Wait, Martha Stewart Has How Many Christmas Trees?

If you could ask anyone in the design industry for advice on holiday decor, we’re guessing that Martha Stewart would be at the top of your list. From tree trimming tips to curating an elegant and festive feast, there are few people on the planet who have the creative eye, organizational skills, and sheer determination of this multihyphenate. And while her legendary talent forinterior designand hosting may seem only aspirational, the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is generous with her wisdom; she’s written a whopping 99 (to date) lifestyle books and hosted Emmy Award-winning shows to help even the most clueless of us live more like Martha. She’s also become quite the social media influencer, amassing millions of followers who are enraptured by everything from her tips on antique shopping to her adorable menagerie of animals.

Moreover, she produces eponymous lines of everything from bedding to cookware, making it that much easier to stay organized and stylish (and yes,she has a stellar gift guidethat’s live on her site now). Stewart is also a frequent collaborator with many storied brands, including department storeNeiman Marcusand crystal producerBaccarat. We caught up with her in downtown Dallas, where Stewart was celebrating the unveiling of Neiman Marcus’s Palladian Tree by Baccarat. Read on to learn all about her “Martharita” glasses, what she’s planning for this year’s Thanksgiving, and how many Christmas trees she actually decorates each year.

AD:You have a fun collaboration with Baccarat, tell us more about that.

Martha Stewart: I have a beautiful partnership creating a few extraordinary pieces of utilitarian crystal withBaccarat. I have my “Martharita” glasses, I have my rocks glasses, I have my wine cooler as well as a beautiful pitcher. The collaboration began when we talked about creating more modern glasses for a younger audience. I thought, Well, you know what? You don’t have a margarita glass, and people are drinking margaritasa lot. All the pieces are heavy, deeply cut, gorgeous crystal. The “Martharita” is one of the first co-branded glasses Baccarat has done, and I’m very proud of the fact that there is an “M” on it! It’s so nice having Martha Stewart on a Baccarat glass.

I’m sure they’ll be on your holiday table! What’s your Thanksgiving plan this year?

I'm doing Thanksgiving for a small group of people at my home. I’m trying to figure out which turkey out of my three favorite turkeys I’m gonna cook this year. In the past I’ve always done huge Thanksgivings—you know, three, four turkeys and all cooked in a different way. And now to have just 11 or 12 people at your table is kind of modest for me, but also nerve-wracking because they’re all pretty discriminating! But I’m just joking. I’m looking forward to it.

What about Christmas plans?

I usually do 200 or 300 people at my house for a big open house, but this Christmas I won’t be home. I’ll do it again next year: I have three houses that we decorate completely for Christmas. One will be a cookie house, one will be a dessert house, and one will be the main course house. People wander from place to place and everything is pretty decorated. Even the stable is decorated; you can stop by and visit the horses.

That sounds amazing. Do you buy new decor pieces every year?

I call it my library of decorations. I’ve collected over the years really interesting—a lot Martha-designed, by the way—pieces and trees. You would think I would only do natural trees. Well, Igrowthe natural trees, but I actually use our beautifulpre-lit artificial treesin every single room. So in one room I might have four beautiful trees, but each room is a different color scheme, the windows are decorated, the wreaths are hung everywhere. It’s really pretty. And this year, oh gosh, I already made my gingerbread stable. It’s a facsimile of my horse stable; it’s so beautiful and it’s illuminated, and I can’t wait to put that out.

How many trees do you have overall?

Depends, but maybe 15 or 16. One room will be green, one room will be pink, one will be silver, one will be gold, one will be a golden-silver. I have many, many trees, and I have antique as well as modern, pre-lit trees. I like eclectic things.

我们有a feeling you’re a really good present wrapper. What’s your favorite way to package gifts?

I’m embarrassed to say that after watching a few Instagrams today, I am really pitiful at wrapping! What’s going on on the internet is so extraordinary. You should just look at some of the Christmas wrapping; it’s so beautiful. But no, I’m a good wrapper. I have acres of wrapping paper of different kinds, and tubs and tubs of gorgeous vintage ribbon. If I don’t wrap my grandchildren’s presents beautifully, and my daughter’s, I get maligned. So it’s kind of important.