I’m Obsessed with Kathy Hilton’s Adorable Upcycled Christmas Decor Hack

If there’s one thing that has remained true about Kathy Hilton, it’s her reputation as the ultimate hostess. (Her Bel Air family home has had more airtime on television than some of her co-stars on Bravo’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, after all.) Fans have been privy to behind-the-scenes snaps from Kathy’s iconic holiday parties throughout the years, helping her earn the moniker of Hollywood’s “Queen of Christmas” after hosting some pretty iconic guests. 

It’s why QVC has officially crowned Kathy as its 2025 “Mrs. Claus”, a partnership that expands her role on the network after her special hosted series debuted earlier this year. And her iconic home will inspire even more of QVC’s upcoming holiday offerings, as the shopping network will spotlight gifts handpicked by Kathy later this season in a live airing of “Hilton’s Annual Holiday Pajama Party” on November 4 — including a new PrintFresh Pajama set featuring Kathy’s own interiors that’s sure to sell out.

While fans will have the opportunity to shop most of Kathy’s gift guide — as well as a few items she’s launching herself (a holiday candle with Slatkin & Co. is on my list!) — her ultimate holiday decor tip is actually a DIY project. I had the chance to sit with Kathy ahead of her launch as QVC’s holiday icon, and when I asked her about her favorite piece of holiday decor, she told me about a Hilton family tradition that I want to steal for myself.

There’s one detail that Kathy sticks to year after year. In her family den, a space where toys from years past (including vintage trinkets from her own childhood!) are on display, a special tree is dressed in ornaments you couldn’t find in any store.

“Look, it’s got to be seamless,” Kathy told me, expanding on how she meticulously plans her holiday theme by laying out all of her decorations on tabletops months before a hyped reveal. In a year when she’s displaying 50 snowman figurines, for example, Kathy says inventory is key: “You have to be organized and really look about it, because every year people, my guests, they wonder: ‘What’s the theme?’”

“It’s old toys of my kids’, toys of mine as well — and on the tree, old shoes. My baby shoes, which are little plaid shoes that I’ve tied jingle bells to, are used to hang on the tree,” Kathy shares. “And other pairs of Mary Jane [shoes], all my kids’ shoes … and then I stuff in little puppets among other toy boxes.”

It’s a truly adorable way to theme a Christmas tree that doesn’t require hours of crafting. Kathy added that the Mary Jane shoes simply are slipped onto each branch, arranged in a whimsical way — but it’s definitely not labor-intensive. Other shoes are tied to the tree using laces, with additional touches of holly and berries between them.

Kathy’s nifty approach to incorporating heartfelt family touches into holiday decor has me rethinking my whole treasure trove of heirlooms from my own childhood! But it’s not the only holiday look I’m copping from QVC’s Mrs. Claus. 

Kathy hosts family and friends at her home for a seated dinner every year, she tells me, and a tablescape is key. Fresh florals and garlands are always part of the blueprint for a Hilton Christmas dinner, but Kathy says the key prep step she always does — down to a few minutes before guests arrive — is one that you might not think of.

“At Christmas, just as you need to fluff the tree, you also need to fluff and spruce the garland,” she tells me, adding that she and her team always take time to personally zhuzh any florals and garlands nestled into her holiday-themed tablescape.

This includes fresh floral arrangements, too! At a seated dinner in Beverly Hills, I was able to see how Kathy flexed this tip firsthand — taking time to individually space and rearrange florals in a bouquet really brings them to life. I’m saving five minutes at my next seated dinner to do the same!

You can get Kathy’s exact holiday tablescape look with the servingware and decor staples featured below, all available from QVC.