Santa-baby apparently got my letter in the mail.

Hand-made bead-burst ring by Amelia, beautiful cocktail ring from my parents, Patricia Field Buddhist-India mythological artwork pins from my partner in crime, jeweled metallic bangles, and a small note-diary – I don’t recall being quite so well behaved this year…

Aside from material things, my holiday was made illustrious by the radiant positive energy of my family, my closest comrades and the people who make up the foundation of my sanity. It was a good holiday to cap off my quarter-century. I am beyond blessed.

Merry Christmas! The 25 Day Countdown

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Tchaikovsky Darling! My sincerest warm wishes to you, whoever you are, and many hopes for an incredible new year. While I bask in the pleasantries of family and friends in snow-blown OCNY, I invite you to look back at the 24 posts I created this December that celebrated the impending season.

A Burdel Dali Xmas

For a half-planned, last-second celebration, the Burdel Dali Christmas party last Saturday was a pretty epic success. A hot pink Christmas tree with rose-shaped lights, stockings pinned to the wall above wine and home-made cookies, ready-made eggnog, and a blizzard to play in! The discovery of the best Christmas song ever likewise contributed to the festivities.

We trekked over to Mehanata to finish up our celebration - Lennon, our resident gypsy, made a collage for the bar and presented it to Sasho at the end of the night. It will be hung up with much love in the new year. Our candy cane colored glasses did their rounds and my home-made cookies got the approval of the regulars. Overall an amazing night! Opa! ~

This is only the beginning of the madness! I’m hosting an official refugee Christmas at Ma and Pa’s this year. Cramming my buddies into my humble upstate house should be, to say the least, entertaining for all.

Krampus: The Other Santa

Ever since reading about the demon-thing that supposedly travels around the world with Santa Clause on Christmas Eve punishing the naughty little one’s and sexually harassing young women in his spare time, I have been fascinated by Krampus.

The premise has produced some of the weirdest Christmas greeting cards in the world – not to mention modern day live theatrics involving people dressed up as tall, creepy creatures. All in the name of festivity!

Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December, particularly on the evening of December 5, and roam the streets frightening children and women with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas the tradition also includes birching – corporal punishment with a birch rod – by Krampus, especially of young girls. Images of Krampus usually show him with a basket on his back used to carry away bad children and dump them into the pits of Hell.

If ever I found myself in the shoes of a young Austrian girl being warned of this thing’s arrival in the wake of my childish behavior, I would have perhaps grown up a perfect lady until I became overwhelmed with the idea of meeting Krampus and seeing his big sack’o'babies!

Strolling in the Snow

Adorable artwork by Felicitas Kuhn, c/o Laceandflora. Looks like me walking through the lower east side on Saturday night, unable to progress more than a couple blocks without encountering life-risking situations in the 10″ of wet snow and crazed wind. We had a snowball fight to stay warm.

I’m heading upstate in a couple days to celebrate the holidays with my parents and brothers (and a few members of my refugee family as well, from Mehanata). My older brother landed today from San Fransisco – can’t wait to see everyone!

From last Christmas – My Holiday in 40 Polaroids.

Holiday Office Party

Office parties are like a stage for forbidden inter-office relations, bizarre inside jokes, and secret alliances to be formed between colleagues. It’s a chance for eggnog to ease the tension between cubicle mates who’ve been passive aggressively quarreling since day one. An all-around good idea.

I don’t think our party at Refinery29 was too debaucherous (or ripe with the aforementioned battles of workplace nature, since they’re all a big fuzzy-warm family), but I’m sure many laughs were had between the witty minds that gather there. Wish I could have stayed more than a minute! The decorations were lovely and the company was top notch. Go team!

Don’t forget to check out the endless flow of great holiday posts at Refinery29 this season for gifts, outfit inspiration, and keeping up with a curated selection of stylish going’s-on…

Tchaikovsky Darling ♥’s Betty

Like the rest of the world, I’m somewhat obsessed with Le Blog de Betty – one French violet’s unending source of understated, well-executed, trend-driven looks (and what a freaking cream puff she is). These images are from Snow Queen Tiara. Check out the full post here.

A Vintage Christmas & Recent Refinery29 Articles

I’m pretty often caught between wanting some kind of lavish holiday setting to inhabit from November to January, and wanting a simple little tree propped up on old audio equipment with scattered vintage decorations. Sort of cozy, non?

Photo credit: Sam @ Flickr

Recent Contributions to Refinery29…

♦ Get A Sneak Peek At Next Season’s Coolest Campaigns!

♦ Triskaidekaphobia Jewelry Release

♦ 10 Calendars to Do Your 2010 Schedule Justice

♦ Sasha Pivovarova and the Pied Pipers of Rock in Vogue January

N.E.E.T. Magazine: Grass Roots Creativity

A preview of N.E.E.T. Magazine’s Newest issue, December 2009, featuring holiday gift guides, feathers, gems, pretty clothes on pretty girls, and all matter of reasons you should click through and check it out.

Recent Contributions to Refinery29…

ஐ Four Lookbook Darlings Model Revolve’s Winter 2010 Style Guide

ஐ Celebrate Ellen von Unwerth’s Electric Career in Her New Book, Fräulein

ஐ WTF Was That? We Rank the Craziest Fashion Moments of 2009

ஐ Will Design for Shelter: Bloomberg To Award Studio Space to Twelve Deserving Designers

From Russia, with Vague Affection

гороскоп 2010 from Vogue Russia December 2009, featuring Anastasija Kondratejeva. Shot by Matt Irwin. Big rocks, icy eyes, and holiday style to die for. Though I don’t know which relative of yours is going to smile upon necklines these…