The final stretch toward the holidays should feel like a downhill run. Yet the actuality of last-minute Christmas shopping, tying up loose ends at work and squeezing in roast dinners before the big day can leave us all feeling frazzled.

For all the joy and glamour of the season, the holidays are filled with emotion. Poignant campaigns from the likes of Tesco and Shelter remind us of the way in which the season can exacerbate feelings of loss, loneliness and stress.

We must be kind to ourselves in these final weeks of the year. Ruby Wax, actor, comedian and Founder of Frazzled, runs ‘Frazzled’ sessions, creating a safe space where people can open up and share their feelings or experiences of stress. During the holidays, finding places that offer respite can help us get out of our own heads. Experiences are essential escapism and can help us create moments of connection and calm.

With that focus in mind here is a roundup of our top three reads from BITE this Thursday.

Ruby Wax acknowledges that we all feel Frazzled

“We live in a world where we are constantly connected, yet isolated from each other.” The words of Ruby Wax, Founder of Frazzled, underline the importance of finding spaces to share and lighten the load. Her ‘Frazzled’ sessions run every day of the year, giving people a calm and open space to speak and listen without fear of judgement.

85% of people feel less frazzled after a single meeting, while 99% of people want to attend again. For those who feel alone, these statistics underline the importance of sharing and feeling seen.

Yet, far from letting frazzled feelings bring her down, as a comedian, Wax knows all too well the importance of connection and using humour as a tool to bring people in. “There is freedom in laughter, there is no freedom in whining. Make me laugh and then we can really talk,” says Wax. Championing honesty, humour, connection and being vulnerable Frazzled offers a safe place to share underlining the power of emotional openness.

All I want for Christmas… is experiential

At a time when brands look to TV to connect with audiences with emotive storytelling, Collaborate’s Ben McMahon and Richard Hartle stress the power of experiences in building connection. Experiential helps to captivate audiences' imaginations, escape everyday life and entertain at a time when they might feel bombarded with festivities.

With Christmas ad spend forecast at a record £10.5 bn in the UK according to the Advertising Association and WARC, the pair offer actionable advice for brands wanting to cut through the clutter and outline the magical ingredients for success.

From understanding the needs of audiences and creating a space where they can truly feel ‘in the moment’ to building on the Christmas feelings of heart-warming nostalgia and humour, McMahon and Hartle champion an empathetic approach.

Read their advice on creating Christmas magic here.

Ikea’s Hus of FRAKTA is a masterclass in immersive experience

With the much anticipated opening of Ikea Oxford Street set for Spring 2025, Ikea has harnessed the power of experience to build hype around the launch with ‘Hus of FRAKTA’.

The immersive experience takes the form of a blue bag pop-up and immersive gallery that capitalises on the cultural firepower of the iconic Ikea blue bag while riffing on Oxford Street’s credentials as one of London’s most fashionable streets.

Shoppers can visit the Hus of FRAKTA where an ‘Atelier’ lets guests initialise their bags with bespoke lettering. A ‘Blue Edit’ pays homage to the bag with a collection of popular blue Ikea items while a ‘Curated Collection’ gives customers a glimpse of the products that will be on sale come Spring.

Guests can enjoy an immersive experience which evokes the feeling of entering a FRAKTA bag, complete with an ASMR soundscape, mirrored walls with 3D lighting and a ‘press for candyfloss’ to complete the sensory experience.

The experience is a masterclass in the power of the pop-up, playing with some of Ikea’s most well-known assets to build conversation around the launch of the upcoming store. With fully immersive elements, Hus of FRAKTA engages audiences with a one-of-a-kind experience leaving them excited to return in Spring.