I get nostalgic each Christmas when I unpack the boxes of decorations from storage. I have ornaments that have been passed down by my mom and dad. Some have stood the test of time and others have been repaired with super glue many times over. As far as I am concerned, any tabletop is an opportunity to place a snow globe, an angel or a reindeer. Because it comes but once a year, Christmas decorating can never be too plentiful in my opinion.

In my dining room, I prefer to bring out my most special pieces, like crystal glasses and silver place settings. Even if your china doesn’t have a holiday theme, it is an occasion to dress the table up — use them all and then add touches of color. I use live garland and berries, magnolia leaves, you name it. My dining room is a borderline hazard with the number of candles I put on the table. And everyone looks better in candlelight.

I use a variety of votives (Creel and Gow, Crate and Barrel, Porta NYC, Il Buco Vita, and West Elm) or you can have a lot of fun searching vintage candlesticks (1st Dibs) to create different heights and this is an opportunity to add color with your candles. I use Trudon, John Derian, Summerill & Bishop and I also buy at my local hardware store. They will stock the votives and white candles. I like to buy 4 hour votives…it’s nice to be prepared if the evening lasts a little longer than you planned!

In the kitchen and other informal spaces, I like to have a little more fun and even be a little kitschy. I bring out my plates and glasses with reindeers and Santa Clauses. I have Santa placemats that my mom gave me from when we were kids. This is the place to do whatever makes you feel that holiday spirit. Some people love holiday movies like “It’s It’s A Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol,” but I have a soft spot for “Christmas Vacation” — and I even have a model of the Griswold family RV that I put next to all the nutcrackers we collected when I took the kids to the ballet. I like to be a little cheeky with it all. Ebay and Etsy are great resources for tabletop decorations, so can let your imagination run wild.