12 Days Of Christmas: Chupi’s Wish List

The final, pre-Christmas build up is now upon us and we’re reaching peak excitement levels! As part of our collaboration with the lovely folk at Arnotts, where you can shop for every single loved one under one roof, over the next 12 days we’ll be catching up with some of Ireland’s most familiar names, finding out what Christmas means for them and what they’ll be wishing for. Today, award winning Irish jewellery designer Chupi Sweetman takes a moment out of her hectic schedule to kick back and talk all things Christmas with us.

What is your earliest memory of Christmas?
I had ridiculously idyllic Christmases growing up in Wicklow; our family home is in the mountains at a 1000ft above sea level which means one very important thing: snow! And lots of it. There’s a photograph of me aged two feeding our corgi Georgie handfuls of snow on Christmas morning!

Describe your perfect Christmas?
I heard a wonderful description that your family are the people you cook for, so Christmas for me means getting to hang out with the people I love most in the whole world and cook all of my favourite things!

What do you like most about Christmas – the build up or the week itself?
Oh, I love the build up! I love the excited, frantic feeling of the days before hand, dashing around trying to see everyone, catching up with friends who you never get to see, buying gorgeous things for everyone and the odd sneaky thing for myself.

What are the essentials in the Chupi household when it come to Christmas day dinner?
We always cook something different for Christmas dinner; we are definitely not a turkey house! Last year we made beef wellington and it was gorgeous, our essentials are a huge dish of Cheesy Gratin dauphinoise and a chestnut roast. Oh, an crazy amount of very good cheese and crackers for between meals snacking.

What does Christmas mean for you?
Time. Time for the people I love, time for long walks, time for cooking huge meals, time for doing nothing!

What presents are you hoping to buy this year for your nearest and dearest?
This year I’ll get my brother something tech, my mum something beautiful and my husband something nerdy.

What’s on your own wishlist?
I want silky leather gloves, some gorgeous kitchen things, a silk dressing gown and anything cashmere. Oh and a blanket, I’m basically addicted to anything cosy!

For more gifting inspiration, shop in store or visit arnotts.ie