Last Christmas 2.0: new swashes, three weights and a variable font
Version 2.0 of Last Christmas adds swash alternates for every letter, Light, Regular and Bold, and a variable version. What is new and how to use it.
Last Christmas first came out in November 2024: a flowing script with a small sparkle over the i and j. Version 2.0 is a bigger update than the number suggests. Every letter has new swash alternates, the family now has three weights, and there is a variable version.
What is new in 2.0
- Swash alternates for every letter. Capitals and lowercase both have new forms, from readable to wild.
- Accented alternates. 79 accented letters, from Ä to ž, have alternates too, so the swashes also work in languages such as Swedish, German, Polish and Czech.
- Three weights. Light, Regular and Bold.
- A variable font. One file with weight from Thin to Black and an axis for the alternates.
What is in the package
| Font | What it is |
|---|---|
| Last Christmas Light, Regular, Bold | The plain family. The alternates are reached through OpenType features. |
| Last Christmas Swash Light, Regular, Bold | The same family with swash forms as the default letters. |
| Last Christmas Variable | Weight and alternates in one file, for apps and websites that support variable fonts. |
The Swash family exists for apps without an OpenType panel: the swash forms are its ordinary letters, so you get them just by typing.
How to reach the alternates
In Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, select the text and open the Glyphs panel to pick alternates letter by letter, or switch on Swash or a stylistic set in the OpenType options. In Affinity apps and Figma, the stylistic sets are in the typography settings.
Tip: if a letter has several alternates, try them in context. A swash that looks wild on its own often settles down between its neighbors.
On a website, the same features are set in CSS:
.title {
font-family: "Last Christmas", cursive;
font-feature-settings: "swsh" 1, "ss03" 1;
}
The variable version
The variable font has two axes. Weight runs from Thin to Black, so you can set any weight in between instead of choosing one of three. The second axis brings in the alternates: at one end you see the plain letters, and as you move it, more of the swash forms switch on.1
Last ChristmasFont · Script →
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Variable fonts are supported by all modern browsers and by current versions of most design apps. How well an app handles a second, custom axis varies, so test it first. ↩
Questions
Should I install the plain family or the Swash family?
The plain family if your app has OpenType features, so you can choose the alternates letter by letter. The Swash family if it does not, or if you simply want the swash forms as you type.
Can I use Last Christmas for a logo?
Yes. A logo is desktop use, which the standard license covers. For a logo that should last, choose the perpetual license.
Does the variable font work everywhere?
The weight axis works in modern browsers and in most current design apps. Support for the alternates axis varies between desktop apps, so test it in yours before you rely on it.
