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I start decorating my home with colors of the season and continue adding layers for each of the other holidays through the New Year. Let me tell you how I can help simplify your home decorating and entertaining without going crazy.

My tool of choice is a glue gun.

Using berries, fruits, greens, pinecones, leaves, and nuts, I make the wreath fit the season. Color is also a great way to bring the holiday alive. For Halloween, I add black, spray-painted glittery leaves and some fake spider webs. I put out a scary cat and a carved pumpkin or two. After Halloween, those accessories come off the wreath and we add more for Thanksgiving.

By now the trees on the property have lost their leaves. I love the smell of Fraser Fir wreaths (they’re the ones that will stay fragrant through the New Year. You can get them right now on QVC.com), swags on the other doors and windows. I enhance them with more colorful pinecones, twigs, birds, tiny pumpkins, apples, berries, and even dried hydrangea from my property. Now I’m adding accessories in a richer orange, more toward rust. I also use real apples. I then take maple leaves that have turned color and spray them and pinecones with glitter for a very high-end look. 

As we approach Christmas I like to introduce richer colors, more texture, and lots of glitter. Using the same wreath and my trusty glue gun, I add twigs, faux candles, ornaments, and ribbon, lots of ribbon.

Looking around, I see lots of themed decorations. When I was a kid, I collected ornaments and decorations and put them out together every year. If you like the themes, you can certainly go with this trend by staying with all birds, owls, feathers, or whatever makes you happy. 

A friend of mine in England (Caroline Agar) puts a garland on her fireplace every year and only decorates it with things she finds in her garden. Every year it looks different, charming, and wonderful. You can make your decorations simple or take them to a more elevated level — it’s completely up to you. I usually find a middle ground by using faux decorations that I save from year to year and adding fresh greens, elements from nature, plus fruits, berries, and more ribbon.

I have several boxwood trees that make great cut branches. If you don’t have access to one, go to your local tree farm or Christmas tree sidewalk seller and ask them for branches that have been cut off their trees and they’ll be happy to give them to you for nothing. These elements will make your faux decorations suddenly look magnificent. Don’t forget to put in some fresh rosemary — the herb of remembrance. It’s such a wonderful way to remember those who aren’t with us at the holidays.

Now some hints on easy entertaining décor. I know if you’re like me, you love to use candles. These become the basis of your tablescape. Don’t keep buying candles in different colors, especially if you’re using the flameless ones. Keep changing the accessories around the candles. Use some of the same embellishments you use on the wreath and fireplace mantel, but just make them smaller. Again, the glue gun and your own creativity are your best asset.

Table settings. Even when I was just starting out and didn’t have any money, I always wanted my home (wherever it was) to look nice especially during the holidays. My preference is to have gifts wrapped in paper that matches the room where I set out the presents. I know Christmas should be green and red but I don’t follow that rule. Let’s say your room is chocolate, tan, and sage green. I would have paper in those colors. Most people have plain white dishes and napkins which is great if you follow my method of layering with colored paper. I would make big round circles from the wrapping paper and use them in place of charger plates.  In my examples, make circles larger than your white plates and put them under the dinner plate, the bread plate and/or the salad plate. They look festive and are great when it comes to cleanup.

Stop by a craft store and pick up some small grapevine holiday ornaments and use them as napkin rings. You can even spray them with some glitter for some more sparkle. These details will make your guests feel special because they know that you cared enough to set a beautiful table. I could do the same with paper printed with a pattern. I always add a small gift for each guest. It could be a beautifully wrapped cookie or candy — details that mean you’re really cool.

Another little trick for the holidays. Gather all your picture frames, find photos of your guests and gather then together in one place — front door, the dining room, or mantle. They’ll all marvel at your ingenuity.

Mostly important make it easy, you can do it beforehand so you can enjoy the holidays.

—Linda Dano