Holiday Tips from the Pros!

Well, the holidays are upon us and I love seeing all of the fabulous decorations and décor! My blog this week has the Top Holiday Tips from the Pros. They cover every aspect of the season: hair, makeup, entertaining, cooking, décor and more. I hope you will find them as helpful as I have!
 
For the past eight years, I’ve been lucky enough to have my friend, Jeff Jonen, and his crew of elves, Scot Sauer and Andrew Bundy, help me install my Christmas decorations. We always do it the day after Thanksgiving and it’s so much fun. We laugh, work and eat donuts and Christmas cookies until we’re all sick but it is so worth it. Our neighbors even call to thank us! I’m now passing his information along to you because he can do anything, is very creative and is a joy to work with. His magical shop, Fresh or Faux, is filled with all manner of flowers and plants – as the name states – fresh and faux! Maybe next year you will make your neighbors happy, too!  The following are Jeff Jonen’s top five tips for holiday decorating:

1)    Mix fresh with faux. Who’s gonna know? Fresh pine arranged with faux flowers like tulips and amaryllis will make a stunning centerpiece that will last all season.
2)    Reinvent your holiday décor by displaying familiar decorations in new locations. 
3)    Use a foot switch to turn on hard to reach holiday lights.
4)    Your holiday décor should tell a story. Ask relatives for old Christmas decorations (they usually throw them out) and display them in a grouping to portray a family history of Christmas past.
5)    Shop for next year this year! Have a concept in mind for a holiday display and purchase items after Christmas for a fraction of the cost. When you bring them out next year, all will be new and with extravagant savings!

Photos from top left: John Gerald, Scot Sauer, Jeff Jonen and Andrew Bundy; toy soldier decorations in front of my home; my backyard decorated in white lights by Jeff Jonen and his team

The following are tips from party planner extraordinaire, Greg Hyder (catering director for the Peninsula). His holiday parties are on everyone’s hope-to-be-invited list.
1)    Get organized. Proper preparation makes a great soiree so have a timetable, be realistic and set attainable deadlines.
2)    Conceptualize. How do you envision the party? Casual, formal, theme inspired, over-the-top or understated?
3)    Plan the mood and settings. Aromas, music, ambiance. Think about your favorite holiday memories and use these to make your event memorable for others. Use creative ideas to make little “wows” for each guest.
4)    Don’t wait until the last minute! Do as much as possible ahead of time, especially tedious tasks like polishing silver, etc. A rested host is a good host!
5)    Have FUN!! If you are at ease, your guests will be, too! No stress, just smiles!

Photo: Greg Hyder

Chef Art Smith is our local treasure. Not only is his restaurant, Table 52, rated one of the best in the country, his Common Threads organization is a godsend for many children across the country. Here are his expert tips for the holidays:
1)    Buy a live tree and plant it in your yard or buy a smaller one for your terrace. No one ever remembers to water a Christmas tree!
2)    Collect tree ornaments. They are more charming than having the hot design of the year.
3)    Don’t forget the pets! They remember….
4)    Make the freezer your best friend. Most great holiday foods can be kept fresh and preserved. I love an ice box fruit cake!
5)    A delicious juicy Allen Brothers rib roast is a wonderful Chicago tradition.
6)    Discover the cheese ball again! Homemade is better!

Photo: Art Smith

Nicole Jacob is the go-to makeup artist for many of the area’s high-profile women. She was pictured in W Magazine recently and named as “the one to watch” and “be prepared for waitlist status.” You can find her at the Paul Rehder Salon at 939 N. Rush St. Added bonus: her own cosmetic line is FABULOUS!
1)    Please don’t wear red lipstick just because of the holiday. It looks awful on most people.
2)    If you want to be festive with color, change your eyeliner. Blue, purple and grey are all great colors for now.
3)    The most important tip is MASCARA! There is no better way to say this: If you wear no makeup, light makeup or glam makeup, LOAD, LOAD, LOAD on the mascara. Everyone I’ve ever come across is always too light handed with this. We’ll never beat Tammy Faye so don’t be scared. Even better for special evenings are fake lashes!
4)    Bronzer. I think this is the most important product for winter. This is when we are the palest and need it the most.
5)    Lip gloss, lip gloss, LIP GLOSS! Everyday, all day. It makes us look younger at every age. Make sure it’s a light color—not too dark. I even wear it to bed; it makes me feel better.
6)    Always keep a clean brow, as a well-groomed brow gives a polished look.

