Christmas Countdown: Marks and Spencer

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Selection of Christmas items at Marks and Spencer

We visit Marks and Spencer every Christmas in search of their beautiful biscuit tins and other Christmas nosh. It’s not just good for food though – here’s a small selection of festive decorations & present ideas we found.

  1. Argyle throw – £28
  2. Crimbleberry Wood Eric the Robin Christmas room decoration – £12
  3. Giant Santa Christmas countdown calendar – £95
  4. Wooden nativity Christmas room decoration – £25
  5. Gold mistletoe hanging Christmas room decoration – £10
  6. Christmas pudding cushion – £36
  7. Crimbleberry Wood Ron the Reindeer tin Christmas tree decoration – £5

Christmas Countdown: Marks and Spencer

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selection of festive Christmas items available at Marks and Spencer

We’ve blogged about Marks and Spencer a few times in the past – they have some great packaging designed by the likes of Sanna Annukka and Lab Partners. Once again, M&S don’t disappoint!

1. laser cut wooden decorations | 2. log cabin pudding basin

3. ditsy heart mug | 4. Santa’s helpers teapot

5. Santa’s helpers side plate | 6. Spencer Bear advent calendar

7. gingerbread house tin | 8. Swiss biscuit selection tin

9. Joy Viennese tin | 10. winter glow scented candle

M & S Packaging

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selection of Marks and Spencer food items with special Diamond Jubilee and London Olympic 2012 packaging

M & S continues to produce some fantastic packaging. We bought a few items last week – and thought we’d share photos with you in case you haven’t seen any of it.

Marks and Spencer New York pepperoni pizza box illustrated with characters of a cop and Texan tourist wearing a stetson

We’ll start with this pizza box for the pastrami pizza – with its New York cop and stetson-wearing tourist.

detail from a Marks and Spencer New York pepperoni pizza box showing a cartoon illustration of a cop detail from a Marks and Spencer New York pepperoni pizza box showing a cartoon illustration of a Texan tourist wearing a stetson and a camera around his neck

The characters are very reminiscent of Miroslav Sasek book illustrations from the 1950s & 60s.

Marks and Spencer chocolate teacake packaging decorated with illustrations of British bobby, Union Jack flags, school children, birds and bunting

The other products we picked up have much more of a British feel – perfect for this Diamond Jubilee & London Olympic year.

detail from Marks and Spencer chocolate teacake packaging decorated with illustrations of birds and bunting

These chocolate teacakes are covered with Union Jack bunting & flags. What does that pigeon know that we don’t?

detail from Marks and Spencer chocolate teacake packaging decorated with illustrations of a British bobby, Union Jack flag and bunting

Next up we have the old red telephone box.

Marks and Spencer shortbread tin in the shape of and decorated as a red British phone box with figures including a British Bobby, city gent and punk

It’s harking back to the days when telephone box queues were a common sight – pre mobile phone days – the variety of characters each waiting their turn.

detail from a Marks and Spencer shortbread tin in the shape of and decorated as a red British phone box showing the figure of a city gent

We just love the punk rocker blowing his bubblegum.

detail from a Marks and Spencer shortbread tin in the shape of and decorated as a red British phone box showing the figure of a punk

It’s a close run thing, but our favourite item of the batch is probably the biscuit tin below. Again, the artwork is very Sasek inspired – with a bit of Bill Charmatz thrown in.

limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games decorated with illustrations of London and other British landmarks

The design a real classic with scenes of the British Isles to the sides and traditional London sights to the lid.

detail from a limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games showing an illustrations of Green Park detail from a limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games showing an illustrations of the Mall

Also, the tin will last years and can be used over & over again.

lid from a limited edition Marks and Spencer biscuit tin produced to commemorate the 2012 London Olympic Games decorated with illustrations of London landmarks

It’s fantastic when you buy a useful & beautiful storage tin – crammed full of lovely biscuits that you just have to eat first!!

Tin-tastic!

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trio of Marks & Spencer biscuit tins designed by Sanna Annukka

Marks and Spencer are selling these Christmas biscuit selections…

Marks & Spencer chocolate chunk selection biscuit tin designed by Sanna Annukka

…with gorgeous tins designed by Sanna Annuka.

Marks & Spencer Swiss biscuit collection biscuit tin designed by Sanna Annukka

Future classics with their vintage Scandinavian folk art feel.

Marks & Spencer Swiss biscuit collection biscuit tin designed by Sanna Annukka

She was responsible for this Swiss biscuit tin last Christmas – it’s currently changing hands for £15-£20… without the biscuits!

detail from a Marks & Spencer Swiss biscuit collection biscuit tin designed by Sanna Annukka showing a Swiss milk maid

We’ve bought ours early this year – they’re sure to be popular again.

detail from a Marks & Spencer chocolate chunk selection biscuit tin designed by Sanna Annukka showing alpine trees

We’ll be giving a few tins as presents – but some will have to go under our own tree!!

Marks & Spencer Scottish shortbread petticoat tails tin

They’ve also got a butter shortbread tin with a sweet little Scottie dog on the front.

detail from Marks & Spencer Scottish shortbread petticoat tails tin showing a black Scottish terrier with a red tartan collar and lead and an envelope in his mouth

We recently posted a blog featuring illustrations by Miroslav Sasek – we don’t know who designed this tin – but it also has a vintage feel is very reminiscent of his work.

detail from Marks & Spencer Scottish shortbread petticoat tails tin showing legs of two mean and a woman and small flock of pigeons

Here are the actual illustrations from the book…

illustration of a Scottish terrier from vintage book, "This is Edinburgh" by Miroslav Sasek

…published in 1961.

illustration of a Scottish terrier from vintage book, "This is Edinburgh" by Miroslav Sasek

It’s not only going to be a tin-tastic Christmas in our house – looks like it’s going to be biscuit-tastic too!