The first time my brother and I tried to hang Christmas lights together, we didn’t talk for the rest of the day. The second time we tried, a heated debate on how to do it best ensued. The third time? Well, we just passed on hanging Christmas lights altogether for the sake of family harmony.
Sound familiar? Holiday decorating, planning and cooking often comes with all the joy (and all of the stress!) that Santa’s sleigh can carry. This season, let’s leave the heavy lifting at the North Pole and shoot for the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny Kaye.
In order to help solve your holiday mishaps, Shop TODAY editors spoke with various experts to spill the tea (I mean, hot cocoa) on all things holiday hacks. Whether you're running into issues while decorating, hosting or preparing Christmas dinner, we have top-notch guidance that'll help.
Decoration hacks | Cooking hacks | Hosting hacks | Gift-giving hacks | Storage hacks | How we chose | Meet the experts
Holiday decoration hacks
For the Christmas tree
Sprucing up the holiday tree looks like a no-brainer when you're watching HGTV, but it’s a whole different experience when it’s just you and your family with no Martha Stewart in sight.
According to interior designer Jessica Corbin-Mahaney of Kittles Design Studio in Indianapolis, Indiana, making this year’s tree shimmer and shine won’t require a bunch of extra dollars or enrollment in a decorating master class. It'll just take a little vision, and maybe a little extra greenery.
“The first thing I recommend is coming up with a theme and sticking to it,” says Corbin-Mahaney. A theme doesn’t have to be flashy or frilly, it could be as simple as family ornaments, a particular color, or even your favorite holiday movie, shares Corbin-Mahaney.
Once your family has found your tree’s theme, it’s time to give that tree a glow up.
“I like to add different garlands, ribbons and sprigs of evergreen to make trees feel full,” says Corbin-Mahaney. “Plus, fresh sprigs of evergreen add an easy and elegant touch anywhere, they also always smell amazing!," says Corbin-Mahaney.
Wondershop Shatter-Resistant Christmas Tree Ornaments (Set of 20)
Worried about broken ornaments this holiday season? It happens, but thanks to these shatter-resistant globes, it'll happen less often. These are made with plastic, so they're less likely to break when bumped off the tree by a pet.
R N' D Toys Tree Ornament Hooks
Jess Bender, a senior editor at Shop TODAY, recommends these ornament hooks which can revive ornaments that've lost hooks throughout the years. She says, "I have a lot of baubles from childhood I inherited last year with missing hooks, so these did me a solid."
Thirsty Light Christmas Tree Water Sensor
If you have a live Christmas tree in your home, you have to make sure you’re taking care of it. If you don’t have a green thumb, though, this water sensor will remind you when it’s time to water the tree when it blinks red. It can be suspended from a branch just like an ornament.
Scentsicles O Christmas Tree Scented Christmas Ornaments
Bender also recommends these scented ornaments and says, "If you want to give the illusion of a real tree without having one, these scent sticks did the trick for me last year with my Target tree."
Ornament Anchor (Pack of 24)
Flimsy metal hooks sometimes aren’t enough to hold your favorite Christmas ornaments on the tree. These unique ornament anchors fasten to branches using a loop-and-pull system, rather than a hook, so you can breathe easy knowing sentimental pieces won’t fall off the tree.
Joewuzun Christmas Tree Watering Funnel
Watering your real Christmas tree might feel like a burden (until now, that is). With the help of this clever funnel, you'll be able to water your tree from an easily accessible spout that sits within the branches.
Treemote Wireless Remote for Christmas Trees
Accessing the outlet behind your tree to turn the lights on and off might not be an easy job, so this device exists to help you do it with the push of a button. After you plug your tree lights into the outlet once, you can enjoy the convenience of the remote for the rest of the season.
Ornament Anchor Ornament Hooks
Never smash another ornament again with these heavy-duty ornament anchors. According to the brand, these hooks secure snuggly over the branch and can hold up to 10 pounds, so you don’t have to worry about them sliding off or getting knocked down by curious pets.
For the lights
If you’re looking for an extra “wow” factor, the answer is lights, lights and more lights, adds Corbin-Mahaney.
“Adding additional lights, wrapping them around individual branches adds drama and sparkle,” shares Corbin Mahaney.
Speaking of lights, nothing can spell disaster for me and mine more than decorating with them. The what, where and how of light décor always leads to debate (well... until now, all thanks to our experts).
“I like to add lights all over the house,” says Corbin-Mahaney. “The battery-operated LED twinkle lights are my favorite. You can put them on timers, and choose the color and light pattern,” adds Corbin-Mahaney.
Whether you're lining your tree with lights or making your home sparkle with LEDs, there are products that can help make decorating an easy process.
Simple Living Solutions Ladderless Light Clips
These clips are compatible with all types of string lights and can attach to most gutters or shingles when you use the included adaptors. If you have a threading pole handy, you don’t have to break out the ladder to decorate the house — these 50 clips make it possible to do it all from the ground.
LightKeeper PRO Holiday Light Repair Tool
There’s always that one lightbulb on the string that has gone dim, but it’s not always easy to find. This smart tool features a trigger that not only helps to replace bulbs with the press of a button, but also has a voltage detector that alerts you of a dim light, so you don’t have to waste any time searching for it.
