Modigliani's 12 Days of Christmas

Julie Jurden
This year, we thought it would be fun to put together a 12 Days of Christmas guide that features different Modigliani pieces for all the different people on your holiday shopping list, fun decorating tips and Italian traditions and recipes to try out this holiday season! Follow along each day as we share a gift idea or something new for you try. Enjoy! Wishing you a very happy holiday this year.

 

 

DAY 1: TRIM THE TREE

According to the Italian Christmas tree traditional standards, dads put up the tree, moms set the lights, and children hang the ornaments. The topper of the Christmas tree (responsibility of the youngest in the house) may vary between a star (representing the comet that signed the location of baby Jesus to the Three Kings) and an angel (Gabriel, the Annunciation messenger). 

Decades ago when trees were first introduced in Italian homes, decorations consisted of oranges, clementines, candies, twine, candles and lanterns, and any piece of colored glass. We celebrate this tradition with our beautiful Murano glass ornaments.

 

DAY 2: TOAST THE SEASON

Two Italian sparkling wines caught our attention as we prepare to toast the season, each to be enjoyed alone or with a variety of dishes. We thought the reddish tone of these wines with our green crackle champagne flutes were the perfect pair!

The first, simply called Flor, was created at the Bastianich winery, founded in 1997, which strives to understand the history and culture of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and take it to a new level. Restaurateur Joseph Bastianich with his mother, the renowned chef Lidia Bastianich, bought a vineyard in Buttrio, a town in the Colli Orientali DOC. The family is very precise in their winemaking, controlling yields so that each individual vine produces one bottle of wine. They employ traditional manual methods in the vineyard and create wines that express the character of the land.

Rose-pink in color with aromas of strawberry, minerals and hints of vanilla. Strawberry centric with white pepper and floral hints complimented by energetic bubbles and a refreshing acidity, finishing super dry and crisp. [Even the bubbles are dry!]

Our second sparkling wine named the “Centenario” Grasparossa di Castelvetro amabile (sweet) wine of the Chiarli winery is honored by the Lambrusco di Grasparossa DOC certification. This is a typical product of the Emilia Romagna region. This wine is produced with 100% Lambrusco Grasparossa grapes of Castelvetro. It is an amiable wine with an intense red color with a wide fruity scent. The lively and effervescent foam has a charged pink color. A slightly sweeter choice!

DAY 3: CREATE A KIDS TABLE EVERYONE WILL WANT TO EAT AT

It’s finally December and the spirit of the holiday season is getting in to full swing here in the U.S. For most of us, Thanksgiving officially kicks off the festivities, and for some, it even begins as early as Halloween. But no matter when your family traditionally welcomes the season, it’s a magical and wondrous time for the little ones in our lives.

Ask anyone you know and they’ll probably be able to spout out one tradition that their family has had or continues during the holiday season. While the origins of this special time are based on religious and spiritual beliefs, many traditions celebrated are born from families creating memories in their own way and then sustained for years to come. It’s something that brings us together in familiarity and comfort.

Italians also understand this and base many of their traditions on bringing family together and creating a meaningful experience their children will remember and share for the rest of their lives. They also celebrate within their own cultural timeline.

It is not only Santa who brings Christmas gifts. Right across Italy, on January 6 - marking the end of the holiday season - there is a visit from la Befana. This translates literally as ‘the good witch’, and legend says that on this date she would fill stockings with candy for the children.

Our kid’s table is filled with fun and tradition including stickers, card games, stockings from Befana filled with candy and the book that tells the story. Bright and cheerful espresso cups and salad plates and silverware just their size! Complete with pizza, fruit kebabs and of course the traditional struffoli. Recipe found here.

No matter what you have planned this season, we hope you all are lucky enough to spend just a small bit of time seeing the holidays through the eyes of a child and creating new traditions and memories for years to come. The pure joy, laughter, and whimsy children evoke is the most simple yet poignant way we can think to embrace and celebrate the season.

DAY 4: WARM THE COCOA

Italian hot chocolate — also called Ciccolata Calda — is rich, thick, and decadent. It has an almost pudding-like consistency and big, bold chocolate flavor. And it’s nothing like that dried stuff you mix with warm water or milk. Create some of your own and let your family and friends choose their favorite toppings!

DAY 5: BAKE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Whether made for your family or as a gift, everyone will enjoy this Ciambella Italian Lemon Sponge Cake for breakfast, dessert or a special snack! Our red Rosso cake plate with any of our cake servers is the perfect combination.

