For Emberli Pridham, author of a delightful children’s book series on real life princess and co-author of best-selling STEM books, life at Christmastime is a real-life fairytale. Emberli is an interior design enthusiast who commissioned renowned designer Jan Showers to design her former Dallas home and for the ground-up renovation of her family’s new home in Rhode Island. The Glam Pad adores Emberli’s glamorous aesthetic, her passion for entertaining and celebrating life, and her generous heart.

We are delighted to welcome Emberli today for a Q&A and a trip back in time to Christmas Past with a tour of her former Dallas home, and a peek inside her new home in Rhode island… Welcome Emberli!

Q:  Tell me about your vision when it comes to decorating for the holidays.

A:  I love everything about the holidays—especially Christmas! When I was a little girl, I would help my grandmother put up her tree and decorate her home. Those memories are so special to me, and they’re the inspiration behind the touches of vintage Christmas you’ll find throughout our home today.

I remember her colorful lights and the 1950s cherry-red Santas she used on her heavily flocked tree. Because of that, I ended up going on eBay and collecting every 1950s vintage Santa I could find, and I decorated our entryway tree with them all. It brings me so much joy and reminds me of the Christmas magic I fell in love with as a child.

Q:  How many Christmas trees do you have and how do you come up with the themes?

A:  We have several Christmas trees in our home, and each one has its own special theme depending on the room it’s in. Christmas is such a magical time, and we love making every space feel special!

Q:  What are your favorite family holiday traditions?

A:  When I was young, my parents were ministers near Mexico and at Christmas we would bring gifts to an orphanage. That experience shaped me, and I want to pass that spirit of giving on to our children. With that said one of our favorite family traditions is participating in the Salvation Army Angel Tree each year. Our children each pick an angel and shop for the child they chose.We also bring cookies and dinner to our local police and fire departments to say thank you for all they do—especially during the holidays. It’s so important to us that they learn to think of others during this time of year.

Another tradition we adore is our annual Christmas Party. It’s something we look forward to every year, with ice skating, Santa Claus, and Gingerbread House decorating. This year, we’re even adding a sleigh ride! Now that we live in Rhode Island, everything feels extra magical, especially when we get snow.

Lastly on Christmas Eve, our kids exchange a gift they’ve made for each other. And on Christmas morning, we continue the tradition my parents started—we put whipped cream in our kids’ stockings. It’s silly and fun, and they love it!

Q:  How long have you lived in Rhode Island, and did you work with Jan Showers on this home? How does she inspire your Christmas decorating?

A:  We’ve been living in Rhode Island full-time since the summer of 2023. We rebuilt our house from the ground up—a special four-year project that we’re finally finishing in 2025. It means so much to us, and partnering with Jan Showers on each room brought our entire vision to life. It’s truly everything we wanted in a home.

Jan has always inspired me with her incredible style and design eye. She’s taught me so much about curating a home, styling spaces, and placing accessories thoughtfully—skills that definitely come in handy when decorating for Christmas!

We also partner with Navy Blooms in Dallas, and its one of the been best gifts. As a mom of four, I don’t have much time to decorate like I use too. So we usually take a fun trip to Maine with the kids while the Navy Blooms team comes in and transforms our home into a Christmas Globe! I give them my vision, and they make the magic happen!

Q:  Any tips for others who want to infuse a little glam into their holiday décor?

A:  Absolutely! Add color, add sparkle, and don’t be afraid to incorporate pieces you love. Let your decorations reflect your personality. For example, I adore ballet, so in our bedroom we created a Swan Lake ballerina tree—and it’s one of my favorites. Use what you love!

Thank you, Emberli, for joining us today! We loved revisiting your gorgeous Dallas home (tour sans Christmas here) and peeking inside your new Rhode Island home! We cannot wait to see more!

For more, please follow Emberli Pridham on Instagram @emberbrooke and make sure to check out her collection of princess books, perfect for the little princess in your life! You will also want to pick up a copy of Jan Shower’s latest book, The Glamorous House.

And for all of your last-minute Christmas shopping needs, please see Emeberli’s Shopping Guide here, as she is one of our 2025 Christmas Tastemakers!