Philips Battery-Operated LED Micro Lights
These battery-operated LED fairy lights will help you add a pop of color (or a spot of holiday warmth) to nearly any area in your home. Equipped with a 6- and 18-hour timer, you can set the scene for your holiday mood.
EverSprout 5-to-13 Foot Utility Hook
This pole measures up to 18-feet long when standing and can be used to hang lights during the holidays, but will also prove useful when closing tall vents, hanging clothing and more.
For the wreaths
When it comes to holiday décor, there really isn’t anything you can do wrong (and nothing you can’t decorate), says Corbin-Mahaney.
“I like pulling down art and adding wreaths during the holidays,” says Corbin-Mahaney. “I also like adding wreaths in front of mirrors, windows and stairs,” recommends Corbin-Mahaney.
Village Lighting Company Door Protecting Holiday Wreath
One way to save your door from unwanted damage (while still keeping decorations up) is with this handy wreath protector, designed to cover the metal framing and keep your wreath from leaving scratches or dings. It even comes in green fabric to nicely blend in with your festive décor.
Zip-N-Hang Wreath Hanger
This clever hook allows you to hang your decorative wreath without the door damage from nails, over-the-door racks and tape. The brand says hanging is simple because the gadget has two clear and adjustable strings that loop around the corners of your door. They also mention that it can fit around most doors and it holds up to 10 pounds.
Holiday cooking hacks
For the menu
If you're like me and the holiday baking shows have filled you with culinary self confidence, take a minute, reset and remember that sometimes boiling water is a struggle.
Even if your cooking confidence is rightfully high, the holidays may not be the time of year to take a chance on your newest Pinterest find. When it comes to hacking your way through holiday cooking, stick to what you know, says Michael Christensen, Director of Culinary at Huse Culinary in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“Choose your and your guests’ favorites, but don’t make something just because you think it belongs on the table,” says Christensen. “If you prepare an item that your guests love, save the recipe in your archives for reference next year,” recommends Christensen.
For the meal planning
“Plan ahead,” says Christensen. “Ask yourself, do you have enough and appropriate size pans? Are your knives sharp? Do you have enough platters and are they clean?"
Also, in the land of preparation, build yourself a schedule for the days leading up to (and for the date of) your meal, offers Christensen. Holiday cooking is a dance, and needs to be properly timed and choreographed.
KITCHELLENCE 3-Stage Knife Sharpener
Christensen brings the question of whether or not your kitchen knives are sharp enough before beginning your holiday meal. If it's been a while (or if you're constantly cooking!), why not prep your utensils with this three-stage sharpener? It's designed for simple use with guided sharpening slots, as well as a sturdy handle.
Knock Knock All Out Of Grocery List Note Pad
Keep track of all the ingredients you need for your holiday grocery inventory with this helpful magnetic grocery notepad. Categorized and organized to do a lot of the mental work for you, this notepad will make that second trip to the grocery store far less likely.
IKEDAS Bamboo Cookbook Stand
“When it comes to baking, don’t guesstimate measurements. Baking is much more of a precise science than cooking,” says Christensen. One of Christensen’s own failsafes, this cookbook stand and conversion chart saves the holiday (or any day) when measuring is required.
Amazon Echo Dot (newest model)
“I always thank Alexa after a successful meal because she helps me tremendously with separate timers and keeping track of which timer is for what,” says Christensen. Beyond the ability to keep several timers, the Amazon Echo Dot can also play your favorite holiday tunes and control many of your home’s favorite smart devices just by giving a vocal command.
euflora Wireless Meat Thermometer
Another tool from Christensen’s toolkit, this wireless meat thermometer serves up the internal temperature and ambient temperature of your meal. With a speedy response time and solidified sensor accuracy, this thermometer will take the guesswork out of your holiday meal.
Holiday hosting hacks
If you're the host with the most, all of the family, and all of the holiday planning work is likely coming your way. If this thought makes your heart a flutter, there's no need to prepare for a four-alarm holiday emergency, says Gene Huddleson, the owner and event planner at Detail+Design in Indianapolis, Indiana. All you need to do is breathe, make a list and check it twice.
“Make lists: things to do, things to buy, things to grocery, etc.,” says Huddleson. “Also, inventory what you have on hand: your china, the alcohol, and your spices.” adds Huddleson.
These simple and easy planning steps will not only ease your mind, they will hopefully save you hurried and haggard trips back and forth to the store.
Chateau Spill Red Wine Stain Remover
The drink spill is inevitable at every family Christmas party — but your carpet or your linens don't have to suffer because of it. This highly-rated stain remover is praised by reviewers for how fast it works, and one recent reviewer wrote they "couldn't live without it!"
WDF Silver Dinnerware Set
Skip out on washing plates by hand and opt for disposable silverware that looks just as nice as your fine china. Once everyone finishes eating, you can enjoy the sight of an empty sink.
Uncommon Goods Compact Swivel Cheese Board with Knives
Charcuterie boards can take a party to the next level. This all-in-one compact swivel board makes presentation (and storage) easy, plus it comes with cheese knives to make serving a breeze.
