Nate Berkus shares holiday gifting and decorating tips

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Nate Berkus knows a thing or two about decking the halls.

And when it comes time to decorate his home for the holidays, the HGTV star’s philosophy is “the more meaningful, the merrier.”

“Being a dad in addition to being a designer has changed my perspective on the holidays in general, but definitely on holiday decorations,” Berkus — who shares daughter Poppy, 6, and son Oskar, 3, with husband Jeremiah Brent — told Page Six Style.

For instance, his favorite Christmas ornament isn’t a one-of-a-kind art piece, but rather a sentimental bauble featuring a framed photo of him and Oskar reaching for snacks at the exact same time.

“If I had to say one thing in our home that’s the most meaningful to me at holiday time, it’s the fact that both my three-year-old son and I love food and clearly we have no problem helping ourselves,” Berkus said.

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent posing for a photo together
Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent star together in “Nate and Jeremiah Home Project” on HGTV and Discovery Plus.
nateberkus/Instagram

And while no December decor is complete without plenty of festive lighting, it’s got to be kid-proof. The interior designer recently teamed up with Duracell to advocate for safe decorating practices, including taping battery packs shut, swapping out lithium coin batteries ones with a bitter coating

and opting for flameless candles.

“When you look at things through the eyes of a child you realize how exciting it is all of a sudden to have the home lit up with flameless candles,” he said, adding that they also make for an excellent tablescape.

“Planning a dinner at home for somebody and having … their favorite foods made, setting the table beautifully, making that an event … It’s those things that people really remember the most,” he said.

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent sitting on top of a piece of furniture
Berkus keeps a “running file” in his phone throughout the year of items that his friends and family mention they might want.
nateberkus/Instagram

But the interior designer’s definitely got some aspirational presents in mind for Brent this season.

“We’re both designers, obviously, so for us I think typically the best gifts are a rare piece of furniture or a decorative object or something that we’ve found at an auction or online, something with a little bit of history,” he shared.

“There’s a designer that Jeremiah loves — an Italian designer from the 1930s and 1940s — so I am searching all over right now for something that was made by that particular designer.”

Nate Berkus holding a battery
Nate Berkus partnered with Duracell to help families celebrate safely.
Courtesy of Duracell

For others on his list, Berkus is stocking up on something simpler: white bath towels.

“You know people don’t buy towels for themselves that often, so it’s a really practical, luxurious gift … [that] needn’t be super expensive,” he said, adding that he likes wrapping each set with a ribbon for a bit of festive flair.

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