The consummate host and designer welcomes us into her family’s chromatic Christmas.
Written by NICOLE LETTS
Photography by KELLI BOYD PHOTOGRAPHY
LARGER-THAN-LIFE HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS, illuminated topiaries and bubblegum pink nutcrackers with tassel belts flank the McCarthy family’s signature green front door on Dutch Island. Complementary ribbons burst from its surrounding garland, while oversized snowflakes — seemingly plucked right from Buddy the Elf’s North Pole — cascade throughout its branches.
In collaboration with Joshua E. White of Port Town Collective, a wedding planning and event firm, Savannah business owner Emily McCarthy has created a cheerful welcome that not only exudes personality but also radiates holiday cheer.
For McCarthy, Christmastime has always been a family-focused season. During her childhood, she recalls each step of the holiday, which kicked off on Christmas Eve with a huge family meal at her grandfather’s Alpharetta, Georgia, restaurant and ended 24 hours later with a raucous game of bingo.
“Everyone would bring a bag of tiny, inexpensive presents, and they were arranged in big piles. We would play bingo using a vintage set that belonged to my great-grandparents,” McCarthy recalls. “When you won, you would grab a present off the pile, and we would play until all of the gifts were gone.”
Now with two kids of her own, Rhett and Lillian, McCarthy strives to give her family their own memorable holiday traditions.
“We make a huge breakfast, which turns into brunch and lunch, and it becomes this all-day progressive rollout of food and beverage. We do breakfast casserole, mimosas and sausage balls in the morning. I usually roll out smoked salmon midday, and by evening, we’re indulging in a little caviar,” she says.
Over the years, the intimate family gathering has turned into an open-door policy for close friends and neighbors, too. “We invite everyone to wear pajamas! There’s nothing better than caviar and champagne in your pajamas on Christmas Day,” she says.
The celebration starts as soon as the kids wake. In the McCarthy house, Santa is known to slip into their bedrooms to deposit stockings, but the big reveal happens once the grandparents have arrived. Presents are piled around the tree in the den decorated with heirloom ornaments.
“There’s a mix of mercury glass, homemade children’s ornaments and generational handmade ornaments that are married with elevated reds and a traditional [color] scheme,” White says.
The family’s Christmas village is creatively displayed on the bookshelves in the family room. “My mother-in-law started a collection for each of her children when they were little, so by the time we got married, we had a full collection to display,” McCarthy says. “To bring the collection to life, I proposed we pepper it with magnolia leaves and fresh greens. We added in some holly, blanket snow and flake snow to give it depth and dimension. The kids can engage with it, and it is safe from the dog,” White says.
As the day continues and one meal dips into the next, kids gather on the porch where a Candy Land-like table offers a fantastical backdrop for giggling about Santa’s surprises. During the season, it’s not uncommon for the family to pile onto the porch with friends for a big meal or group activity. Kids might linger here while parents retreat to the his-and-hers sitting rooms.
For the lady of the house, that’s an aqua-drenched room complete with mint cabinetry where a mimosa bar is ready at a moment’s notice to liven up the festivities. Blush Christmas ball ornaments spill onto shelves, mimicking champagne bubbles. A bottle of bubbly serves as the apropos topper on the gold tinsel tree, emphasizing the room’s sophistication and spunk.
In the gentleman’s room, White sprinkled in found objects, leaning into the Lowcountry aesthetic. “We love natural elements, and finding things in the woods is especially fun for me because it tells part of the story of the space,” he says.
In this case, Port Town Collective partnered with Weston Farms in North Carolina to procure magnolia garlands for the table and the sideboard. Spanish moss and preserved citrus were added as regional nods to colonial-era Savannah. McCarthy’s nutcracker collection is elegantly styled throughout the space as well.
The McCarthy home, adorned with a festive blend of classic and keepsake decor, is a testament to the family’s joy over the Christmas season and McCarthy’s personal style. With its inviting atmosphere and thoughtful touches, it’s a warm gathering place for loved ones to create lasting memories. “The most traditionally decorated room is our family room because, at the core of everything, tradition is so important,” she says. Thanks to the collaboration between McCarthy and White, the result is a space that showcases meticulous attention to detail and captures a whimsical holiday spirit.
Festive Favorites
Emily’s Holiday Traditions and Must-haves:
- Favorite holiday movie: “The Holiday”
- Favorite Christmas carol: “Carol of the Bells” because of my musical background
- Favorite holiday cocktail: I love one healthy serving of traditional eggnog. I have to check that box every year!
- Favorite holiday menu item: Sausage, egg and cheese breakfast casserole
- It’s not Christmas without: Christmas music
Details
- Homeowners: Emily and Patrick McCarthy
- Year built: 1983
- Construction/renovation timeline: 2015-2024
- Neighborhood: Dutch Island
- Bedrooms/bathrooms: 4/2.5
- Square footage: 2,600
- Interior designer: Homeowner
- Kitchen design: Kathryn Myrick
- Furniture: Whelan’s Furniture, Ballard Designs, Pottery Barn
- Flooring: Poppell Flooring
- Art: Bellamy Murphy, Kelli Boyd Photography, homeowner
- Accessories: Emily McCarthy, Homegoods, One Fish Two Fish, family heirlooms
- Appliances: Lowe’s
