Start of the Season

We asked some of our favorite designers and tastemakers from coast to coast to share what signals the start of the holiday season for them

We asked some of our favorite designers and tastemakers from coast to coast to share how they celebrate the holidays.

What signals the start of the holiday season to you?

Click the arrows (or swipe if on a mobile device) to see more
"As crazy as it sounds, the season gets kicked off when I break out my plaid sport jackets. I really am “mad for plaid.” I can’t get enough of it—in fashion and in home décor."—Barclay Butera
Photo by Ryan Garvin
"I have a “Christmas in July” kind of moment when we shoot the products in my holiday line, but the holidays officially arrive when I bring out the Thanksgiving platters, linens and accessories. All of the ornaments and Christmas objects are unpacked and ready for decorating by the first of December."—Suzanne Kasler
Photo by Brian Bieder
"I know holiday time is in full swing when I see my favorite hellebores blooming. And when my clients start frantically calling for help with last minute, preholiday party touch-ups!"—Michelle Nussbaumer
Photo by Ivora Obrazy/istockphoto
"In New Orleans, we kick off the holiday season with a drive down St. Charles Avenue to see the beautifully decorated homes and the streetcars adorned with wreaths rattling on the tracks."—Jane Scott Hodges
start of the holiday season
"I own a boutique in Palm Beach, and things really get Christmasy when the holiday items begin to arrive. We place these orders in May, so it’s exciting to unwrap them and rediscover their beauty all over again."—Leta Austin Foster
tammy connor
"Since childhood, my Christmas season has begun when the white lights are strung and turned on, illuminating the oak tree in Birmingham’s Mountain Brook Village. I am always sad when they are turned off after the New Year."—Tammy Connor
Photo by J. Savage Gibson

Written and Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux

More Questions for Holiday Tastemakers

Don’t miss Flower magazine’s ultimate guide to holiday celebrations!