Holiday gifting hacks
At Shop TODAY, we're kind of professionals when it comes to gift giving. Whether you're prepping holiday cards or spending the night wrapping, we have you covered with a few useful items.
Best Paper Greetings Holiday Money Cards (Set of 36)
So, you forgot to grab gifts for a few family members and need a backup plan? Everyone will always appreciate some extra cash. Keep these cards handy this season so you don’t have to show up empty-handed.
Goo Gone Adhesive Remover Spray Gel
When it comes to gifting, you likely don’t want the recipient to see the price tag. This innovative adhesive remover can help remove stickers off of packages and gifts, so you don’t have to worry about peeling it off yourself and leaving any residue behind. It also works on tree sap, candle wax, crayons, tape and more, which makes it worth having year-round.
The Original Little ELF Gift Wrap Cutter (Set of 2)
Thanks to this handheld gadget, wrapping presents has never been easier. It's designed to cut wrapping paper in one smooth glide across the surface, so you can finally retire the pair of scissors you use to trim gift-wrapping supplies each year.
Wrap Buddies Tabletop Gift Wrapping Tool
A nicely-wrapped present is sure to impress, and this workstation will help you do that. These clamps can attach right to your table for a sturdy gift-wrapping station that will prevent uneven wrapping. Plus, the clamps can hold rolls of tape — it doesn’t get more convenient than that.
Holiday storage hacks
Much like Clark Griswald’s amazing light display, all good holiday things must come to an end. Once the last gift has been opened and the cookie high starts to crash, it may be time to start thinking about the dreaded holiday cleanup and storage.
While the work has to get done, it doesn’t have to be a full on chore says Corbin-Mahaney. There are always the tried-and-true holiday storage tubs that easily and securely get the job done year after year.
“I like the plastic ornament bins with the dividers to help protect ornaments,” says Corbin-Mahaney. “Plastic wreath bins are nice as well! And don’t forget to get rid of the old decorations you don’t use!”recommends Corbin-Mahaney.
Pursell Manufacturing Christmas Tree Disposal and Storage Bag
It’s a joy to put the tree up, but not always as fun to get rid of it, when the time comes. This reusable polypropylene bag can hold trees that are up to 9 feet tall and can also act as a tree skirt
Whitmor Holiday Garland & Wreath Storage Bag
Don’t forget about your wreaths! This sturdy bag means you can keep your decorations safe and smoosh-free for the next 12 months.
mDesign Gift-Wrap Ribbon Box, Handles + Lid
Maintaining an organized wrapping station is easier than ever with this storage box designed to keep ribbons tangle-free and within arms reach. With separate ribbon holes and an interior rod to balance the spools, using and storing this box is a breeze.
Holiday Living Clear Plastic Ornament Storage Box
Keep your holiday ornaments safe and organized with this sturdy plastic storage container. Easy to keep and easy to stack, this durable storage container includes an ornament divider to store up to 54 ornaments.
Hearth & Harbor Wrapping Paper Storage Container
Francesca Cocchi Zabloudil, a senior partnerships editor at Shop TODAY, recommends storing wrapping paper in this container: "I love decorating for the holidays, but taking all the decorations down isn’t as fun. When my husband and I moved last year I decided it was time to finally buy some seasonal storage solutions, including this organizer. I use it to store rolls of wrapping paper, gift bags I want to reuse, greeting cards, bows, tags, sharpies and more. And the narrow shape makes it easy to tuck under a bed or on a shelf until I need it."
LotFancy Storage Ottoman Cube
Cleaning doesn’t always mean breaking out the mop and vacuum — sometimes you just have enough time to place things where guests can’t see them. Not only does this storage cube give you a place to put blankets and other random items you find around the house, but it can also act as an extra seat for guests when you’re out of chairs.
Frequently asked questions
With holiday clean up in mind, some of you may be wondering what’s the socially acceptable timeline for taking down the holiday scene (from a designer’s perspective, of course!).
According to Corbin-Mahaney, Taylor Swift is right: You can leave the Christmas lights up till January! The weekend after January 1st, that is.
However, there's no real rule around this. You can leave your Christmas lights up all year long if it makes you happy.
How we chose
Shop TODAY gathered insight from experts in the field on best practices and personal recommendations when it comes to holiday hacks. We also took into consideration information provided by verified purchasers of products recommended.
Meet the experts
- Jessica Corbin-Mahaney is an Interior Designer at Kittles Design Studio in Indianapolis, Indiana. Corbin-Mahaney’s work has been featured in Decorators’ Showhouse projects as well as in the Indianapolis Monthly magazine.
- Gene Huddleson is Owner and Planner of Detail+Design in Indianapolis, Indiana. With over 34 years of event experience, Huddleson has created extraordinary theme parties, lavish weddings and social events. An award winning Event Planner, Huddleson’s work has been featured in "Special Events Magazine," "The Indianapolis Monthly," "Martha Stewart Weddings" and others.
- Michael Christensen is Director of Culinary at Huse Culinary. Skilled in menu development and innovations, and restaurant operations, Christensen brings to the table over 27 years of experience.
