Our holidays may not be as robust this year, or shared with as many family and friends as in the past. Still, with what we have experienced in the past months, there's a real longing for some festivity. We're all in.

That's played out in a massive effort to decorate early. Holiday merch has been showing up in stores earlier and earlier, barely allowing pumpkins and Halloween wreaths and decor to be stashed away. But this year, there's an almost frantic mood. Right after Thanksgiving there were reports on Chicago TV news about trees flying out of lots, with a caution that they might be snapped up before the end of the weekend -- still in November!

Even outdoor lights, which usually are up in many cities by now, have been twinkling for a few weeks in residential neighborhoods. Not that we're at all anxious. We're hopeful that this pandemic soon (and we know how relative that may be) will be under control.

In the meantime, we're most definitely embracing the mood in a desire to be transported back to a happy place. So we deck the halls! There's something about lights, the smell of fresh evergreens, sparkly ornaments, warmth of gold, glimmer and romance of candles. Comfort. It feels good. Nostalgia for Christmases and Hanukkahs past, with loved ones. Th good times.

We desire the pretty, to dress our trees and our homes. And if we've procrastinated as we sometimes have in the past, we may not find exactly what captured our attention on retail and catalog websites. Frontgate, which packages an assortment of themed ornaments for a particular look -- style or color -- sold out of its Delft Blue collection in November.

That won't stop our dreaming. We continue to be inspired. Perhaps we'll borrow the idea for a smaller tree, gathering a range of blue ornaments in different sizes. Heck, maybe we'll even make some of our own. Perhaps we'll find one special ornament to live with our tried-and-true and heirloom pieces.

Each year there are so many fabulous ideas for decorating, from designers, bloggers and stylists. On the CB2 website, the talented Kara Mann, who has design offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, shows how she brings a little glam to her holidays.

What's striking about Mann's look is its elegant, chic simplicity. An entertaining vignette, for example, shows a burnished brass-finished mirrored gallery tray with glasses paired with a gold necked decanter. The pieces are set on a painted white sideboard. A pristine white feather tree stands off to the side; a 30-inch feather wreath hangs above.

A magnolia garland, with its warm copper underside, nestles on a stone fireplace mantel, with a trio of tall brass-plated steel candlesticks. Modern stocking holders are a vision in half white marble, half gold. Mann's newest furnishings have found a simpatico partner in CB2,

Gold, of course, is the go-to metal for visual warmth. It's especially winsome with white, both enhanced by candlelight or warm white battery-operated fairy lights. One of the prettiest swags at Crate and Barrel features white jingling bells, lined in gold, slung from a gold rope over a doorknob.

One idea for transporting to an amazing winter wonderland comes from an online wallcovering company, Wallsauce. Its massive murals, available in both paste and peel-and-stick, are designed to cover entire walls. They're particularly engaging as a backdrop in a holiday setting.

Look behind the sofa in a living room, and you gaze into a black-and-white image of snowy Central Park, lined with snow-covered trees and streetlights glowing along the way. Another design is a perky modern folk art depiction of stylized Christmas trees and reindeer, all fancifully colored and decorated with polka dots and chevrons.

A snowy forest of redwood trees is another backdrop for a bedroom decorated with greenery and a Christmas tree with gold ornaments.

Adding greens -- real or faux -- are an easy way to spruce up some rooms. We especially love Pottery Barn's leather-wrapped rectangular mirrors, which hang from leather straps on hooks. A grouping of six adorned with pine wreaths with red ribbons makes a compelling focal point on a dining room wall.

Traditional holiday plants like poinsettias, which come in classic red, creamy white, shades of pink and variegated hues, are available even at big-box stores like Home Depot. They add a welcome pop of color. At Pottery Barn, there are some convincing faux versions, as well as potted and loose stem amaryllis. As part of a mantelscape that features red plaid stockings, the red-and-white scheme couldn't be more engaging.

Among embellished stockings are a couple of standouts. Metal artisan Jan Barboglio's Bota de Navidad for Neiman Marcus, places metal milagros -- religious folk charms that are traditional votive offerings in Mexico and Latin America. Instead of appliques of fabric, the artist attaches silver and gold metal pieces on a creamy stocking. Another, embroidered with rosy flowers on a teal-y ground, has a fluffy cuff.

For those looking for a bit of nostalgia, snow globes always delight. Mackenzie-Childs takes the beloved Santa Claus figure, with gifts, and nestles the glass globe into a fanciful gold sleigh, its side panels in the brand's signature black-and-white stripes and checks. It's available at Neiman Marcus.

Mini bottle brush trees, popular in the 1940s and 1950s are reimagined in colors for today -- at Crate and Barrel.

