Christmas

The useful gift for someone who rents is something they can unplug and carry to the next place. A sofa that needs a drill is a gift for the landlord. Match the person, not a theme. Cold on the couch, no open flames allowed, cooks in a tiny kitchen, or just got the keys: those are four different presents. The person who is always cold A heated throw (on Amazon) lives on the couch, which is where a lot of apartment living actually happens. The Bedsure one linked here is 50 by 60 inches, faux fur on one side and sherpa on the other, with a timer and an auto shut-off. The color on that listing is a grey tie-dye. Cream, taupe and solid grey are on the same page if you want it quieter. It folds into a suitcase when they move. The listing says not to sleep on top of it, so it stays a lap blanket, not a bed layer. ...

A full artificial tree wants a base around four feet across. A slim one wants about 28 to 30 inches. Measure the gap you actually have, from the wall to the path you walk, and buy the tree that fits inside it. Under about 20 inches, skip the floor. A 2-foot tabletop tree (on Amazon) sits on a sideboard or the top of a bookcase. With 28 to 30 inches and an ordinary ceiling, shop a 6 or 6.5 foot pencil. Go to 7.5 feet only when a topper will not touch the ceiling. November is when the narrow sizes go first, so measure before you browse. ...

A small kitchen can feed a holiday table. It cannot do it if the oven and both burners are asked to finish at the same minute. Buy the things that cook while the oven is busy, then store without a second cabinet. The one that earns its counter space in January, not only on the 25th, is a 5 quart air fryer (on Amazon). The Ninja AF141 is a single basket with air fry, roast, reheat and dehydrate. The basket holds a tray of appetizers or a pan of vegetables while a roast has the oven. The machine is about 15 inches deep, 11 inches wide and 10 inches tall. If that spot on the counter is already a landing strip, it is the wrong appliance, however good the potatoes are. ...

A Christmas coffee bar is one corner of your kitchen set up for holiday drinks: mugs, syrups, a few toppings, and a little decoration. It’s handy all December, for slow weekend mornings, for guests, and for a cup of something before you wrap presents. You don’t need a big kitchen. One small section of counter or a cart is enough. Where to put it Pick a spot near the coffee maker or kettle, out of the main cooking area. If your counter is full, a three-tier rolling cart (on Amazon) works: machine on top, mugs and syrups in the middle, extras on the bottom. Roll it into the living room when friends come over. ...

“Christmas fireplace decor” is one of the top home searches on Pinterest this month, which is a bit unkind to the many of us who live in apartments without one. A fireplace gives a room a focus: somewhere for stockings, garland and a glow. You can build most of that feeling without a real fireplace. Here are the options, from the biggest to the smallest. An electric fireplace with a mantel The full version. An electric fireplace with a mantel surround (on Amazon) is a piece of furniture with a heater and a fake flame in the middle. It plugs into a normal outlet. You get a real mantel to decorate, a flickering glow, and some heat on cold evenings. ...

“Christmas lights on house” searches are up about 300% compared with last year. If you’re doing it yourself for the first time, the hardest part is planning, not hanging. Here’s the order to do it in. Plan the outline Walk outside and decide what you’ll light. Most houses look best with just one or two lines: The roofline, along the gutter. The edges of the porch or front door. Windows on the front of the house. Measure each length with a tape measure. Add a bit for going around corners and the run back to the outlet. ...

Door decorating contests are a December tradition in offices, schools and dorms, and searches for ideas are up sharply this month. A good contest door is bold enough to read from down the hall, and simple enough to put up in an afternoon. Before you start Measure the door. Most interior doors are 30 to 36 inches wide and 80 inches tall. Ask what you can stick to it. Many places don’t allow tape on painted doors. Painter’s tape or washi tape (on Amazon) is usually safe; packing tape often pulls paint off. Ask about fire rules. Some buildings don’t allow paper covering the whole door, or anything near the handle. The easiest winner: wrap it like a present Cover the door in wrapping paper or kraft paper (on Amazon), then add a giant ribbon cross and a big bow. A wide wired ribbon (on Amazon) holds its shape. Add a gift tag with the team’s name. ...

Searches for office Christmas decorations jump every November. If you spend most of your day at a desk, a little decoration there does more for your mood than another thing at home you see for an hour each evening. The trick at work is to stay small, tidy and easy to take down. Check first Before buying anything, find out: Whether your office allows plug-in lights. Many don’t, because of fire rules. Battery lights are almost always fine. Whether you can attach things to walls or cubicle panels. Whether there are rules about candles, real greenery or scents. Assume no. A small tree A 2 ft tabletop tree (on Amazon) fits on most desks without getting in the way. Pre-lit and battery powered is the easiest. If your desk is tiny, a set of bottle-brush trees (on Amazon) grouped in one corner gives the same feeling in less space. ...

Whoville-style decor takes its cue from storybook Christmas: curvy, crooked shapes, candy colors, everything a bit too big or a bit off-balance. It’s popular every year around the holidays, especially with families with kids, and it’s an extreme version of the whimsical trend. It’s not a look for a minimalist. It’s for people who want their apartment to feel like a cartoon in December. Curves and lean The defining feature is shape. Nothing is straight. ...

The bedroom often gets left out at Christmas because it’s not where guests go. But it’s where you start and end every December day, and “Christmas bedding ideas” searches on Pinterest are up about 300% on last year. It’s also the easiest room to change: it’s mostly textiles. Start with a plain base A white or cream duvet cover (on Amazon) is the best base for holiday bedding because anything festive you add will stand out. If you already have one, you’re halfway there. ...