Holiday entertaining is all about one-of-a-kind decor, and we’ve got some show-stopping looks that you can make yourself. You don’t have to be an expert crafter to accomplish these easy DIY projects. Creating a custom hanging herb chandelier and dessert takeaways will really impress your guests at this year’s seasonal get-together.
Create a rustic vibe by wrapping the dining table in brown kraft paper. Arrange leaves, loaves of bread and open bottles of wine along the center of this setup. Lovely butter knives atop neatly placed cloth napkins seal the deal.
Serve tea or coffee with your homemade treat bags after the meal to brighten everyone’s day. Taking the little bit of time to make this thoughtful goody that your guests can break into right away or take home really makes visitors feel special. Taffy, cookies or a slice of pie are all great sweets to bag up for later.
Hanging Herb Chandelier Materials
3-foot cut of wood (or desired length, depending on your table)
Hold your holiday decor horses! Before you purchase gobs of tinsel and piles of twinkle lights, take another look at items you already have - they may be the holiday embellishment you've been looking for.
By hunting through your cabinets and closets, you can easily repurpose common household items into yuletide decor for your abode. Need a little inspiration? These design experts share how they style up everyday objects into festive flourishes.
Dig through the craft closet
"Bust out the burlap! I've been known to use burlap for anything from tablecloths to a Christmas tree skirt. It's so versatile and lends an organic, rustic vibe."
- Brooke Wagner, Brooke Wagner Design
"Roll out brown or black butcher paper on your table like a runner. It somehow elevates everything you set on it. Plus, you can write your guests names on it in black marker (or chalk marker for black paper) instead of place cards."
- Jenn Muirhead, Jennifer Muirhead Interiors
"Paint a wall with chalkboard paint. It’s the perfect themed accent wall that's fun and creative, and it gets the kids involved, too."
- Melissa Martin Molitor, MMM Designs-Interiors
"Tie ribbon on everything! Thread it through chandeliers or banisters. Or put festive printed fabric in picture frames and scatter them throughout the house."
- Katie Schroder, Atelier Interior Design
Scour the kitchen cupboards
"Place a set of teacups on a pretty tray, and fill each cup with a succulent or small flower arrangement. Or create a centerpiece by placing candles on a serving tray or cake stand."
- Gita Jacobson, In The Deets
“Fill a large glass serving bowl - or maybe a punch bowl or trifle bowl - with whatever seasonal item you want. Just use the same thing so it looks purposeful and pretty.”
- Jenn Muirhead, Jennifer Muirhead Interiors
"Take an ordinary flower vase, and stick glass ornaments inside with a string of white lights. It's a pretty display that’s simple and creative!"
- Wendy Berry, W Design Interiors
Ransack the fridge
"Dried fruit garland is still classic and sweet. Take a needle and thread to some popcorn, cranberries or dried sliced oranges, and string it up wherever you want to!"
- Jenn Muirhead, Jennifer Muirhead Interiors
"Cut up fresh fruit and put it in a pitcher before adding flowers for a centerpiece. Throw in some cloves and cinnamon sticks for added flair. For a dash of festivity, use oranges with cloves in them for place card settings."
- Christine Estep, Jackson Thomas Interiors
Sift through the closet
"Use a vintage plaid throw as a tablecloth or runner. Or decorate a small tabletop tree with jewelry or ribbon."
- Katie Schroder, Atelier Interior Design
"Repurpose one of your favorite scarves as a cozy centerpiece runner."
- Gita Jacobson, In The Deets
Forage in the yard
“Instead of placing a star at the top of my Christmas tree, I'll take a handful of fallen sticks and tie them together at the top of the tree with a raffia bow. I'll also layer pine cones throughout my tree to balance out the glass ornaments for an organic, natural feel.
- Wendy Berry, W Design Interiors
“I gather sticks cedar branches, along with magnolia, holly, boxwood and pine. I spread them around the bases of containers or arrange them in colorful tea tins. It’s an easy way to bring in greenery without spending too much money."
- Susan Jamieson, Bridget Beari Designs
“I love to add a garland of fresh greens around my dining room chandelier and hang ornaments from it. The fresh scent mixed with holiday cooking is wonderful."
"Scatter some festive items that aren’t necessarily holiday themed. For example, we’ll set out some naturally shed antlers in the fall or a tuxedo hat around Christmas. I’ll mix in a few of these types of things that feel seasonally appropriate but aren’t necessarily traditional holiday decor."
- Summer Thornton, Summer Thornton Design
"Give a corner of your home a holiday touch with just a handful of tweaks. We made a sitting area more festive by adding new pillows (they needn’t have an overt holiday motif – a wintery look works just as well), some evergreen cuttings from the yard (with a few sprigs of berries), a stack of wrapped gifts, a scarf and bow for our deer, and a teddy bear found in the attic."
– Chris Stout-Hazard, Roger + Chris
"Gather objects with a similar color scheme. I pull out all of my white and silver anything and group them together - candle holders, vases, pots, ribbon. Then I go to my neighbors' yards for magnolia and holly cuttings and get laurel out of my own yard. I just keep everything green, white and silver - jumbled together it works."
