We are delighted to have Verena Holthaus from SALON c/o joining us at this year’s Rosewood Munich X-Mas Market by IRMASWORLD. Celebrated for her love of beautiful objects, thoughtful details and timeless design, she embodies the spirit of curated, heartfelt gifting. In the following, we get to know her a little better.
When asked by IRMA about the best Christmas gift she has ever received, Verena Holthaus finds it impossible to name just one. Instead, three come to mind: a steam iron, which she insists truly changed her life and remains a beloved essential; a beautiful Biedermeier ring from her mother, crafted in gold with a blue cameo framed by green emeralds; and a moment shared with her father, when he played along with her joke. Dressed in an oversized dinosaur costume, she presented him with a “big chicken”, and together they hopped through the house like strangers — a memory as joyful as any wrapped present.
On the hunt for unusual gifts when travelling, she tells IRMA she always gravitates towards flea markets, antique stalls and small independent shops tucked away from the main streets. These are the places where true finds await.
When it comes to wrapping gifts, Verena admits her style has evolved over time. She once loved decorating parcels with silk ribbons, flowers or small Christmas baubles. In a pinch, she still happily uses newspaper, pairing it with colourful pipe cleaners for a playful touch. Her current favourite, however, is to choose the finest paper from Carta Pura, tie it with silk ribbon — without bows — and seal it with wax using the emblem from her own shop. It creates, she says, the most elegant finish.
Asked what her perfect Christmas dinner table looks like, she paints a vivid picture: plenty of candlelight, greenery gathered from outside, old porcelain, fine glassware, damask napkins inherited from her grandmother, and silver cutlery from her parents. She prefers large sharing plates, always beginning with a vibrant, cheerful salad, followed by classic dishes such as dumplings served alongside roasted venison loin.
As for hosting a spontaneous Christmas cocktail with friends, Verena laughs, noting that spontaneity is nearly impossible for most people she knows — herself included. But one tradition is guaranteed: meeting her old school friends from her hometown every year on the 23rd. That gathering, she says, is her true Christmas cocktail — old-school, traditional, deeply appreciated and always filled with love.