Adding a note of whimsy are pine cones interpreted in a tree-shape candle mold, colored in a rainbow of gradated shades. Looking for a fun bottle stopper? The Hable sisters' tree, penguin, reindeer and red-capped polar bear -- available through Garnet Hill -- are sure to make you smile.

Candles can add romance and magic, and the holders can be architectural, like a modern menorah from Neiman Marcus. Mercury glass or glittery glass votives add not only a shimmery elegance, but the candles deliver the intoxicating scents of the season as well.

The price range for decorations is considerable -- from a few dollars to $7,500. The latter is for a 7-foot-plus two-sided LED star. But take heart. If some of the more expensive decorations are beyond your budget, there's always DIY. Or the after-holiday sales.

To be sure, as a nation, we all look forward to 2021. A new year filled with love and hope for better times.

For me, it's off to a new adventure. For 34 years, I have been proud to anchor the Home Design package for Andrews McMeel Syndication. Formerly known as Primary Color, it was created by Harriet Choice, a former editor and jazz critic for The Chicago Tribune, where I was the home furnishings writer. Immersed in all things design, I've been perhaps a little too passionate sometimes, lucky to be inspired by reporting on trade shows from Paris, Frankfurt, Dublin, Milan, Bologna and in the U.S. from coast to coast. That world is on hold. But designers and creators are still producing amazing product, although introductions now are virtual. We all look forward to releasing the pause button and meeting again, in the real world beyond Zoom.

I hope our paths cross sometime soon. Stay tuned. And in touch. With much love, emarkoutsas@yahoo.com.

Sources

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- CB2, 800-606-6252, www.cb2.com

-- Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, www.crateandbarrel.com

-- Frontgate, 888-263-9850, www.frontgate.com

-- Garnet Hill, 800-870-3513, www.garnethill.com

-- Neiman Marcus, 888-888-4757, www.neimanmarcus.com

-- Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, www.potterybarn.com

-- Wallsauce, 888-964-0073, www.wallsauce.com

-- West Elm, 888-922-4119, www.westelm.com

No matter how or where we give thanks or celebrate the holidays, this year is different. And even if fewer people gather at our holiday table, that doesn't mean we can't make it special.

Setting the table, in fact, can be more than a little therapeutic.

"Sharing a table or sitting down at the table for a meal is a basic human need," says Marielle Shortell, co-founder of Hestia Harlow, which follows a Rent the Runway (an online short-term clothing rental company) model applied to table settings, including everything from dinner plates, linens, flatware, glasses and even flowers.

"When you take time to set the table, you enjoy your meal even more. You may eat slower, try a new recipe or even have a better conversation if you take the time for presentation and aesthetic. The dinner table is where the home is."

"Now, more than ever, it's important to elevate the everyday," says Kira Faiman, founder of Von Gern Home, a company focused on tabletop and accessories design. "When you're at home, there's no reason every meal can't be a chance to show your style."

"When you sit down to share a story, a drink, a meal -- or to grab a quick bite of takeout, it's an opportunity to connect, be present and simply enjoy," says Faiman. "The table is where our lives meet. It's an outlet for our creativity and personality to shine, and a place to enjoy beautiful design."

Pinterest pages, blogs and retail sites are rich with ideas. There are tips for table settings, as well as food -- menu ideas and prep. Plus, there are a few new books. Aerin Lauder's "Entertaining Beautifully" ($55, Rizzoli) draws on family tradition and includes an homage to Lauder's grandmother and beauty pioneer, Estee Lauder, and her legendary soirees.

"The best entertaining, to me, is a mix of easy elegance and effortless chic," says Lauder. "If you strive too hard for perfection, people can't relax and be themselves."

Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten also has a new book, "Modern Comfort Food" ($35, Clarkson Potter ). She's doing a virtual event with Katie Couric on November 17 (you can sign up at www.williamssonoma.com).

Williams Sonoma also features Ina's Thanksgiving recipes with mouthwatering images of dishes. On the menu: pomegranate cosmos, fig and cheese toasts, cornbread stuffing, Tuscan turkey roulade, sauteed shredded Brussels sprouts, potato fennel gratin, mashed butternut squash, apple sauce cake with bourbon raisins, ultimate pumpkin pie with rum whipped cream.

Especially designed for de-stressing are a growing number of fully prepped meals. In fact, even the entire tabletop now can be rented for the holidays and other special occasions.

The Hestia Harlow online rental platform features 745,000 table-setting combinations on its website. The contactless rental service delivers everything to your door. When the event is over, you pack everything back into your custom, COVID-safe, sustainable box, and it's picked up the next day. Marielle Shortell's large event production company inspired this business.

