Let’s talk about giving every surface in the house a little holiday spirit. Our dog had some fun with the mantel—as she often does—and, since she’s prone to sharing the play-by-play of her surface switch-ups around the holidays, you better hold onto your hats. The festive spirit spread quickly: the console table and the built-ins didn’t stand a chance.

The mantel makeover was straightforward. I hung the stockings by the chimney with care, and I stacked some faux presents I made a while back on the mantel. A glittered stag sits atop the little pile; it was an inexpensive ornament we picked up during a shopping trip. I bought two so they wouldn’t be lonely.

In case anyone wondered, Burger didn’t miss out—there are three stockings visible, but the adults share one. Each of our kids has their own special stocking.

Next I turned to the console table by the door. That swap was quick and fun. I brought down a few feather trees from the attic storage along with a small faux evergreen I’ve had for years, and then filled the glass-based lamp with silver ornaments. A bowl of ornaments sat on top of silvery-blue books to add more sparkle, and I tucked a ceramic partridge-like bird inside a glass dome with a large green ornament to echo the color of the trees, the artwork, and the console itself.

Feeling merry, I hauled the bag of holiday accessories into the kitchen to make a few cheerful tweaks there as well. I put a few hot-pink ornaments—ones I once turned into fridge magnets—to hold up holiday cards on the refrigerator. On the open shelves I filled the cake plate with silver ornaments and placed another small bird figure nearby for a touch of whimsy.

Then came the built-ins. I wanted to add subtle holiday nods without overhauling everything, so I introduced pops of red that paired wonderfully with the deep teal back wall: faux poppies, a red book, and a large round ornament. A big green ornament and several silver balls arranged in a hurricane vase on the lower shelf helped balance the display.

The opposite side of the built-ins got its own festive touches too: red coral, a small knitted red cactus, more silver balls tucked into another hurricane vase, a faux clam shell filled with smaller ornaments, and a tiny ornament placed in honor of Burger. Little details like that make the space feel personal and playful.

Up close, some of the smaller ornaments steal the show. A tiny chihuahua ornament in a green bowl always makes us laugh—it’s unexpectedly hilarious every time we see it. We actually styled this side of the built-ins similarly for a magazine shoot earlier in the season, though that version included a few additional holiday items requested by the editors for the holiday issue. The mini Burger ornament proved useful during that shoot as well; it helped keep Clara’s attention long enough to capture the moment.

With these updates, the list of holiday tasks is starting to look a lot shorter. Some items are done, and others are still on the radar:

• Set up the big tree (we’re leaning toward a gradient look)
• Get a live tabletop tree again and try a new ornament idea this year
• Decorate the mantel, the built-ins, and the entryway console
• Hang the outdoor lights and decorate the front porch
• Shoot our annual holiday photo of Clara and Burger
• Make an advent calendar for Clara—time’s ticking!
• Shop for or make the remaining gifts on our Christmas list (about 80% done)

We already checked the annual Clara & Burger photo off the list; the shoot is wrapped and I can’t wait to share the final image after the cards go out so we don’t spoil anyone’s surprise. And no—it’s not a pregnancy announcement.

Who else is decking the halls? I’d love to hear what little touches other people are adding this year. Whether it’s a single glittered ornament, a handful of silver balls, or an entire themed mantel, those small festive choices are what make a home feel like the holidays.