(Bonus Tip! During the winter, we are extra dry. Under the eyes and on the face, use a drop of eye cream and mix it with your concealer and makeup. Apply it with clean fingers because they add natural oil. Instant glow and moisture for the skin.)

Photo: Nicole Jacob

Everyone knows and loves designer to the stars – and one of Oprah’s favorites – Nate Berkus. Besides being adorable, he has a whole new line of his fabulous home furnishings available at http://www.hsn.com. Now you can see his top tips for decorating for the season and beyond:
1)    Your sofa will have an "instant makeover" with new pillows and a throw.
2)    I love silver bowls filled with all one color solid ornaments mixed with votives on the table or fireplace.
3)    A little ethnicity goes a long way in setting the table. An African bowl lined with a linen napkin for bread, woven placemats mixed with your good china….go for contrast when setting the table.
4)   Never under estimate the allure of candles; they truly transform a space. Keep the lights low and remember, NO scented candles in the dining room…that should smell like food!!
5)   When guests or family come to stay, the nightstand in my guestroom always has three things: fresh flowers, a tray for jewelry and things you take out of your pockets, and a bottle of water.

Photo: Nate Berkus

Charles Ifergan, as you know, is my go-to guy for hairstyling. He has a world of knowledge that he has taught his wonderful staff and now he is sharing his top holiday hair styling tips with you:
1)    Look like yourself. Do not have a hairstyle that makes you feel it is not you.
2)    Tease your regular hair style – it gives it more of a “party look.”
3)    Even if you don’t usually use hair spray, do it for that night.
4)    Curls are big. On your next haircut appointment, ask your stylist to show you how to make soft curls with your curling iron or, better yet, a flat iron.
5)    A hair ornament gives any hair style a festive look.

Photo: Charles Ifergan

And finally, these are MY tips!!!  I know, I know….I’m not a pro but it’s my blog so here goes 🙂
1)     Don’t be afraid to wear a corny holiday sweater. It will make you and everyone else who sees you smile! Best ones can be found at The Country Ewe, Ltd.
2)    Candles, of course, but not just any candles: My two favorites are by Yankee Candle – Sparkling Pine and Silver Bells. They are like having Christmas trees in a jar!
3)     Feed the birds! It’s easy to feed your favorite songbirds like finches by going to Dominick’sand buying nyjer finch socks. They are filled and ready to hang on a tree branch or even on that empty plant hook on your patio. So easy and so kind.
4)    Holiday music should be on at all times when you’re home. My very favorite compilation of songs is called “Under the Mistletoe.” It has favorites by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson, Perry Como and more. 
5)    Instead of giving gifts this year to each other, ask your friends to donate to your favorite charity. Charities need your help now more than ever and it will teach your children the true gift of Christmas.

Bonus Tip! One of the BEST gifts I’ve found for the young and the “young at heart” under $25 has to be the latest 3-D (!!!) Polar Express DVD! If you haven’t already seen this classic Christmas movie in 3-D at the IMAX then you are in for a REAL treat! It even has four pairs of 3-D glasses included in the box! I am waiting for just the right snowy evening to watch it again; it was one of the biggest thrills of my Christmas movie watching life and you should share it with your loved ones, too. You will thank me later 🙂
 
Bonus Tip #2! Buy an ornament from every place at home or abroad that you travel to with friends or family. Then every year when you trim your tree, these wonderful memories will become fresh in your mind again.

Photo: me and Chuck in front of our Christmas tree with Mickey and Rooney
 
I hope these tips will help to make your holiday happy, healthy and fun-filled! God bless us, every one! 🙂