Design Notebook: When you want your decor over the top

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HOLIDAY DECORATING TIPS FROM THE APPLE FARM

DIM THE LIGHTS

Leave off the harsh overhead lights and go for more subtle lighting during the holidays. The glow of a fireplace, the sparkle of candles, twinkle lights hung up high, and the lights from a Christmas tree all cast a soft, warm glow that sets the mood for cozy winter nights.

HIGHLIGHT YOUR DISPLAYS

A small plug-in crystal lamp fits nicely on a shelf and illuminates favorite items or vignettes. They work well for curio cabinets and hutches that don’t have built-in lights.

TRY A THEME

Tired of tradition? Go with a theme tree. Collect ornaments reflecting a favorite hobby. Deck out a white tree with turquoise, pink and silver ornaments for all-out glamour. Or let the kids create and choose ornaments for their own special tree.

Remember the days when you wished Christmas would never end?

For Apple Farm’s executive buyer, Pamela Johnson, it’s partly true.

Preparations for the season begin in January, when the big gift shows around the country roll out the latest holiday wares. Johnson and retail manager Sharon Peters have to make decisions on merchandise for the next holiday even before the last year’s Christmas lights have gone into storage. Then, in the summer months, all that merchandise starts arriving.

This is the foresight and planning it takes to pull off a holiday celebration on the grand scale that the Apple Farm strives for each year.

“The holidays are so full of everything for the senses,” said Johnson. “We try to go over the top, to sort of overwhelm you with it all. It makes the experience magical.”

Overwhelming it is … in a good way. In the weeks before Christmas, all three levels of the gift shop are transformed with glittery holiday decor and festive gifts. On Friday and Saturday evenings, strolling Victorian carolers regale guests. Santa Claus makes an appearance on Saturdays. To add to the sensory overload, the smell of freshly baked pies and treats waft enticingly from the restaurant.

At the very least, a trip to the Apple Farm should inspire some innovation with your own Christmas decor. This year, the staff has decorated 19 trees around the property. Most have themes — “Christmas in Connecticut,” “Musical Christmas” and even a “Santa Around the World” tree with ornaments depicting Santa Clauses from numerous countries.

Other trees showcase popular lines of collectibles that the Apple Farm has carried for years. “We attend special shows that offer new product lines that haven’t yet been picked up by large stores,” Johnson said. “We’ve brought some wonderful new artists to the area this way.”

The tree dedicated to papier-mâché ornaments made by Penny McCallister is a perennial favorite. Her folk art creations are sweet and whimsical — like something you wish you could make if you had the time.

The tree with Wendy Addison decorations offers a completely different take on Christmas with its crushed glass and silver ornaments that acquire a lovely patina over the years. They range from traditional stars and snowflakes to shimmering chandeliers and even an Eiffel Tower ornament for a splash of holiday glitz.

Still, Johnson affirms that traditional decor is still the most popular, and so this is what dominates the gift shop: old-fashioned glass ornaments; nutcrackers and snowmen; festive holiday tableware; cozy, cottage and traditional-style furniture; trees decked out with ribbon and lights.

Affection for tradition points to yet another facet of the holiday experience: nostalgia. You’ll find it at the Apple Farm in spades, from the gyro wheels and vintage-style race cars in the children’s section to the bubble lights on the trees.

As veterans in the hospitality business, the Apple Farm knows just how to invoke those nice, warm feelings of holidays past. And a free cup of apple cider doesn’t hurt, either.

The Apple Farm is at 2015 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo, 544-2040.