Home for the Holidays
On traditions, preparations, and all the way our homes shift for the people who fill them.
The holidays don’t always begin with a date on the calendar. More often, they announce themselves in smaller ways and in time-honored traditions. For us, the season unfolds gradually through ritual, intention, and small joys.
And as our spaces shift for the season, so does our mindset. Hosting becomes its own quiet practice: an art of noticing what makes others feel welcome, cared for, and at ease. This month, we sat down to talk about those rituals: the creature comforts we prepare before guests arrive, the traditions that shape our gatherings, and the thoughtful details that make a home feel ready to receive.
Pictured above: Each year we choose a new color for our Paper Marigold Garland. This year we chose a bright, Camellia Pink, which pairs nicely with dried oranges and ribbon.
IN CONVERSATION WITH TODD & AMY
What does the start of the holiday season feel like in your homes? Any personal philosophies on decorating for the holidays?
AMY: Because I’m always a guest at Thanksgiving, I get to invest more in the Christmas house, but I also really pay attention to what’s happening outside. One of the most beautiful things I ever saw was at my friend’s mom’s house for Thanksgiving: she had gone outside and gathered these big dried leaves, not quite maple but something similar, and that was her entire table setting. Just leaves and two tapered candles. It was so simple and so pretty.
I’ve been dabbling in flower pressing, and because of that I’ve realized how much the season shapes what you notice. I only take things from walks, so it keeps me really tuned in: what’s blooming, what’s dried, what would make a lovely tablescape moment. Those little foraged things mark the shift as much as the big ones. It all feels very ephemeral, and that’s what I love: it changes every year.
TODD: We host Thanksgiving most years, and we always try to have the tree up before everyone arrives. It rarely happens that way, but that’s the intention. After Thanksgiving, we kind of coast through the rest of the holidays. I love decorating with real wreaths and garland, they feel the most celebratory and tangible to me. Amy’s right, it’s the ephemerality of it all, that reminder that you can’t do it all — just stay sane and go with what actually gets done.
Pictured above: On the left, our Coquille Shower Curtain. On the right, our Cotton Percale Sheet Set, Medallion Quilt, Maia Lamp, Bulb Vase, Heirloom Nightstand & a tray by Ariel Clute.
When you’re hosting, what’s the first thing you do to make your homes feel guest-ready? Are there certain items you always keep on hand for guests that make their stay feel thoughtful and easy?
TODD: I always take a shower in the guest shower so I know that everything works. No one wants to complain at your house if something’s wrong. Then I do a sweep — hand towels, notepad, incense, tissues, a wastebasket — all the little things that make someone feel at home for several days. For me it’s about taking that moment to really think about who’s coming and kind of celebrate and feel grateful that we can host. After living in tiny New York apartments for so long, hosting people feels like such a luxury that I consider myself grateful to be able to do.
AMY: The kitchen has to be stocked. I try to have coffee, milk, and any preferred beverages (for my dad it’s beer) on hand. It’s about creature comforts. I like putting chilled sparkling waters in there before people arrive. It’s really about eliminating the ask. And sometimes it’s literally asking people after their visit, “What did you need?” so you’re ready for the next time.
TODD: My mom is the queen of this. She’ll make a guest basket with toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, even sponges… she loves putting it all together. It really is an art.
AMY: I have a little “lending library” now. Before I did the guest room I had nowhere to put the novels i had already read, so they ended up on a ledge in the guest suite downstairs. Now when my mom visits she goes through four books! I love that they get a second life.
When you’re guests instead of hosts, what do you bring? Any go-to host gifts?
AMY: I never bring food unless requested, that’s always covered at my brother-in-law’s, so I’ve leaned into finding something fun or unexpected each year. One year I brought them the papier-mâché squirrel from HOUSEHOLD because they loved that collection. Lately I’m obsessed with that little glass vase — the flared one you can use for paperwhite or amaryllis bulbs. It’s $38, it’s tiny, it’s sweet. You bring flowers with it and no one could possibly be flustered..
TODD: For me, it’s the hand-painted taper candles by our friend Esme Saleh. They’re thoughtful, unexpected, and oh-so festive.
AMY: And honestly? A box of See’s chocolates always works. It feels indulgent in the right way. The factory store on South La Cienega is such a party. Going in before a gathering to grab a box always feels like an essential part of the experience.
Pictured above: A sneak peek at a special, guest ready arrival to our NK Collection — landing early 2026!
Are there any traditions – from childhood, your years of friendship, or something newer – that shape how you celebrate today?
AMY: Our family’s New Year’s Eve hang is the big one — cooking, playing the dice game. It’s been in my family for four generations. It’s like a white elephant but the gifts are good. Sometimes a little saucy. You wrap everything and pile it in the middle. You go around and roll the dice, and if you get doubles, you pick a gift. Then there’s the timer round where you can steal things. It gets absolutely chaotic.
One year someone brought a $100 fitness band (completely not the assignment) and everyone wanted it. Another year people went wild over a mini flashlight. You never know what’s going to be the coveted thing.
TODD: I love that some traditions travel, evolve, but don’t totally disappear. Like Amy, your family used to get together in Chicago, and now you all go to Mexico, but you still ice sugar cookies every year.
AMY: It’s sweet to keep that continuity. This year I’ll also be bringing a Heather Taylor tablecloth for those cookies, that’s going to work perfectly in Mexico!
TODD: We also still bring out sentimental pieces. We have this hand-tooled Portuguese tablecloth Aunt Val found at a flea market that comes out every year!
After the holiday whirlwind, how do you unwind and reset your space?
TODD: That quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s is my favorite. Every year there’s a closet or storage space that gets an overhaul and I update photo albums.
AMY: It’s such a peaceful time, time doesn’t exist in that week. It’s the only real quiet we get all year! It feels so good to reset everything before January hits.
Pictured above: Heiwa Cottage, designed by Nickey Kehoe – the perfect, quiet escape after a long holiday season. Photographed by Roman Tyukayev
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