Toot Toot! Modernism Week Draws Near

The mid-century hubbub unfurls in Palm Springs in February.

THE YULETIDE... often comes wrapped in the textures and patterns of a century or two ago. Think of the plaids and soft hues of wrapping paper and ribbons, the Victorian-like ornaments, the plush pillows that look as though they were handcrafted in 1915. We like our Christmas to arrive with a long-ago feel, because the holiday has, at its sentimental heart, a deep connection to nostalgia and the past. But for many revelers the close of the year is all about a slightly more recent past, as in the 1950s and '60s. For them the tree has to be tinsel, or at least one of those metallic jobs with a spinning color wheel that changes it from pink to blue to purple. And the party they're throwing? It's all about stylish Tom Collins cocktail glasses and Eames furniture and "Mad Men"-style suits and frocks. The mid-century has nostalgia, too, so trading in some of the Edwardian touchstones for a streamlined, aerodynamic celebration is just par for the course for many people. And many of those many people will spend the holidays discussing what is now just a few weeks out, the biggest mid-century happening on the calendar. It could only be in one place, of course...

PALM SPRINGS: It's the city that embraced, and stuck to, its '50s-to-'60s vibe, and in so doing championed an aesthetic that draws devotees from all over. Those devotees show up for one third of February to celebrate Modernism Week. Yep, it's the party that's so out-sized that it takes up well over a week (so it is just easier to say a chunk o' February). The Modernism Show & Sale is a really big deal, so make for the Palm Springs Convention Center from Feb. 12 through 15 to pick up looks for your own home. Those double-decker bus tours, the home tours, the speakers, and more all do fill up, but even before nabbing your spots for those, best nab your hotel room, as those, too, go early and go fast. The host hotel is the Hilton Palm Springs, and a bevy of properties around the town, many of them mid-century, will welcome attendees. As for the dates? Hang another boomerang-cool ornament on your tinsel tree and grab a calendar: The chic soiree runs from Feb. 11 through 21, 2016.

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