Jonathan Adler on holiday decorating and the best gifts to give this year

There's a lot to do for the holidays and though December just started, they're essentially upon us. With Thanksgiving over it's time to string the lights, check your shopping list and start preparing for all those parties coming up! It may be the greatest time of year, but it never hurts to tap an expert for some tips on how to do it all and avoid the stress.

We had a chance to sit down with brilliant designer Jonathan Adler and pick his brain about decorating your home for the holidays, the best gifts to give and more. So what does the style maven say about gifting on a budget? If you're one of those people who have a very long list but don't want to spend a lot, "give an experience," Jonathan recommends. Whether it's a dinner or tickets to a show, experiences are great ways to give the people you love something they'll love, without breaking the bank.

More great gifts from Jonathan Adler:

Decorating for the holidays can be hard -- so we wanted to know how to decorate with pieces that are festive and yet still timeless. "Thankfully, the world has surrendered to the power of gold," Jonathan said, "pack your home with gold during the holidays, and most pieces will still work year-round."

As New Yorkers, we had to ask the next one. When you live in a small apartment, what is one tip for maximizing the space and making it look larger? Mirrors, Jonathan said. "Use mirrors with abandon, they give the illusion and feeling of more space and room."

Adler has recently designed and launched a collection of phones for Motorola -- three different styles of the Moto X Pure Edition -- and the reason he was so excited to work on this collaboration is because for most of us, our phone is an extension of ourselves. "I loved the idea of putting my own spin on a product I use every day," he told us. If your phone is a part of you, why not make it as stylish as you are? They also make great gifts for the decor lover in your life.

The three styles designed by Jonathan are now available for pre-order on Motorola.com.

Watch the video below to see Jonathan Adler's three style icons: