Don’t Overdo It: Simple, Subtle Ways to Decorate for the Holidays

The holiday season may be a time of excess food, excess spending and excess giving, but when it comes to decorating for the holidays, less really is more. With fewer holiday pieces, you can create a more welcoming home and make a more cohesive (and festive) statement that screams “holidays!” without losing your own style in the process.

Happy Chic By Jonathan Adler Set of 3 Relief Gold Bud Vases Item: 964-014

To get you started, we’ve created these five simple tips:

Wrapping holiday gifts. Whether they’re under the tree or perched atop a table, nothing makes a statement like the season’s glut of gifts. To make them look fabulous and work with your décor, shop for shimmering gift wrap in your home’s color palette. Got an olive green sofa? Look for holiday gift wrap in glittering gold. Is your living room draped blue? Think smoky silvers and deep, rich grays.

Tszuj up your everyday pieces. If you’ve got a collection home décor items that really make a statement, like this Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler vases or a fab faux fur throw, don’t add more clutter to the mix. Instead, give them a little holiday pick-me-up by popping fresh red flowers into the vases or draping your luxe bedroom throw over the arm of your sofa.

Get crafty. Pick up some basic arts & crafts supplies and create a scrapbook of holidays past, then lay it open on your coffee table and let the reminiscing begin!

Think festive, but functional. Instead of cluttering up your sofa with Santa pillows and plush snowmen, snap up a cozy knit throw pillow (like this amazing Nate Berkus piece). It’s neutral enough that you can use it now – and all winter long. You can even add a little sparkle to pieces like this by pinning a poinsettia brooch to its center seam or replacing the buttons seasonally. » Shop decorative and functional holiday entertaining

Create groupings. If you’ve been collecting ice skating bears since you were four, or love sparkling stars, group them into small, tasteful vignettes and place them on your sofa table, entertainment center or dining table – or even choose it as the theme for your holiday tree. Just don’t pack them into every free space you have – because their best qualities will inevitably be lost in the crowd.

One last tip to tide you over this holiday season: candles – and plenty of them. Think Liberace, only more so. Even if you’re not in the mood to decorate, you can break out your silver and crystal candleholders or scoop up a dozen or so online, add a few white candles, light the wicks and call it done. The dancing flames will look festive enough to make even your “Griswoldian” mother proud.

Nate Berkus Set of 6 Flameless Votive Candles Item: 955-550

Nervous about leaving flaming hot candles unattended all over the house? These Nate Berkus Flameless Votive Candles offer the same elegant ambiance without the worry of fire.

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» Delicious Holiday Recipes from Your Favorite HSN Chefs and Food Experts
» Five Great Reasons to Make Your Own Holiday Cards this Year
» How to Choose a Handbag You’ll Love Forever
» Top 10 Beauty Gifts for Your Favorite Beautynistas
» Shop Holiday and Home Decor on hsn.com