Images by Manny Palmero
Less than three months before Christmas, the spirit of the most-awaited season has arrived early through an exhibit where young designers reimagine holiday traditions.
The Philippine School of Interior Design-Ahlen Institute (PSID-Ahlen) opened its 48th graduation showcase, Designs of Christmas Exhibit (D.O.C.E.), featuring 12 installations crafted by batch 2025. The exhibit offers fresh perspectives on how the country’s most cherished holiday can be expressed in culture, chronology, color, and character.
“You are here to witness a sneak preview of D.O.C.E.—12 booths that show how Christmas can be interpreted through design. Our students rose to the challenge, creating spaces that are not only beautiful but also meaningful,” said interior designer and PSID professor Pojie Pambid.
Each gallery tells a different story. The Chronology of Christmas explores design across three eras—Victorian grandeur with steampunk flourishes, Manhattan-style Art Deco infused with bohemian warmth, and a Brutalist entertainment room where a dramatic upside-down tree hangs from the ceiling.
“We wanted to push boundaries. By inverting the Christmas tree, we show that even traditions can be turned on their head while still keeping their meaning intact,” said one of the interior designers of the Brutalist exhibit.
The Culture of Christmas highlights how different countries celebrate the season: Mexico’s solemn yet vibrant Las Posadas, Brazil’s carnival-inspired festivities, and a Filipino lanai designed around Simbang Gabi.
“We chose Mexico because it has both solemn and festive sides to Christmas. That’s why we created a chandelier shaped like a piñata; it symbolizes joy, community, and devotion all at once,” said the interior designer from Las Posadas.
In the Colors of Christmas, students challenged the conventional red-and-green palette. Booths feature unconventional schemes—lilac and icy blue in Liloura Lush, chocolate and mint in Velvet Frost, russet and orange in Spiced Ember, and crystalline tones in Noël Aurora, inspired by the Northern Lights.
Finally, the Character of Christmas explores moods and settings: a cosmopolitan bachelor pad with geometric accents and a French provincial-inspired living room where a ceiling-mounted tree glows above a rustic hearth.
Pambid, who co-advised the exhibit with Vicky Jardineel, said the showcase reflects how Filipino tastes have matured over the years.
“Gone are the days when houses were decorated with giant spoon-and-fork sets or tinikling dancers on the wall. Today, design is more curated, more personalized, and more experimental, even during Christmas,” he shared.
Since 1979, PSID’s graduation shows have tested students’ ability to conceptualize and execute full-scale spaces under tight deadlines. This year, themes were randomly assigned, pushing students to adapt creatively while keeping holiday traditions at the heart of their designs.
The halls were filled with students, faculty, and guests exploring booths that balanced innovation with nostalgia. Some spaces drew inspiration from history, others from global influences, but all sought to capture the enduring spirit of Christmas—togetherness, imagination, and joy.
The Designs of Christmas Exhibit runs until Oct. 31.