Another, Bluebird in a Box, "takes the effort and overwhelm out of planning a home-based seasonal gathering for friends and family right where you are -- no travel required." Virginia Frischkorn applied years of special events planning to create her party kits. Holiday themed packages ($48) detail how to set the scene. The downloadable kit includes clever conversation starters, menus (including vegan/gluten-free options), cocktail recipes/wine pairing suggestions, links to tasteful decor, paper or paperless invitations and party favor ideas, table-setting how-tos, soundtrack playlists on Spotify and a timeline/checklist.

Coming soon are two other options that include handpicked accessories, and soon, location services.

This year linens are especially prominent. Perhaps it's because they add warmth, color and/or pattern and personality, framing table settings or providing a ground for the tablescape. They especially bring basic white and beige porcelain or stoneware to life.

Elizabeth Lake, aficionado of antique textiles, porcelain, fine art and furniture, with a passion for flea markets, launched her eponymous lifestyle brand this year. Her focus is limited-edition, handcrafted table linens sourced from mills in Belgium, Italy and Ireland, then hand-stitched by artisans on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

Those kinds of handcrafted materials are especially appreciated today. An overriding theme for much of decor and tabletop today is to design with your heart. Not necessarily with what's on trend, but with what sparks joy. Some current themes:

Indulge in nostalgia

This is the time. There's something always comforting about seasonal imagery -- pumpkins, turkeys, angels, Santas, holly, Star of David.

Wabi sabi

Embrace the Japanese concept of perfect imperfection.

Kira Faiman of Von Gern Home likes the unexpected. "Go for coordinating over precise matching," she advises. "Pair tabletop items in similar color families but different hues and patterns for a look that's fun, unique and visually stimulating."

Go for the gold

Gold flatware and accessories seem to be everywhere. For good reason. They add warmth to the table.

Abandon convention

Break out the Fiesta vibe. Bold patterns, screen printed or embroidered, bring out the boho and ethnic feels. Advice from the website Hestia Harlow: Go wild. Just choose based on your curiosity. Try something fun and different!

Go glam

Just like sparkly clothing, a little glitter on the table elevates the dining experience. Especially when you usher in the new year.

Sources

-- Ballard Designs, 800-536-7551, www.ballarddesigns.com

-- Blue Bird in a Box, party@bluebirdinabox.com, www.bluebirdinabox.com

-- Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, www.crateandbarrel.com

-- Elizabeth Lake, hello@elizabethlake.com, www.elizabethlake.com

-- Hestia Harlow, 775-442-7569, www.hestiaharlow.com

-- Kim Seybert, 877-564-7850, www.kimseybert.com

-- Neiman Marcus, 888-888-4757, www.neimanmarcus.com

-- Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, www.potterybarn.com

-- Von Gern Home, where to find retailers on website, https://vongernhome.com

-- Williams-Sonoma, 877-812-6235, www.williams-sonoma.com

From bare-bulb looks to twisty wires, whose teeny lights resemble fireflies, and multiple pendant installations at staggered heights, lighting has emerged as one of the most exciting elements of home decor.

In foyers and stairwells, over dining tables and on walls, lighting is making a dramatic statement. As a focal point, it can infuse energy into a vanilla interior.

"I've always craved light -- layers of light for my own rooms and the homes I design for others," says Atlanta interior designer Beth Webb. "Light is essential to life. Light is joy. Light creates ambience and it infuses a house with psychological warmth."

Modern styles have been the most illuminating in recent years. The range of materials include the familiar -- metals, glass, wood, rattan, stone, shell, fabric -- but it's the way those materials are being put together that's impressive. Architectural and sculptural forms transform some lights to art.

Industrial styles marry with romantic crystals. Retro looks bring sputnik forms into a new era with a fresh perspective. Tiers of cascading lanterns range from metal to seashells and shimmering crystals. Some linear shapes have morphed to freeform metal tubing that snakes around spaces. Even sconces are stretching across walls with branchlike arms, some to be configured as you wish. Scale is huge, literally and figuratively, and hanging pendants in multiples speaks volumes. In addition, the option for customizing has made new designs more appealing.

"What's happening with lighting is incredible," says Houston designer Margaret Naeve. "It's super important. People are paying more attention to it at the beginning of their projects. Lighting has become more of a star. Light can change a room, evoke a feeling."

LED (light-emitting diode) technology has been a real game changer for product. Not only are the bulbs smaller and literally cooler, they allow more creative applications.

The appreciation for handcrafted, artisanal pieces continues to grow. There also are hybrids, such as some of the new table lamps that seem more like light sculptures or objects that simply light up. Handblown glass sparkles, evoking raindrops, icicles, starry constellations.

