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Countdown to Christmas: Peek Inside Celebrity Homes During the Holidays

by Kayla Kitts December 24, 2012 4 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

Have you always wanted to tour celebrity homes? What about during the holidays? I thought so. During HGTV’s Celebrity Holiday Homes, top-notch designers add festive decor to the homes of their celebrity clients. You’ll get to see the entire planning and decorating process from start to finish and the best part, the reveal. As excited as I was to see stars’ homes, I was more excited to see their reaction to fitting or … unexpected … designs. How do you think professional dancer Cheryl Burke reacted when her neutral, modern home was transformed with a palette of hot pink by designer Emily Henderson? Find out!

Celebrity Holiday Homes Top left: Designer Emily Henderson and Cheryl Burke; Top right: Cheryl’s hot-pink tree; Bottom right: Designer Danielle Colding and BeBe Winans; Bottom left: Bebe’s custom gift wrap

This year, step into the homes of Cheryl Burke, comedienne Lisa Lampanelli, singer BeBe Winans, actress Haylie Duff, musician Dee Snider and actress Tamara Tunie. See them all! Which celeb’s holiday home decor is your favorite?

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Countdown to Christmas: DIY Vintage-Inspired Light-Up Letters

by Kayla Kitts December 22, 2012 1 Comment

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

A Christmas tree may be the centerpiece of a room during the holidays, but there’s nothing quite like a gorgeous mantelscape to officially tie a space together. Growing up, Mom has always covered the mantel in lush garland, berry sprigs and metallic accents, so I never thought about just keeping it simple and modern. For HGTV.com’s Holiday House, former Design Star contestant Britany Simon used vintage-inspired marquee letters, handmade stockings and apothecary jars filled with festive accessories to dress up the living room mantel. I completely fell for those “JOY” letters, but figured they were out of my budget. Guess what? They’re handmade!

You can make your own vintage-inspired lighting installation and make it say anything you want. Plus, depending on what you spell out, these can stay up all year round. All you need are cardboard letters spelling out your desired word or phrase, industrial globe string lights, a marker, paint and a craft knife. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions >>

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Countdown to Christmas: Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

by Kayla Kitts December 20, 2012 3 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

For the first time ever, I’m housing guests at my home for the holidays. In the past, I’ve always been able to escape the chaos at night, but this year, my home is the center of the action. (We’ll see how this goes.) I’ve been so focused on getting gifts, doing last-minute decorating and actually enjoying the season that I haven’t even started preparing my home for visitors. From washing throw blankets and pillowcases to stocking the guest bathroom and loading up on snacks, there’s a whole list of things to do before guests arrive. Luckily, there are still a few days to get everything ready. Check out our tips below to get your home guest-ready for the holidays.

Prepare for Holiday Guests

How do you make your home guest-ready for the holidays? Share your tips below.

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Countdown to Christmas: Dress Your Table With a Festive Centerpiece

by Kayla Kitts December 18, 2012 3 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

During the holidays we all like to make the table a little bit fancier. (Did you catch Liz’s table settings post from yesterday?) Eye-catching table runners, oversized chargers and one-of-a-kind place cards are easy ways to dress up your everyday table. The star of the show, however, will most certainly be the centerpiece. And you don’t always have to choose a pricey floral arrangement; opt for something less expensive and handmade using items that coordinate with your theme.

Easy Handmade Centerpieces

I love this metallic-glam table setup. Use spray paint to transform a basic vase or candleholder into a festive centerpiece fit for winter blooms. Mix metallic accents of silver and gold with rustic wood tones and pinecones for a warm holiday look.

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Countdown to Christmas: Delectable Food Treats to Gift

by Kayla Kitts December 16, 2012 7 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

There’s nothing I love more than sweet, homemade treats during the holidays. (Cough, cough — are you listening, friends?) The best way to play it safe when you aren’t sure what to get your mysterious friend or a group of 30 coworkers is definitely a batch of homemade cookies in pro-styled packaging. You can certainly go wrong with a tie but never with gooey chocolate crinkle cookies or maple nut toffee.

