The Holiday Waltz: Trends for hosting, gathering and entertaining
The first purchase of the holiday season is often not the Christmas tree, but something for the table.
Think: a cookie platter laden with painterly nutcrackers, a set of humorous cocktail napkins bought for guests, or a wintry tablescape dressed with greenery and taper candles weeks before the first gathering. Holiday entertaining remains one of the most anticipated and popular categories in-store, and consumers continue to invest in pieces that help celebrate the season.
Gift Shop® Plus spoke with three wholesalers about the colors, motifs, products and merchandising strategies shaping holiday tabletop and entertaining this season.
How are consumers approaching holiday hosting and entertaining differently this year versus prior years?
Janice Dayon Christensen, President, nora fleming: This year, we’re seeing consumers shift away from hosting that feels overly formal or picture-perfect and lean more into gatherings that feel meaningful, comfortable and personal. There’s a strong desire for nostalgia and simpler moments. People are craving the traditions, recipes and little details that remind them of childhood and time spent with loved ones. Rather than focusing on creating an elaborate event, hosts are looking for ways to create warmth and connection. They’re embracing cozy tables, familiar comfort foods and thoughtful touches that make guests feel at home. At the heart of it, people seem to be prioritizing what matters most, spending quality time together and creating memories that feel genuine.
Naomi Huber, Brand Manager, Melrose International: For holiday 2026, we’re seeing consumers gravitate toward warm, collected spaces that feel inviting and easy to style. Layered tabletop looks, candlelight, mixed metallics, woodland accents and natural textures are all playing a big role in creating that cozy entertaining atmosphere. Consumers are definitely leaning into more relaxed and intimate entertaining. They still want their homes to feel elevated for the holidays, but there’s a stronger focus on comfort, versatility, and creating meaningful moments that feel approachable rather than overly formal.
Erin Sackett, Creative Director, Tableau: We’re seeing a shift away from “perfect” tables toward experiences that feel layered and personal. We see three major forces shaping the season: Quiet luxury over excess refined, tonal tables that feel elevated but never overdone; the tactile table with texture and materiality matter as much as color; gathering-first mentality where tables designed for connection, sharing and ease.
What holiday colors and motifs have inspired you this year?
Christensen: We’re seeing people gravitate back to holiday traditions that feel timeless. Classic red and green continue to have universal appeal, along with nostalgic motifs like candy, ornaments and gingerbread. There’s a comfort in those familiar details because they instantly bring people back to cherished memories and remind us what the season is really about.
Huber: We’re seeing rich greens, warm golds, champagne metallics, deep reds and soft winter neutrals continue to define the season. Woodland motifs, deer, cardinals, textured trees and forest-inspired elements remain especially strong, along with materials like glass, resin, iron, faux fur and natural wood finishes.
Which products or categories in your holiday collection are you most excited about — or are generating the strongest retailer response so far?
Christensen: Santa will always be a holiday classic because he instantly brings people back to the excitement and anticipation of Christmas as a child. We’re also loving our “ho ho whoa!” vintage sled mini. It captures that warm, nostalgic feeling people are craving and feels like something pulled straight from cherished holiday memories.
Huber: Illuminated décor, decorative trees, candleholders, woodland figurines and entertaining accents are generating some of the strongest retailer response for us so far. We’re also seeing a lot of excitement around layered tabletop pieces
and giftable holiday décor with nostalgic or handcrafted details.
Sackett: Retailers are responding strongest to categories that balance giftable and everyday use, like layering linen essentials (napkins, runners and placemats) that refresh the table without full replacement and textural tabletop accents that add dimension.
What merchandising strategies help retailers create compelling holiday entertaining displays in-store?
Christensen: The most compelling displays feel less like shelves of products and more like a story. Layered heights, rich textures and mixing complementary brands help create a moment that shoppers can instantly picture in their own homes.
Huber: Layered lifestyle merchandising continues to be incredibly important. When retailers combine tabletop, candlelight, greenery, ornaments and decorative accents together, it helps create an inspirational holiday story and encourages customers to envision the look in their own homes
Sackett: The most effective merchandising strategies are rooted in storytelling: color-led vignettes (single palette, layered deeply) rather than rainbow assortments; fully set tables to demonstrate mix-and-match potential; vertical layering of texture that have linens, ceramics and glass to create depth; cross-merchandising (tabletop with gift and décor) to inspire complete solutions.
Holiday Gifting: A once-in-a-generation collectible
The White House Historical Association’s (WHHA) 2026 ornament arrives at a significant milestone in American history.
Designed as the Official Commemorative Ornament of America’s 250th Anniversary celebration, the piece honors the nation’s Semiquincentennial through imagery drawn from two enduring symbols: the Declaration of Independence and the White House. The front features the nation’s founding document, printed on linen and mounted within a detailed brass setting finished in 24-karat gold. The reverse showcases an etched White House flanked by historic and contemporary American flags.
“The 2026 ornament is the only officially named commemorative ornament of the America250 celebration,” said Luci Shanahan, chief retail officer at WHHA.
For retailers, that distinction creates an opportunity to merchandise a product connected to a once-in-a-generation national milestone. Its appeal extends beyond traditional holiday decorating, attracting collectors, history enthusiasts and gift-givers alike.
Since 1981, WHHA has partnered with Beacon Design by ChemArt to create
American-made ornaments celebrating White House history and presidential traditions. Proceeds support the Association’s nonprofit educational mission to preserve and share the history of the Executive Mansion and the American presidency.
“Forty-five years later, these ornaments have become a beloved opportunity for millions of families to share the traditions and stories of holidays past with the next generation,” Shanahan said.
Head to giftshopmag.com/whha for the full Q&A with Shanahan.
