FIRST Magazine wraps up the year with a festive Christmas edition celebrating three decades as a staple of Maltese weekend reading. Issue 367, published with The Malta Independent on Sunday, includes stories shaped by style, culture and curiosity, offering readers an inviting escape for the festive season.

London's Claridge's sets the tone with Art Deco shimmer and Daniel Lee's Burberry-designed Christmas tree, while Interiors take a transatlantic turn inside the stylish homes of Tommy Hilfiger and Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger.

Travel dreams come to life aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train, as it makes its first journey from Paris to the Amalfi Coast, and fragrance enthusiasts can find fresh inspiration in A Philosophy of Scent, exploring CHANEL N°5 and Bleu de Chanel. 

Creativity takes centre stage at Austria's Admont Abbey Library where Enlightenment Ideals and Neuroaesthetics Converge, followed by a profile on Maria Elena Despott, Head of the European Commission Representation in Malta; the remarkable Goya Disasters of War exhibition at Grand Master's Palace, Valletta; and this year's Premju Għall-Arti. The edition also embraces a sense of reflection and renewal, from conversations on gender-based violence to the elegance and growth of circular fashion.

Festive pleasures also await, whether through jazz-inflected Christmas cocktails, late-night Parisian glamour at Maxim's, or a curated selection of fine wines for the holidays - look forward tor tasting notes on L'Enfant Jésus, Sassicaia, Biondi Santi Riserva, and Corton Charlemagne Bonneau du Martray. We're happy to share an issue filled with rich stories and dreamy photography, designed for unhurried Sunday reading and a dose of inspiration. Merry Christmas from all of us at FIRST, with heartfelt thanks to our advertisers for their support and to our readers.

FIRST MAGAZINE - CELEBRATING 32 YEARS WITH THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT. FOR EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT SEAN ELLUL ON [email protected]