Yeah, yeah….the song is lovely, but we are all running around trying to go about our daily lives AND prepare for the December holidays! It is stressful and the people that make it look effortless are on our nerves!
Let me share a few tips that can help make you look like a magician when your family and friends come to your home this Holiday Season. It is all about the experience, right?
First off, don’t stress. A lot of it is smoke and mirrors. Don’t get tied up in the details.
I suggest receiving your guests at nighttime. Your home evokes a much more moody atmosphere when the sun goes down. Candle light adds a nice ambiance. If your chandeliers and ceiling fixtures are not on a dimmer, considering adding that to your list in 2026. The vibe of soft, flickering light is sophisticated and your friends won’t see any dust or clutter as easily.
Always add music when you entertain. A little “noise” in the background always helps to set the theme. If you are over the shopping stores Christmas music, try an instrumental channel. The music theme will still hit your guests, even if subliminally. I tend to go for Sinatra or Buble. Again, sophisticated, timeless and classic. These guys can make you look and sound like you know what you are doing!
Look around your yard for some greenery. Have you any palm fronds, rosemary, juniper, spruce or papyrus? Cut some sprigs and decorate with them. Add cranberries for a pop of red. Place them in a bowl of water and float a candle or string them along your fireplace. Greens always give a fresh look.
Everyone has pine cones in their yards. Glue some around the edge of a dinner plate. Place some garden greens or faux red berry stems amongst them and place a candle in the center. This will look great on your coffee table or kitchen island. Make a few of them and line them down tour dining table.
Place some festive ornaments in a container. Maybe some antique ones that were handed down to you.
Place a framed photo of a loved one that passed in your dining room. Share stories of holidays spent with the deceased and create a moment. Even if it is a sad moment, people will open their hearts to you and feel connected with your personal stories. Here is an image of my fabulous friend, Marcia, who passed four years ago. It wouldn’t be the holidays without being with her. Feel connected to me now?
Don’t just lay a flat napkin on the dining table fold it in a unique way. There are plenty of tutorials on the internet. Even if you just tie a piece of ribbon or jute around it and add a sprig of Rosemary.
And don’t forget….LOOK the part. Look like the life of the party. Make your outfit coordinate with your decor. Smile, laugh, shake hands and hug and you will be the superstar of the evening and everyone will want to know how you did it all!