DAY 6: CELEBRATE FAMILY

This merry table evokes a feeling of being in a cozy ski lodge nestled in the Italian Alps, sharing a feast after an active day in the mountains. Creating a beautiful table doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive.

What was our inspiration?

To start with, I knew I wanted to use a base of tartan plaid from the beginning but wanted to be certain it wouldn’t conflict with the dinnerware or overtake the table. My vision was to find a runner allowing us to leave some of the table exposed. I couldn’t find the right runner, however I found the perfect plaid at our local fabric store instead. Rather than laying it in a straight line down the center of the table, we draped the fabric casually and slightly askew, which gave it a more informal and relaxed tone.

Once the plaid base was in place, it became clear that the remaining elements should be clean in color and shape to support the theme and to offset the more busy design of the plaid. We started with large glass votives and plain white pillar candles to add some height and weight to balance the plaid. Hearty yet beautiful magnolia branches add a perfect hint of green, keeping it traditional yet unexpected. Finally, the addition of twinkle lights provide a festive quality to complete the table setting.

Let’s break down the winter table a bit by looking at a few distinctive elements. Let’s begin with the place card.

Many of our items can serve multiple purposes, so get creative and try a few things out. For example, our Rosso espresso cups have found another use besides serving up a caffeine jolt. Try trimming some juniper greens and placing them in the cup with cinnamon sticks. Or you can use other greenery that’s just as elegant and fragrant. It’s a simple project that looks quite festive on any table. By turning the place card “on its side,” you can add a fun twist that takes the table from everyday to special occasion in a matter of minutes.

Next, let’s look at layers and color.

The plates stacked below are a mix and match of the Montagne Invernali collection combined with pieces from Rosso and the rich green of the Frutta Laccata charger. Combining and layering collections with different shapes, sizes, and colors is a simple way to add interest and depth to the table.

Using simple layering techniques with seasonal fresh elements and festive tableware make this an easy option for your winter dinner party!

  

DAY 7: GIFT THOSE WHO GIFT YOU ALL YEAR

On Day 7 let's check out 7 gift options for teachers, friends, neighbors, family and anyone special in your life that you want to gift this season!

Hopefully these suggestions have sparked your creativity with endless combinations and possibilities!

DAY 8: HOST A COOKIE EXCHANGE

So special to share recipes and celebrate together during the holidays. Pizzelle are wonderful cookies that taste good and look beautiful! Our have just a dusting of powdered sugar but they are delicious with Nutella, melted chocolate or jams. Everyone will love to take some of these home!

DAY 9: ENTERTAIN FRIENDS

Whimsical fun and easy to put together, nothing says Christmas like POP! Our POP collection is wonderful year round but we have added some Christmas to the mix and pulled out every color in it for a cheerful holiday table. A greenery mix for texture down the center with simple white carnations and a bowl of ornaments mix with colorful Via Veneto flatware and Tivoli glasses to make a truly celebratory table.

DAY 10: LIGHT THE WAY

Light our Christmas candle! Pure freshly cut Christmas tree. The strong scent of Fir balanced with a touch of sweet nectar. This wonderful scent fills the Murano glass votive which will have a beautiful glow as it burns. The glass vessel can be cleaned and reused.

DAY 11: SHARE A DISH

There is a wonderful tradition that says that once you have eaten what was offered to you in the container, you should never return back an empty container as a mark of courtesy. Often, people bring in food to others who are ill or in crisis or simply because they want to share the good food with them. While they would never want to bother you cooking or buying something in order to return the dish, but if you manage some time off and fill it with some special treats from your end, it would only make them happy, don't you think? Not just that, it would also continue the trail of unspoken love and care which was initiated from their side. There is no need for you to go out of your way to get/cook the most exotic dish to be given in return. Some biscotti with a little thank-you note works just as sweet.

DAY 12: GIVE AND GIVE BACK

Our angel plates offer the opportunity to gift a beautiful plate while also giving your support to a wonderful cause.

The Angel Plate (Piastra Angelo) is commissioned to honor those afflicted with Rett Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder afflicting young girls. They are known as Rett angels, and here we honor them as such. This is a one-of-a-kind gift, limited in number and signed by the artist. All of the profits go to Rett Syndrome research. Visit www.rettsyndrome.org for more information on ways to support the cause and thank you for your support.