Even classic designs are being tweaked, sometimes with more durable materials, reinterpretations in scale or new colors.

At virtual design shows in Paris (Maison and Object) and London (London Design Fair) in September, as well as October's High Point Market, illuminating introductions cover a wide swath of categories.

And now that designer show houses are opening up again, it's an opportunity to see first-hand some of the newest fixtures and applications.

Naeve designed a gallery for the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Dallas (open until Oct. 25), and she created a focal point with a spectacular light installation by Apparatus Studio. "It's a glorified hallway -- very long, very rectangular," says Naeve. "It needed a moment in the middle." The pendants, with jewelrylike chains, become a "lit sculpture in the middle of the room that defines the space."

"It adds a little magic and a moment of curiosity, too, as the last pendant almost touches the table," she says.

Looking ahead to 2021, this is what you can expect to see in lighting:

-- Bare essentials. Stripped down Edison bulbs have been electric in lighting design. They have not lost energy, but are evolving, with more movement and dynamic shapes within the classic filament pattern.

-- Global entry. There's no denying that globes and spheres are among the most popular shapes today. Clear to mottled or wavy glass, combinations of frosted or metallic with clear or white and black, in addition to a variety of colors, have lit up the choices.

-- Pump up the volume. Supersizing has been a theme with lighting designs. The approach works well above large kitchen islands and dining tables. Boxy, linear suspension lamps shine in this group. Pendants get plenty of praise, commanding a space when they're hung in multiples.

-- Geometry reigns. Hexagons, octagons, diamonds and polyhedrons have taken shapes beyond pleasant circles. These forms complement popular designs in floor and wall tiles.

-- Cagey frameups. The geometric shapes themselves become frames for lights within -- single bulbs or even traditional candle lights, which give them more gravitas.

-- Nature inspires. Biophilia has been a buzzword in decor, and the connection to nature is evident in lighting design, as well as the use of natural materials. Dimensional flowers -- metal petals or blooms in ceramic, crystal or glass strike a romantic note.

-- Natural fibers also speak to sustainability. Weaves like rattan, raffia and hemp are being integrated into lights in creative forms that also happen to be good for the environment. These materials also are appreciated for their texture and tactile dimensions. Beth Webb chose rattan to create a framework around a white linen lamp, part of her new light collection for Arteriors.

"Wicker and rattan immediately put you at ease," says Webb. "They infuse any space with a sense of approachability. Texture is my 'color.' I gravitated to the simplicity of the drum shade, with the linen diffusing the light, and softened it a bit with a slight angle."

-- Drumroll for the drum shade. The simple squarish lampshade has been elevated to its own category. Plain whites surged in restaurant design and moved into the home. Florals and horizontal stripes came into play. Last fall, menswear patterns like houndstooth and tartans were introduced by Diane Keaton. The actress's Keaton Industries teamed up with Aidan Gray Home for her foray into lighting, in a not-surprising palette of black and white.

-- Jewelry glow-ups. It's not simple adornment but jewelry that's inspiring some designers. In Jonathan Adler's Globo collection, for example, "jewels" in the form of blue acrylic relief cabochons, polka-dot the face of white lacquer cabinets. His new sconces extend that collection, lending an elegant note that's a little glam without glitz. Lariat-like roping in some pendants channels jewelry. And the Italian Twenty Brand Design (www.twentybranddesign.com) sets off rough-cut Cryrock (crystals that look like amethyst and garnet) in gleaming asymmetrical brass frames reminiscent of musical triangles.

-- Finishing touch. Black wins for its graphic edge, as in other areas of home interiors. Paired with gold (often as a liner), it's dressed up. Matte is the preferred finish, and that also seems to have rubbed off on other metals, including brass, copper and silver.

Sources

-- Arteriors, 800-338-2150, www.arteriorshome.com

-- Brokis, info@brokis.cz, www.brokis.cz

-- Duistt, info@duisst.com, www.duistt.com

-- Hammerton Studio, 801-973-8095, http://studio.hammerton.com

-- Hubbardton Forge, 800-826-4766, www.hubbardtonforge.com

-- Jonathan Adler, 800-963-0891, www.jonathanadler.com

-- Louis Poulsen, 954-349-2525. www.louispoulsen.com

-- M. Naeve Interiors, 713-524-0990, www.mnaeve.com; Apparatus Studio lighting (www.apparatusstudio.com) available through M Naeve Interiors Boutique

-- Tom Dixon, 866-446-3140, www.tomdixon.net

-- Vanderpump Alain, 786-409-5775, www.vanderpumpalain.com