I feel like every year I am running behind on the holiday rush. No matter how hard I try to order my holiday cards in September (which seems wrong by the way) and do my Christmas shopping throughout the year, I still a race against that Christmas clock. This year I went on a family vacay after Thanksgiving and came home to a city full of decor and a home that is decidedly unfestive. I am super busy with my work getting clients ready for the holiday rush and preparing for the huge Art Basel Sample sale I am co-producing, so this year I needed to find some Shortcuts to Fabulous festive feel with in under an hour. Here are my tips for holiday decorating in a hurry on a budget:

• Stick with a theme and simple color palette. I have had the same decor theme for years. Creme, Gold and Silver. It is clean, classic, timeless and can utilize many year round decor items. This makes shopping for holiday decor easier and gives you a little flexibility to be sloppy because monotone color themes are more forgiving.
• Get a pre-lit artificial tree. We bought one a few years ago and it literally changed my life. I promise you wont miss stringing lights. If you are one of those people who has to have a “real tree” why not have your large tree artificial and get a small real tree…imagine how much easier clean up will be! This year, I strung large ribbon around the tree, added gold, silver and cream balls and tucked sparkly sprigs I found at a floral shop in the branches and called it a day. The tree looks great and it was done in under 45 minutes.
• Get Festive with your Soaps. This year I am putting my bathrooms in the holiday spirit with nothing more than holiday themed fancy liquid soaps I got at Marshalls for $4.99. They are really elegant soaps and that is just enough to let the world know I am not a grinch.
• Choose Simple Swaps. Find simple pieces in your decor that you can easily swap out for a holiday themed items. Switch your everyday candles to holiday candles that match your holiday decor color scheme, wall decor for holiday themed decor or better yet holiday photos. I frame all of our photograph holiday cards from the last five years and replace the painting over our electrical box with that collage during the holidays. You can find something to swap in every room in the house. In the kitchen find a nice ceramic holiday themed cookie jar and lay on the counter….voila…your kitchen is decorated.

• Find simple sparkly little trees that require no decorating. I am super in love with the Confetti System Twist Open trees above from West Elm on sale for $13.99 and $19.99. They abstract spin on the classic evergreen, these glittering Confetti System Twist-Open Trees are not only decorative, they also have something to hide—untwist their tops to open, fill with candy, jewelry or other treats, then re-seal with a twist. Buy a few of these, group them on your buffet table with some candles and voila…instant Christmas.
• Tie a bow around it. I have some wide rim wire ribbon in my holiday themed colors and I tie robin in a nice bow shape around everyday decor items I already have display to add a festive feel.