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The Stories Behind Our Flatware Collections

Julie Jurden

Looking to accent your table? 

Flatware can add a bold pop of color or compliment a neutral place setting. All Modigliani flatware collections pull inspiration directly from places all around Italy. From traditional elegance to bright and bold, Modigliani stainless flatware features styles everyone will love. Get inspired!

Learn the stories and the rich history behind each of our collections!

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Milestones

Julie Jurden
At Modigliani, we have begun a new collection called Milestones to bring meaningful traditions to our customers that they can share with family and friends. Our first milestone celebrates the new home.

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A Season for Giving. Rett Syndrome and the Angel Plate

Julie Jurden

As October arrives, most of us begin thinking about the fast approaching holidays. It’s the time of year when we look forward to sharing our precious time with family and friends, and enjoying the traditions and festivities of the season.

Additionally, it’s a time of year where many of us want to extend our generosity beyond traditional gifts through the giving of our time and money to those causes that have special meaning to us, for whatever reasons.

For us, October carries a great importance because it’s Rett syndrome awareness month.

What’s the significance to us? Because, it was just 18 years ago when our family first met a wonderful young lady named Bea. Ever since that introduction, she’s been a blessing in our lives along with her parents, grandparents, and sister.

If you’re not familiar with Rett syndrome, it’s a rare non-inherited genetic postnatal neurological disorder that occurs almost exclusively in girls and begins to show its effects in infancy or early childhood. It can often be misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy, because it causes problems in brain function that are responsible for cognitive, sensory, emotional, motor, and autonomic function. These can then impact learning, speech, sensory sensations, mood, movement, breathing, cardiac function, and even chewing, swallowing, and digestion.

As one can imagine, Rett syndrome can present numerous challenges to those living with the disease, as well as those caring for them. But with therapy, assistance, and endless amounts of unconditional love, every single one of them can benefit greatly by participating in typical life activities like school, social, educational, and recreational programs. Even our Bea was able to attend her first prom like any other young girl her age.

Years ago we made the decision to do something to not only help raise awareness about Rett syndrome, but to raise funds for the incredible research underway.

Hence the Angel Plate was born.

In 2014, we started by producing one each year with the idea to create a set of four that could be displayed together on a wall or shelf, or used during special occasions. We explained the significance to our artists and partners in Italy, and they have been honored to design and produce Piastra Angelo with great care. 

2017 marked the final year for the Angel Plate Collection. These plates are a one-of-a-kind gift, limited in number and signed by the artist. 100% of the profits go to Rett syndrome research. You can order a single plate or collect all four as we still have a few from the previous years available. In addition we will continue each year to give 10% of all of our sales  for a week in October to benefit Rett Syndrome research for years to come.

While we know our contribution is a very small one, we like to think that we’ve been a part of helping further research, and ultimately finding a cure for Rett syndrome.

The amazing news is that researchers have been making wonderful strides over the past several years. Their research strategy has yielded unprecedented results.

If you’d like to learn more, visit www.rettsyndrome.org for ways you can support this important cause.

We are incredibly grateful to all of you for your continued support. Thank you on behalf of all of us, and most importantly, our lovely Bea and her family.

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Fall Entertaining Series | Cocktail Hour

Julie Jurden

For the fourth and final entry to our fall lifestyle series, let’s end with the cocktail hour.

Having guests over on a crisp fall evening can be the perfect festive occasion. And you don’t always have to entertain by preparing a large meal. Sometimes inviting friends for a cocktail is the best way to do some stress-free entertaining during a busy holiday season.

To set the scene, a bouquet of colorful fall tulips in our Zucca pitcher and a decanter from our Selezione collection full of our famous Rosemarino cocktail are just the ambience needed for a pre-dinner happy hour. Pair them with a cheese or charcuterie appetizer served on our Legna olive wood servers, turn on some music, and you have the ideal atmosphere for entertaining your holiday guests.

cocktail on countertop with ceramic pitcher full of flowers

 Rosemarino Cocktail

  • Make rosemary simple syrup by combining 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, and some sprigs of rosemary in a saucepan and place on a low simmer until well combined.
  • Place 2 ounces of bourbon, 2 dashes of orange bitters, and 2 teaspoons of simple syrup in a shaker and blend well.
  • Pour the mixture into your Selezione decanter and serve over ice with a sprig of rosemary for decoration.

