Eduardo Xol

‘Tis the season to get a jump-start on planning for the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holidays.

Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray & Paula Deen make holiday party planning look so effortless in the pages of their home and lifestyle magazines. For most of us in the real world, though, hosting even a small gathering of friends–let alone an amazing holiday shindig–is a major stressor. Wouldn’t it be nice to get some practical (and free!) expert help for planning and hosting your next holiday party?

You’re in luck: Magazines.com’s “Ask an Expert” series is here to help! Each month we’re featuring a topic and an expert who can answer your most pressing questions.  If our expert chooses your question to answer, you’ll win a gift card. You’ll have the chance each month to win!

This month, Eduardo Xol, an award-winning designer, author and leader on lifestyle and home design topics, is here to tackle your questions about how to plan for and throw your best holiday party ever. Just last week he offered advice here on turning your holiday party into a holiday experience, but now’s your chance to ask him your specific questions.

A star designer who was on the two-time Emmy-winning TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” for seven seasons, Eduardo has helped many families by creating spaces that allow them to get more out of life. He is also an award-winning author of two books, “Home Sense” and “Extreme Entertaining Made Simple,” and has contributed to People en Español magazine, AOL and The Huffington Post.

This month we’re giving away $25 gift cards to Magazines.com for the best questions!

Here’s how it’ll work:

1. To be eligible to win a gift card, write your question(s) for Eduardo in the comment section below this blog post. (You’ll need to include a valid email address, but it won’t be published.) You must post your questions by noon PST on Oct. 20.
2. Let people know about your question on Twitter or Facebook by posting the following: “Check out the design question I asked @EduardoXol for the @magazines home & lifestyle design expert Q&A! http://bit.ly/rj7YVj #askeduardo”
3. On Friday, Oct. 21, Eduardo will answer the best questions in a blog post here and we’ll reward each of those questioners with a $25 gift card to Magazines.com.

So what are you waiting for? Ask Eduardo your questions right now in the comment section below for your chance at an expert solution, and to be entered to win a gift card!

For more great advice, follow Eduardo on Twitter @EduardoXol and on his Facebook fan page. And of course, be sure to keep in touch with us here at the blog and on Twitter @magazines to stay in the loop with our “Ask an Expert” series.