A family gathering

For Rial, Christmas is a magical time. “To this day, my favourite part is the exchange of gifts. As a child, I remember thinking that they came from this mysterious place in the sky; that the toy I so desperately wanted just appeared.”

He is still crazy about gifts, but these days he would rather hand them out. Everyone at their Christmas dinner will receive a beautifully wrapped ceramic artwork.

The factory, where their handmade ceramics are available for purchase, is a mere stone’s throw from the old farmhouse. Back in the day, when Clairvaux still operated as a dairy farm, this structure used to be the stables. But now Rial and Daniel have converted it into a contemporary space with views of the vineyards where their team of 32 people also craft the moulds and produce Rialheim’s popular ceramic ware.

And it’s here in the factory that the table is set for Christmas – between the moulds and unglazed ceramics, each one representing a part of the new story of Clairvaux. “In our family, it’s important that everyone’s favourite makes it to the lunch table,” says Letha. Rial’s siblings and their families are scattered all over the country, but they all look forward to a parcel with some of mom’s sweet treats!

Letha begins cooking the morning before Christmas Day. “The food and traditions all create this great sense of security, knowing that everyone who loves you is here,” says Rial with a smile. “This is our happy place, and we want Clairvaux to be a happy place for anyone who visits.” Before dinner, just as the sun begins to set, guests gather in the sculpture garden (top). Rialheim’s ceramic dinosaurs (above left) and quirky pigs (right) can be spotted throughout the farm gardens. The Star Wars helmet (above right) was inspired by the couple’s shared love of collectables.