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Fall Entertaining Series and that you’ve been inspired to try some of these ideas yourself. Remember, keep it simple, mix and match, and let the natural beauty of the dinnerware and delicious food be the perfect backdrop for what really matters most; precious time with family and friends.

 

 

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Fall Entertaining Series | Appetizing Serving Displays

Julie Jurden

As we continue our series, let’s turn to our attention to creating an elegant serving display.

First, we are very excited about the inclusion of our new olive wood collection called Legna. These rich and elegant pieces are durable, come in a variety of sizes, and bring more of that natural element to any table.

All of our products function quite well for prepping, but they’re also attractive enough to go straight to the table for serving appetizers or incorporating into a buffet. And the Legna collection is no exception – they are perfect for serving your guests. Below, we’ve layered them with crisp linens on our natural wood table to serve parmagiano reggiano and mozzarella cheeses, hand picked apples, and pane carasau – thin, crispy, twice baked crackers. The addition of the rosemary sprig provides just enough texture and a whimsical accent of greenery. Again, you have a neutral backdrop that’s warm and elegant contrasting with the color and texture of your food resulting in a beautiful and inviting display.

wooden cheese board with a variety of cheeses

Our ceramic centerpieces also work well for many purposes, including as a serving bowl for salads as we’ve used ours below. You can also use them as a place to put a hardy mum surrounded by gourds or greenery, to hold your favorite seasonal fruits, or you can partner them with the olive wood boards to serve breads and crackers. The possibilities are endless. The beauty of the piece with its swooping handles, unique shape, and artisan hand painting requires only simple solutions for its contents.

 

To round out your serving needs, the dual-section of our antipasto dish is used here for additions to the salad, but we’ve also used ours for olives and pits, nuts, candies, and condiments. Its versatility makes for a wonderful gift that will be used again and again.

salad set with ceramic bowl, olives, wooden cutting board and olive oil

Bringing these pieces together and layering them with beautiful linens and textures from nature places the attention on the food while still providing a festive backdrop for your holiday entertaining.

Our next in the series - Cocktail Hour

 

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Fall Entertaining Series | Place Settings

Julie Jurden

In the second entry of our lifestyle series, we worked with a few ideas on place settings. We took the idea of incorporating nature and textures and mixed it with flatware adding some fun to the place card concept.

We loved the idea of weaving herbs and floral into the tablescape as a whole. As you can see from the first photo, we took a single sprig of rosemary and the simple yet beautiful Michelangelo flatware and tied them together with a rich velvet ribbon, setting them on top of a crisp, off-white linen napkin.

It’s easy and elegant and also provides your dinner guests with a wonderful scent of rosemary.

Place setting on wooden table with green ribbon

 As shown above and for the purposes of our photo shoot, we chose to keep the beauty of the wood table as the base instead of displaying a Biancheria ivory placemat in full. But as you build your own tablescape, the placemat provides an elegant backdrop to your favorite dinner pieces.

As you build out the rest of your place setting, use natural elements mixed with different pieces to layer your table. As you can see below, the table setting we chose includes a dahlia and some eucalyptus in a small glass votive. We then used the napkins from our Biancheria Green collection and layered them in a gentle roll mimicking the curved stems on our Villa d’Este amber glassware.

leaf plate with pumpkin and amber colored glassware

Again, the focus is on elegant yet simple beauty through the mixing and layering of natural textures and patterns.

Next - Appetizer Serving Displays

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Those Angels Among Us | Rett Angels

Julie Jurden

As October arrives, most of us begin thinking about the fast approaching holidays. It’s the time of year when we look forward to sharing our precious time with family and friends, and enjoying the traditions and festivities of the season.

Additionally, it’s a time of year where many of us want to extend our generosity beyond traditional gifts through the giving of our time and money to those causes that have special meaning to us, for whatever reasons.

For us, October carries a great importance because it’s Rett syndrome awareness month.

What’s the significance to us? Because, it was just 18 years ago when our family first met a wonderful young lady named Bea. Ever since that introduction, she’s been a blessing in our lives along with her parents, grandparents, and sister.

If you’re not familiar with Rett syndrome, it’s a rare non-inherited genetic postnatal neurological disorder that occurs almost exclusively in girls and begins to show its effects in infancy or early childhood. It can often be misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy, because it causes problems in brain function that are responsible for cognitive, sensory, emotional, motor, and autonomic function. These can then impact learning, speech, sensory sensations, mood, movement, breathing, cardiac function, and even chewing, swallowing, and digestion.

