Designers’ Favorite Holiday Hosting Traditions – 7 Stylish and Sentimental Ideas for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year

The holiday season is almost upon us, which can only mean one thing: it's time to think up thoughtful and stylish ways to elevate your hosting game. Whether you're welcoming a large group of family and friends or are keeping things smaller, a few clever ideas will ensure a inviting feel and memorable experience for your guests.

We turned to the expertise of interior designers and asked them to share their favorite, tried-and-tested holiday hosting traditions – from festive drink ideas to seasonal decorating and personalized tablescapes.

Whether you’re looking for fresh Christmas decor ideas or ways to elevate a New Year’s Eve party, each idea can be tailored to suit your holiday celebration.

1. Always Decorate with Fresh, Foraged Greenery

'A favorite holiday tradition is gathering natural foliage from the surroundings and weaving it through every part of the celebration,' says Dallas-based designer Lauren Saab. 'Using rosemary, olive branches, pine, or clipped greenery for decorations gives everything a subtle, earthy, and organic feel that is far more memorable than anything store-bought.'

From mantel decor ideas to Christmas wreath ideas, there are many ways to incorporate fresh foliage into your home to create a welcoming feel for guests. That said, festive tables are a favorite spot among designers. 'I love creating a dining table that feels abundant and seasonal without becoming overly decorated,' says New York City-based interior designer Janine Carendi MacMurray of AREA Interior Design. 'I often mix pomegranates with pine leaves and magnolia branches, letting the colors and textures speak for themselves. It brings a natural richness to the table and allows the meal to feel both relaxed and celebratory.'

To ensure a cohesive look and feel, Lauren recommends repeating the same kind displays in multiple ways: 'Using the same foliage for decor and gift wrapping creates a quiet continuity that guests feel the moment they walk in. The consistency in colors, textures, and scents throughout the home creates a sense of intentionality and thoughtfulness, yet doesn't feel overly styled.'

2. Serve a Time-Honored Festive Drink

What better way to greet guests than with a festive drink at the door? Designers have many family traditions when it comes to their favorite holiday drinks, which are used year after year. For Janine Carendi MacMurray, it's Chatham Artillery punch (a potent mix of whiskey, brandy, rum, lemon, sugar, and Champagne). 'It has been part of the MacMurray family for generations and has become the fixture around which our gatherings tend to orbit,' she says.

'The preparation begins the night before, when we combine three-quarters of a cup of sugar with the peels of four lemons in a Mason jar (buy these at Amazon) and leave it overnight. The next day, we add three-quarters of a cup of lemon juice and shake it until the sugar dissolves. The mixture goes into a punch bowl with a one-quart block of ice, followed by one cup each of bourbon, cognac, and dark Jamaican rum. Just before guests arrive, we add one chilled bottle of Champagne. It is strong, unquestionably, but consistently excellent,' says Janine.

Some statment cocktail glasses will finish off the look perfectly (we love these jewel cut Old Fashioned glasses in deep red from Williams Sonoma).

If you prefer a festive cocktail, take inspiration from Los Angeles-based designer Kristina Khersonsky of STUDIO KEETA, who creates mini cocktails for guests to enjoy. 'Instead of putting one big drink in a pitcher, I like to offer pre-shaken mini cocktails – individual shakers filled and chilled with guests’ drinks of choice (like a martini or whiskey sour). I’ll set them in a bucket of ice with a tray of garnishes and let guests build their perfect version. It feels elevated but is actually super easy to prep in advance, and people love the interactive, custom element,' says Kristina. This cocktail shaker set on a rotating stand from Amazon is the perfect addition to your bar cart.

3. Add a Decorative Touch to Your Holiday Fizz

Beyond festive cocktails and homemade punch recipes, designers have certain traditions that put a decorative twist on seasonal drinks. 'Nothing is quite as festive and instantly elicits a celebratory mood like a beautiful glass of champagne,' says Connecticut and NYC-based interior designer Darci Hether. 'During the holidays, I love to greet my guests with a glass of bubbly filled with a little something extra – a spoonful of pomegranate seeds. The way they dance around in the glass and add in a bit of the holiday cheers – there's nothing quite like it.'

In a similar vein, you can extend a decorative look to your ice cubes, as inspired by Janine Carendi MacMurray: 'We make little Christmas tree ice cubes by filling a tray just partway and placing a sprig of rosemary upside down in each compartment. We tie the rosemary to the freezer grates so that it freezes upright, and within a short time, the cubes set. They look charming in a glass and add a bit of whimsy to the evening. It is simple, quick, and always makes guests smile.'

