Visions of Christmas by Fifi O’Neill Aims to Raise Funds for No-Kill Animal Shelters

Fifi O’Neill has one thing on her Christmas list: helping animals. While the bestselling author and stylist has produced a library of inspiring books and magazines, for the second time she’s going the self-published route, with Visions of Christmas, A tribute to dreamy holiday decor and animals in need. O’Neill will donate 100-percent of proceeds to no-kill animal shelters and rescues nationwide. Based in Florida, O’Neill has featured many Rhode Island interiors in her books, which have appeared through the years in the Hey Rhody Media Co. portfolio of magazines, including our own editor-in-chief Elyse Major’s Cape-style house excerpted from Small Spaces, Big Appeal, 2023.

The concept for Visions of Christmas happened serendipitously when O’Neill visited the home of Amy Stegemen, a longtime devotee who reached out to O’Neill to pitch her Pennsylvania home as a subject for an upcoming book. O’Neill arrived at Stegeman's home to dress the house in its “Christmas best,” with her longtime photographer Mark Lohman, who is based in California. Using only Stegeman’s personal decorations, it took four full days to shoot the home with all of her holiday trinkets – everything from coastal treasures to stylish Santas. Over the days, conversations revealed a mutual love of animals. “During the shoot, a light bulb went off,” says O’Neill. “l had the perfect idea: a book featuring Amy’s holiday decorations with all proceeds going to nationwide animal charities.”  

In the book, readers will also meet Barlee and Lulu, Stegeman’s own rescue dogs. In 2022, Stegeman built The Cat Coop, a cat rescue shelter, with her daughter, Lauren. Stegeman’s other daughter, Sarah, runs Sweet Peace Farm Animal Sanctuary. O’Neill donated all earnings of her previous fundraising book, Rescue Me, focusing on the love story between humans and the animals they save, to Rhode Island shelters. It was only natural that these animal lovers would donate book proceeds to another great cause.

“We chose to donate nationwide as these animal charities play a crucial role in rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting animals,” O’Neill says. With the release of Visions of Christmas, the duo hopes to make a significant difference for animals suffering from cruelty and neglect. Follow along on Instagram at missfifi2610, order book online here.