I recycle and you should too. I’m way too busy with tree skirts and holiday parties to tend to my château right now. Maybe you read this last year. Maybe not. I love you all. See you in January.

xxx, M.

If you’re going to put gifts under my tree, you’d better coordinate them because my perfectly harmonized bundles of beauty will not be sharing space with dancing elves and santas on surfboards. I’ll just fake a smile and shove that shit to the back.

Gifts are like little throw pillows under your tree. You want a nice mix of pattern and color but not too much. Here are a few tips that will make your gifts look fabulous and completely intimidate all of your friends.

A) Three colors, max. Think red, pink and white. Or silver and orange. You get the picture.
B) Mix in patterns. A couple geometrics (stripe, chevron), one natural – think floral or toile.
C) Coordinate solid grosgrain or satin ribbon in the same colors. Throw that curlicue crap OUT.
D) Top each gift with something you found in your yard. Berries, boxwood, pinecones. Et voila.

Last year I used teal, magenta and silver, and it was like Disco Inferno under the tree. This year, it’s classic all the way – green, red, gold with a bit of burlap thrown in, because burlap goes with everything.