Meet Kristen

Creative designer. Storyteller. Christmas enthusiast.

I've spent much of my career thinking about how places make people feel.

For years, that meant working in destination marketing, helping cities, businesses, and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and create experiences people remember.

Today, I get to bring that same thinking into the physical spaces we live in, visit, celebrate, and experience.

I'm Kristen Cruz, the founder and creative mind behind Porch Swings & Mistletoe Things, a seasonal styling and creative brand based in East Texas. What began with a love for beautiful spaces, traditional holidays, and the feeling of home has grown into a business designing seasonal environments for homes, businesses, and special events.

And if there's one thing you should know about me, it's that Christmas has my heart. 🎄

A Little More Than Christmas Trees

My professional background isn't exactly what you might expect from someone who spends a good portion of the year surrounded by cedar garland, ribbon, and Christmas ornaments.

I'm also the co-founder of Destination Innovate, a destination marketing and strategy consultancy where I've worked with communities and organizations to develop brands, experiences, and strategies that connect people to places. That work has shaped how I approach design.

I think about the story a space tells, the people who will experience it, and the little details that make someone stop, smile, take a photograph, or remember how they felt long after they've left.

Whether I'm designing a Christmas installation for a commercial space, styling a home for the holidays, or developing a creative concept for an event, I'm always thinking beyond how something looks.

I want to know how it feels.

Christmas Is My Signature. Creativity Is My Business.

There's something about Christmas that has always captured my imagination. The nostalgia, the traditions, the colors, the music, and the way an ordinary space can become something extraordinary.

I love every part of bringing that feeling to life, from dreaming up the concept and sourcing unexpected pieces to climbing ladders, tying bows, and getting every last detail just right.

But my creative work doesn't begin and end with December.

Through Porch Swings & Mistletoe Things, I'm expanding my work in commercial seasonal design, event environments, brand styling, and creative production projects. I'm particularly interested in opportunities that bring storytelling and physical design together, including photography, film, television, and branded experiences.

My roots are in East Texas, but my creative ambitions aren't limited by geography. I welcome projects throughout Texas and across the country.

Let's Create Something Memorable

I love collaborating with people who have a vision, even when they're not quite sure how to bring it to life.

Whether you're a homeowner, a hospitality brand, an event producer, a creative agency, or a production team looking for someone who understands seasonal storytelling, I'd love to hear what you're dreaming up.

After all, making something beautiful is wonderful. Making someone feel something? That's the magic.

🥂 Kristen Cruz

Founder & Creative Designer, Porch Swings & Mistletoe Things
kristen@porchswingsandmistletoethings.com

Based in East Texas | Available for projects nationwide