This Ice Cube Tray from Crate & Barrel would work wonderfully filled with sprigs of rosemary, or even orange slices and cranberries for a colorful look.

4. Create a Special Glow With Candlelight

When hosting guests over the holidays, designers say that layered lighting is a tradition that's always followed to ensure a cozy and welcoming feel. 'It is so important to create a warm and dimensional glow – combining candles, table lamps, sconces, and dimmed overheads – to instantly elevate the mood of the gathering,' says San Francisco-based designer Thecla Glueck.

This holiday tradition is echoed by Janine Carendi MacMurray, who uses candles to create a cozy space. 'One of my favorite holiday hosting traditions is to fill the house with candlesticks and candelabras,' she says. 'I always use tall tapered candles in a deep, true red, and I make certain that they are red all the way through rather than only on the outside. When every room is lit with candlelight, the entire home takes on a special glow that instantly feels festive, warm, and intimate, regardless of the weather outside.'

When it comes to scented candles, Thecla advises against them in most rooms: 'Aside from the powder room, only use unscented, paraffin wax candles. You don’t want scented candles to trigger allergies nor interfere with the food you are serving.' This set of Thin Taper Candles from McGee & Co. comes in a set of 24 – perfect for styling throughout your home.

5. Anchor Tablescapes in Tradition

Thoughtful table decor is, of course, essential when entertaining guests during the holidays, and designers love using it as a way to channel personality and the latest holiday decor themes. 'We host many family gatherings throughout the holiday season, and I find that each table becomes its own little design moment with a different palette, style, and energy,' says New York-based designer Sarah Tract.

'I start each tablescape the same way I do designing the home, with the feeling that I want to evoke,' says Sarah. 'I mix textiles, layer linens, choose florals, and leverage non-everyday pieces, like good silverware and glassware, to fit the theme. I especially love light blues, silvers, reflective elements, and a mix of modern and traditional pieces for Hanukkah – they are the perfect balance of magic and meaning. No two tablescapes are ever the same – which keeps it fresh – but the tradition remains, which makes the experience even more meaningful.'

For Christmas table ideas, don't forget about the Christmas crackers, such as this Robin Reed set from Walmart. 'There’s something so nostalgic and joyfully old-fashioned about Christmas crackers: everyone lights up when they sit down to a place setting that promises a little surprise, a silly joke, and a paper crown,' says New England designer Allison Mattison of Trellis Home Design. 'They instantly break the ice and create a sense of playfulness, which is one of my absolute goals when hosting.'

6. Personalize Your Place Settings

Another table-based tradition that designers turn to each year is handwritten place cards, which add a thoughtful touch – these Festive Vine Fill-In Placecards from Minted are ideal. 'One of my favorite holiday hosting traditions is creating personalized place cards for each guest – it’s such a small gesture, but it makes everyone feel considered and sets a thoughtful tone for the evening,' says interior designer Mary Patton of Houston-based Mary Patton Design.

Beyond place cards for the table, you can extend this idea to gift tags, invitations, or even handmade menus. This tradition is also followed by Thecla Glueck, who adds that there are many ways to create them, depending on how much time you have. 'If budget and time permit, custom, hand-painted invitations, place cards, and notecards are my go-to,' says Thecla. 'However, handwritten, be it cursive, plain block, or simple script, is equally special and personal.'

If you're looking for further ways to save on time, you can part-digitize them for ease, suggests Thecla. 'Scan your handwritten message and print it on pre-designed invitations, place cards, or notecards that you can source via so many creative online stationary marketplace platforms,' she says.

7. Curate a Relaxed Feasting Table

When it comes to food for the holiday period, one way in which designers like to host guests is with a large feasting table, such as a charcuterie board that fills the whole kitchen island.

'We cover our kitchen island with parchment paper and build layers of charcuterie, fruits, breads, nuts, and spreads – it feels like a landscape,' says the Atlanta-based designer Gabriela Eisenhart of Silo Studio Design. 'It becomes this fun, artistic central point to the party that joins people around it, snacking and talking, which is exactly the point.'

To create something similar this holiday season, Gabriela recommends using plenty of serveware to create a layered look and keep it interesting. 'Play with different heights on the island: stacking boards, small bowls, and footed plates,' she says. 'It gives the whole spread more dimension when it feels layered.' Also take a look at our piece with designer, Bryan Graybill on the charcuterie formula for more ideas.

Elevate Your Holiday Hosting With These Designer Inspired Buys

From Thanksgiving to Christmas, designers' holiday hosting traditions are not only stylish, but they also create a memorable experience for guests. If you're looking for more help to ensure a stress-free day, our practical holiday hosting tips can help.