Handmade Christmas Gifts Tuxedo Cookie Recipe

Wrap up your homemade treats in pretty packaging for the finishing touch. Get more wrapping and packaging ideas for small gifts >>

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Countdown to Christmas: Creative Gift Wrap Ideas

by Kayla Kitts December 14, 2012 5 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

As you can see, we’re just 11 days away from Christmas. I think one of the most daunting things for me is presentation. I may have the best gift in the WORLD, but wrapping it in five-year-old snowman paper takes away a bit of the allure. That’s why this year I’m committing to professional presentation. I want gifts that stand out underneath the tree because of their unique packaging.

Creative Gift Wrap Ideas

One of my favorite ideas is this simple yet totally charming gift packaging using butcher paper, twine and birch bark. First, wrap your gift in classic brown butcher paper. To create the patterned tie, criss-cross twine around your thumb and pinky in a figure-eight pattern. Paint the twine in random spots with your desired color, then wrap it around the box and birch bark gift tag.

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Countdown to Christmas: Easy Handmade Stocking Ideas

by Kayla Kitts December 12, 2012 3 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

Around our house, we need heavy-duty stockings to hold what … Santa … brings. Somehow our vintage-inspired stockings have held DVDs, chocolate, candles, makeup, magazines, CDs and more. That’s why I love these stockings made from old winter sweaters. You can tell they’re ready to prove their strength and durability. And they don’t require knitting skills, so you can get them up on your mantel in a snap.

Handmade Christmas Stockings

Have your stockings been hung by the chimney with care? If not, we have plenty of easy, handmade ideas to help finish off your holiday decor.

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Countdown to Christmas: Go Behind the Scenes at the White House

by Kayla Kitts December 10, 2012 2 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

I’m a sucker for holiday home tours, and we, at HGTV, have one of the best ones yet. Every year, designer and host Genevieve Gorder takes you behind the scenes at the White House at Christmastime. During this one-hour, on-air special (that premiered Saturday night), viewers got an exclusive look at what goes into making America’s First Home so spectacular for the holidays. Did you know that the White House gingerbread house weighs 300 pounds?! And, the official White House Christmas tree is 18-feet-6-inches tall!

If you missed the on-air premiere, that’s OK. You can catch upcoming episodes over the next few weeks.

Want a sneak peek right now? I thought so. Check it out! Decorating America’s First Home for the Holidays >>

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Countdown to Christmas: DIY Party Favors Your Guests Will Love

by Kayla Kitts December 8, 2012 7 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

So, you have your holiday party all lined up, decorations are coming into place, cocktails are being tested (!!!) and now you just need to find the perfect favors to send off partygoers. Coordinate favors with the theme of the party, and give them a handmade touch for an ultra-memorable sendoff.

Countdown to Christmas: DIY Holiday Party Favors

What’s your theme? If you plan on hosting an ornament-making party, let their new, handmade ornaments double as party favors. But if you’re just having a small holiday get-together with friends, you may just want to go with something charming and seasonal. Try this gold and burlap basket (left) or these custom-mixed tea favors (right). And we didn’t forget the packaging, either. We have printables, tips and wrapping ideas to give your gifts pro presentation. Check out our favorite DIY holiday party favor ideas >>

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Countdown to Christmas: Our Favorite Holiday Party Themes

by Kayla Kitts December 4, 2012 3 Comments

We’re counting down to Christmas with a new holiday party tip, decorating idea or DIY project every day until December 25. Miss a day? See all the posts here.

You’ve probably been tossing around idea after idea for this year’s holiday party. Steer away from the cliche “tacky Christmas sweater” theme and try something entirely new. Your friends will love it, and it will be the perfect way to end the year.

Host a Crafty Kids' Holiday Party

Try party themes that require more guest interactivity, like fondue or holiday crafts. It’s a great way for different groups of friends to meet and mingle, plus it puts less pressure on the host/hostess to ensure everyone is occupied or entertained.

I’ve listed 10 of our favorite holiday party themes below. The best part? They’re SO easy to pull together because we have the (free!) printables and decorating how-tos right there for you. Party on!

FREE HOLIDAY PRINTABLES:

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