As one can imagine, Rett syndrome can present numerous challenges to those living with the disease, as well as those caring for them. But with therapy, assistance, and endless amounts of unconditional love, every single one of them can benefit greatly by participating in typical life activities like school, social, educational, and recreational programs. Even our Bea was able to attend her first prom like any other young girl her age.

Years ago we made the decision to do something to not only help raise awareness about Rett syndrome, but to raise funds for the incredible research underway.

Hence the Angel Plate was born.

In 2014, we started by producing one each year with the idea to create a set of four that could be displayed together on a wall or shelf, or used during special occasions. We explained the significance to our artists and partners in Italy, and they have been honored to design and produce Piastra Angelo with great care. 

2017 marks the final year for the Angel Plate Collection. These plates are a one-of-a-kind gift, limited in number and signed by the artist. 100% of the profits go to Rett syndrome research. You can order the new 2017 plate, or you can collect all four as we still have a few from the previous years available. 

While we know our contribution is a very small one, we like to think that we’ve been a part of helping further research, and ultimately finding a cure for Rett syndrome.

The amazing news is that researchers have been making wonderful strides over the past several years. Their research strategy has yielded unprecedented results, including that researchers now know what causes Rett and have proven it’s reversible. For the first time, they potentially have a treatment, Trofinetide, which could profoundly impact the disorder. Trofinetide increases the amount of connections in the brain that control thought and movement. Trials have shown improvements after less than two months, and because of the way it works, they could expect to see continued improvements over a longer period of time. Trofinetide potentially offers measurable change to every person living with Rett syndrome.

It’s for research such as this that we continue to bring attention to Rett and look for ways to raise funds for more critical research of this nature.

If you’d like to learn more, visit www.rettsyndrome.org for ways you can support this important cause.

We are incredibly grateful to all of you for your continued support. Thank you on behalf of all of us, and most importantly, our lovely Bea and her family.

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Ring in the New Year with Italian Flair

Julie Jurden

It's almost time to celebrate! New Year's Eve is right around the corner, so now is the time to plan the festivities. For those looking who love Italian culture, or anyone wanting to add some new traditions, look no further.  

POP Gold

Party in Style

 

If you're having friends and family over for your New Year's Eve party, set a gorgeous table. Our POP Gold Collection offers cheerful gold tones reminiscent of a bubbly glass of champagne. Pair items from this collection with our Vetro Oro Small Glass Plate and our Villa d'Este Amber Champagne Flute for a perfect table setting. 

Enjoy a Game

Gather your guests for a game of Tombola! Similar to bingo this game was created in Naples in the 1700s as an alternative to gambling. King Charles banned gambling during the Christmas period only. Neopolitans found a way to get around the new law by playing Tombola during the holidays.

Eat for Prosperity

Lentils, sausage, and grapes anyone? Lentils are a food symbolizing wealth. Combine them with sausage which is thought to bring good fortune and you are starting the year off right! Finish your meal with grapes as they insure you'll be frugal with your new found wealth. 

However you are ringing in the new year, enjoy your time with friends and family. From all of us at Modigliani, we wish you are yours a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year. 

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Showing Gratitude

Julie Jurden
"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." William Arthur Ward

While we often mention that the holiday season is our favorite time of the year, we love to carry the sentiment in our hearts all year round. That means, for us, showing our gratitude each and everyday. So as you sit with your family and friends gathered around the table this Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Hanukkah, we encourage you to carry that feeling in your hearts the whole year. Approach each day with a sense of gratitude and express to others how much they mean to you. We have compiled a list of a few wonderful ways to express thanks and are excited to share them with you. We also invite you to leave a comment here, on Facebook or Twitter letting us know how you carry gratitude with you throughout the year.

  • Pack a note in the lunch of your child or spouse
  • Offer a genuine compliment to a co-worker
  • Put a sticky note somewhere random that will make a stranger smile
  • Mail a handwritten thank you note to someone who inspires you
  • Smile at everyone you see
  • Pay for the coffee of the person in line behind you
  • Give a larger tip than usual with a service industry worker and include a note of thanks for what they do
  • Volunteer your time
  • Acknowledge someone publicly for their contributions
  • Send flowers or a small gift to thank someone for their time
  • Verbally give thanks often

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