Recently I had the opportunity to catch up with friend Emily Dinwiddie, founder of the popular lifestyle blog Eleven Gables, when she came to Dallas for a Frontgate collaboration! I was able to convince her to give us a little peek into Christmas past at her beautiful Oklahoma City home and share some of her family’s favorite holiday traditions.

Emily is a wife, mom to four boys, gardener, decorator, and “jane-of-all-trades”. She is one of our former Holiday Tastemakers, an annual tradition here at The Glam Pad where we share the chicest gift guide of the season, compiled by 20 of the nation’s leading designers, artists, and purveyors of good taste. And she has been named Better Homes and Gardens Stylemaker six years in a row! We are thrilled to welcome Emily back today!

Q:  Are there any themes you envision when decorating for Christmas? Traditional/classic, blue and white, etc?

A:  The theme of my Christmas decor varies throughout my home. In our family room, we have the family tree that we hang the boys’ homemade and collected ornaments on. The paper chain was made by their tiny hands over fifteen years ago. I have a special box I store it in year to year so it doesn’t get smashed. It is truly a treasure. This is the tree I reserve for traditional reds and greens.

Q:  What are some of your family’s favorite holiday traditions?

A:  Christmas traditions start and end with observing Advent each Sunday for the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation of our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day. Other traditions include decorating the family tree together, making my recipe for spicy Chex mix, baking and decorating sugar cookies, decorating a gingerbread house, and shopping for small gifts for one another.

Q:  Any tips for Christmas decorating you can share?

A:  My favorite tip for decorating is stocking up on command hooks! I use them all over the house.