- Lesley Glotzl
"Repurpose a metallic vessel into a vase for displaying rich greenery or arrangements of holiday objects. A brass champagne cooler, a bright silver trophy cup or even small copper mugs could work perfectly. Add fresh pops of red with cranberries, pomegranates, deep-red apples or even a few red roses."
- Kerrie Kelly, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab
You may have dreams of decorating your home like it’s a display window at a fancy department store, but then reality strikes: You’ve still got gift shopping and wrapping to do, holiday parties to attend and host … not to mention your everyday life to live.
Don’t get overwhelmed. Go for intentional minimalism. Some years, less is more.
Simple decor can still have a big impact - not the least of which is relieving you of some holiday hustle and bustle. All you need to do is hone in on sprucing up three key areas in your home.
Target your tree
The most obvious place to start is your Christmas tree. For an easy, fuss-free tree, go with a monochromatic color scheme.
Metallic ornaments give your tree extra glitz and seasonal sparkle.
Another option is to use all neutral colors so you don’t have to worry about balancing a color palette or tree placement - it will coordinate with any room’s normal decor.
Make your mantel magical
If you have a fireplace in your home, the mantel is an ideal spot to bring a little holiday cheer, but don’t make it too complicated.
Cotton branches intertwined with silver artificial garland.
Choose a statement-making garland to hang or drape across the top. Place some candles on the mantel to light at night, and you’re good to go.
Top off your table
The holidays are a prime time for entertaining, hosting and gathering around the table. So bring seasonal flair to your table with a beautiful garland, which can go a long way as a table runner.
A garland made of magnolia leaves and evergreen creates a dramatic table runner.
Make the decor as simple as placing a lush garland in the center of your table and mixing in candles for added ambiance.
Decorating for the holidays doesn’t have to be a chore. Focus on these three spots, and your home will feel magical and holiday-ready in no time.
Hosting a holiday gathering can be a lot of fun, but perhaps a bit intimidating, too. You want your house to look its best, but now isn’t the time to undertake any major updates.
Chances are, you’re busy enough get ready for the event. So, focus on just the areas of your house where your guests will spend time.
Whether you’re a first-time party host with a few jitters or an old pro looking for some new ideas, these tips will help you ensure that your home is ready for any gathering.
Light the way
The sun sets early this time of year, so it’s important to make sure the entrance to your home is clean and well-lit.
If you have a large front yard, focus on the entryway and the path leading up to it. Install porch lights or replace the bulbs if needed. Cut back any shrubbery that is obstructing the walkway.
On the day of your party, open the blinds on the front windows so your guests can see into your warm, festive-looking home as they approach. It’s a great way to create a sense of welcoming anticipation.
Pro tip: The easiest way to create instant lighting for walkways and paths is with the solar lights that you just stick into the ground. The sun does the rest of the work!
Take care of the bottom line
Our mothers used to say this, and it’s true: If your floors are spotless, they make your whole house look cleaner.
Even if you’re unable to do an in-depth house cleaning before your gathering, make sure your floors have been cleaned before that first guest steps over the threshold.
Pro tip: If you have carpeting, clean the carpets a minimum of three days ahead of your affair so they have time to dry fully.
Brighten up your bathroom
If you’re bothered by grimy-looking grout in your bathroom, try this easy, inexpensive, and non-toxic method to get rid of it nearly instantly: Just spray on some full-strength hydrogen peroxide, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then wipe clean. That's it!
Next, add some flowers, holiday decorations or pictures on the wall to further spiff up your powder room, and it will be ready for your guests.
Pro tip: Get the buildup out of a slow-moving sink drain with a Zip-It. This inexpensive tool looks like a giant zip-tie. You just work it down into the drain to pull up hair clogs - all the other gunky stuff will come up with it.
Tune up kitchen appliances
Your kitchen appliances will be the workhorses of your holiday party, whether you’re hosting a big family dinner or a cocktail party. You want them to be fully functioning and ready for action.
Make sure all stove burners are working. Now’s the time to clean the oven if you haven't done that for a while.
Clean out the refrigerator, and check to see that the fridge and freezer are running at their optimal temperatures.
Make sure your dishwasher is in good working order. You can clean it easily with a dishwasher cleaner that you run through a cycle.
Pro tip: Sharp knives will make easy work of preparing the big meal. Make sure all your kitchen knives are newly sharpened, and also check the batteries in your electric carving knife, if you have one.
Make your space kid-friendly
If you make your home welcoming for children, you’ll ensure their parents have a great time as well.
If you happen to have kids that are the same ages as your young guests, you’re in luck. But if not, think about adding some considerate touches that will make parents more comfortable and alleviate kid boredom.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Turn a spare room or an upstairs bedroom into a private nursing/changing area for a new mom.
Toddlers and younger children will want to be near their parents, so a good idea for them is to set up a corner of your living or dining room with toys, books, a tablet for watching cartoons and some comfy pillows or throws.
One of our favorite strategies for older kids is to turn the dessert course into an activity. For instance, you could bake a huge batch of sugar cookies in holiday shapes, and then put out different colors of icing to let kids (and adults) go to town with decorating their own cookies.
Pro tip: If you don't have children, or if yours are older, don't forget to kid-proof your space. Put away anything expensive, breakable or unstable. Do some baby-proofing, if necessary. This way you and the parents can relax and not have to worry about safety hazards.
