Interior designer and TV personality Joanna Gaines has opened up about the “rebellious” way that she is taking control of her Christmas celebrations—explaining why she has already started slowing down for the holiday season.
The 47-year-old “Fixer Upper” star, who lives in Waco, TX, shared how she unwinds for the holidays in the winter issue of Magnolia Journal.
She noted that she always prioritizes a “slow Christmas” season to allow her to relax and spend some quality time with her family.
“I’ve learned I’ll have to fight for these next few months as the tendency to keep hustling blurs my reach for Christmas as it should be.
“It isn’t always so easy in a season that can pull us in lots of directions. Where the peace we long for, the time back we’ve earned, is constantly at war with expectations of more,” she said.
She noted that she will be going against the grain and opting for a life of peace instead of continuing her usual hustle.
“I’ll be the first to admit that I’m generally a do-whatever-it-takes kind of girl. It’s in my nature … but Christmas? This is when I want to rebel against my own nature and rebel against the voices in our culture telling me it won’t be the day of my dreams if I’m not out there hustling,” she added.
And, Gaines takes her relaxation time extremely seriously, so much so that she begins declining invitations as early as November.
“For me, the slowdown starts in November—by saying no. No to the hurry. No to the stress of doing things that don’t fill my cup. No to the temptation to do more. Because we know that time doesn’t double for those who run faster. It disappears,” the home expert admitted.
The mom explained that she prioritized this mindset after overexerting herself during the holiday season and missing crucial moments with her family.
“I have spent the day I waited for all year waiting for it to be over. Wondering why I let the moments that mean the most slip through overworked hands. … But Christmas stripped down is what I’m after,” Gaines noted.
During her relaxation time, Gaines focuses on transforming her sprawling dwelling into a winter wonderland fit for Mr. Claus himself.
“Early November is the longest I can wait. By then, I’m already pining for scents of cinnamon and nutmeg. For twinkle lights that catch my eye and Bing Crosby on the turntable. I’m longing to unpack every moment and memory of holidays past,” she said of when she begins her decoration journey.
And, Gaines noted that you shouldn’t worry about reusing the same decor as last year, noting that she rarely changes her trinkets out.
“The way we deck the halls at the farm doesn’t change much year to year. For me, this season isn’t about introducing a lot of new but about celebrating the old, the passed-down, the patiently waited for,” the designer said.
She also shared her secrets for decorating several areas in your home, including your entryway, sitting area, tree, mantel, tablescape, wreaths, and how you can set up a hot cocoa bar.
Speaking about the entryway, she said, “I like to have my entryway feel festive since it’s the first thing you see when you walk into our house. Here, I kept it simple, but still sentimental, with a couple of winter village houses I found nearly 15 years ago and a Norfolk pine wreath that I like to hang on top of our large vintage gate.”
“Our sitting area is one of the first spaces you see when you step into our home, so I like to keep it neutral but still very festive. The tree always gets dressed up with tinsel and my collection of mercury ornaments, and this year I was inspired by a sense of storybook nostalgia so I enclosed vintage books and moss inside a large cloche. The garland down the staircase is a yearly tradition, and in recent years, I’ve loved the addition of velvet ribbon,” she added referring to the sitting area.
When it comes to the tree, Gaines noted, “The family tree is the Christmas hero in our living room. Chip can get pretty passionate about having a real tree, though when the day comes and I watch him and the boys lug a 14-foot pine into the house and onto its stand, I’ll be honest, I’m often thinking about how easy and efficient a fake one would be. … But then—when we’ve hung the last ornaments and we watch the strands of twinkle lights go from dark to light—I am always glad to have given this tree so much attention. Every ornament is a memory, and all together, they tell the story of our family over the past 25 years.”
As for the mantel and the tablescape, she said, “The mantel is another place I love to dress up. Garland is a must, with its deep green hue and heavy pine scent. The layer of dried oranges is a nod to ‘Little Women,’ one of my favorite winter stories. Hung above a crackling fire, it adds to the feeling of nostalgia.
“This will be our second Christmas dinner in our new dining room, and because we don’t eat meals there nightly, I like to keep it decorated all season long with ribbon-wrapped tapers and a floral arrangement that’s a bit more dramatic than what I’d typically display—but just right for the holidays.”
Although it seems small, Gaines noted that she has an “obsession” with wreaths, adding that they can really add to the festive spirit of a house.
“If you haven’t noticed, I have a small obsession with wreaths this time of year. I’ll hang one up just about anywhere: on a mirror, a window, a door,” Gaines said.
Lastly, she spoke about how you can transform one area of your home into a mouthwatering dessert stop.
“Since my kids were little, I’ve always set out a hot cocoa bar. Making a cup is still their favorite thing to do when they get home from school or, honestly, at the first sign of a winter chill. I love watching them make it their own. This year I got to set up the bar in our new butler’s pantry,” she said.
Gaines and her husband, Chip, 50, previously took to Instagram to show off their upcoming series, “Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House,” which hit TV screens Oct. 28.
In addition to showing off the projects they would be taking on, they also revealed that a special guest would be joining them—their daughter Ella.
Speaking about the decision to buy the Colorado mountain house, Gaines said, “Now, we’ve made this annual trek to the mountains for more than a decade, and somewhere along the way Chip and I started to wonder if Colorado was meant to be a bigger part of our family’s future.
“With the kids getting older and going off to colleges in different directions, we kind of loved the idea of having a central place where we could all gather together, a place with all the same comfort and intention and care as the farmhouse in Waco.
“Beyond a gathering place for our own family, I could see our parents and extended families here on weekend getaways, wanderlusting their hearts out. And friends who feel like family making themselves at home.
“I could see this place outliving us, housing our kids and their families on spring breaks decades from now. … From a practical perspective, the house had just the right blend of good bones and square footage that we love in a project—not to mention a classically rustic, cozy cabin feel that we could easily sink into,” she explained.
And, the mom noted she was overjoyed that she got to share the experience with Ella, adding that it made the project that much better.
“Over the past few years, Ella has really come into her own when it comes to developing her own personal style. I love her eye, so I asked her to design the small cottage adjacent to the main house. It was so sweet to share this experience with her before she went off to college,” the mom gushed.
While Gaines and Ella focused on the cottage, Chip and their sons focused on fishing behind the property.
“You can take the boys out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the boys. Chip and Crew love fishing together at home, but this river behind the property is the dreamiest spot for them to practice a new hobby: the art of fly fishing,” she explained.
The Magnolia Journal Winter 2025 Issue hits newsstands on Friday, Nov. 14 and can be purchased online now at Magazines.com.