holidays

While current restrictions, like the curfew, may endow our end of year parties with a peculiar atmosphere, there's no denying that it's the time of year for rest and relaxation regardless of our individual circumstances. The season invites us to decompress, delight in our favorite activities, and relish the free time with a little farniente, or restorative laziness. Listening to music, watching feel-good films, and celebrating the year to come — Printemps.com presents our seven essential ingredients to ensure that your holidays are as deliciously enjoyable as ever.

1. Self Soothe

PTo stave off the excesses of this time of year — alcohol, fatty foods — as well as to combat the dry skin we can expect along with Christmas, taking mindful care of our skin is an especially good idea that will pay off in maximum softness and comfort. It's the perfect time to develop beauty routines and rituals that are as brightening as they are calming. To nourish the epidermis and awaken the senses, start with a face and body massage with balms from Aesop and Hermès, featuring energizing citrus and geranium notes, or else one of the hydrating creams from Augustinus Bader. To cleanse skin and help it regenerate, we'd also suggest integrating a purifying exfoliating scrub with jojoba oil to your routine, or else a few minutes relaxing with a detoxifying mask from Malin+Goetz's line of ethical products.

2. Sleep In

If it goes without saying that high-quality sleep is essential to good health, sleeping in still gets a bad rap. In a society where work is valued and inactivity looked down upon, hanging out too long under the covers can still be associated with sloth. But following a handful of studies, including one led by Stockholm's Stress Research Institute, there's simply no reason to feel guilty for resting. Indeed, sleeping late has demonstrably positive effects on our physiological and psychic balance. Besides for helping us catch up on lost sleep, it also improves our cognitive capacities, enhancing memory and learning skills. It's yet another reason to take advantage of a time of year that's made for rest and relaxation — so turn off that morning alarm and let your body decide how much sleep it needs to enter 2021 charged up.

3. Jazz Up

While public health measures limiting gatherings and outings mean that we have fewer occasions to get dressed up, the 31st remains a great excuse to jazz up our looks. After a year in which fashion was ruled by sweatpants and other loungewear essentials, taking the time to don our favorite evening-wear and eyeliner would certainly boost our self-esteem and general sense of wellbeing. While we remain fans of the coziness to which we've since become accustomed, we're also looking forward to sporting a tailored Balenciaga jacket with bold shoulder-pads, some wide-legged velvet trousers that encourage our most daring dance-floor moves, or maybe a forest-green bomber from Casablanca and quilted heels from Bottega Veneta. Unbeknownst to many, comfort and elegance can go hand in hand.

4. Tune In

Given that it's also the season for curling up on the couch with your favorite films, here are our top feel-good flicks, great just for you or the whole family.

La La Land
This hit musical brought home six Oscars following its release, and we can't say we're surprised. The film details the trials and tribulations of a young actress, played by Emma Stone and a passionate jazz pianist, Ryan Gosling. Between the latter being fired from his club job just before Christmas, and the former's constant (and fruitless) audition-going, the two fall in love after a handful of chance meetings. As the two protagonists evolve, they grow apart only to eventually reunite. A delightful ode to chance that also happens to get us humming along.

Zoolander
Years after its release, it's safe to say that Zoolander is one of the funniest films about the fashion industry. Perhaps less popular these days than The Devil Wears Prada, for example, it features an absurd form of humor that feels just right this year. The story's carried by Ben Stiller, lead actor and director of this feature-length, in which he must clinch the diabolical plans of a couturier known as Mugatu.

The Untouchables
This French film was a roaring box-office success, recounting the blossoming of a friendship between Philippe, a rich tetraplegic played by François Cluzet, and his nurse Bakari, played by Omar Sy. Animated by comical scenes that illustrate the cultural differences between the two main characters, the happy ending is made even more poignant by the fact that it's based on a true story.

Be Kind Rewind
When a video store's entire stock of VHS tapes ends up inadvertently erased by a clumsy friend, the owner shows that he'll go to the ends of the earth to accommodate his customers' demands. Thus begins the comical journey of two friends to re-shoot classics like Ghostbusters, The Lion King, and Robocop, all with the material they have on-hand. The result? Scenes so hilariously ludicrous that we almost forget the originals ourselves.

5. Spruce Up

As the home becomes a warm cocoon in the cold of the winter months, as well as a place of gathering and sharing (all with an eye to restrictions in place, of course), why not pay closer attention to our decoration choices and the ambiance around us? Especially with seasonal holidays just around the corner, our dwellings are ready for welcoming updates — not just for ourselves, but for anyone else that might be stopping by. According to English psychologist Steve McKeown, the earlier we take on holiday decoration, the more likely we are to be happy in the months ahead. Scientifically proven, the positive impact of a visually happy home isn't just limited to our morale: published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, yet another study demonstrates that holiday decorating also reflects well in the eyes of our friends and neighbors. There's no better time to pay special attention to the visuals, scents, and sounds that surround us. As for the latter, we can't help but think of the perfumed candles at Dyptique, Cire Trudon and Carrière Frères, where scents like "Sapin de Nuit" (Nocturnal Pine) and "Pin de Sibérie & Cannelle de Galle" (Siberian Fir & Cinnamon) elevate any interior.

6. Chill Out

Extracting us from our fast-paced daily routines, the end-of-year vacation gives us the chance to get a change of scenery and enjoy ourselves. Whether it's in poring over beautiful puzzles from Areaware in the form of papayas or even pop-corn, or flipping through a new release from Taschen or teNeues, also available on Printemps.com. For our part, we were blown away by Stefan Rappo's feminine nudes in his aptly entitled book Nude, plus The Adidas Archive, featuring the brand's most iconic models and campaigns, or else the classic Paris, portrait d'une ville, a photographic tribute to the city of love. 

7. Shake It Out

Because life is more beautiful when it has a soundtrack, Printemps.com is here with seven infectious (in a good way) hits for a playlist that's sure to please.

Lolo Zouaï's "Caffeine," to start the day off right.

Khalid's "Location," to get into your groove.

Todd Terje's "Inspector Norse," to brighten your mood.

Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" — A holiday must.

Fleet Foxes' "White Winter Hymnal," for dreaming of a white Christmas.

RIN's "Bros," to get the party started.

Sebastien Tellier's "Divine," for manifesting a celestially brighter 2021.