The holidays are in full swing, which means your schedule is probably jam-packed with social engagements and parties to plan. With everything on the go, you may decide to forgo decorating your dining table. But according to Jim Connelly and Peter De Sousa, adding some festive flavour to your eating area is a quick and easy way to festi-fy your entire space.
Quick Decor Tips
You don't have to break the bank when decorating this season. "A rosemary tree injects holiday energy into the room with its wonderful natural fragrance. [You can also sprinkle] the table with glass beads, large pine cones dusted with glitter and add red, green or golden goblets [to the area]." They say the most important thing to focus on when decorating your space is lighting: "Soft subdued lighting enhances the sparkle on the table and sets the tone for an exciting evening of festive cheer."
Holiday Faux Pas
"All too often we see huge flower arrangements or candelabras overpowering the dinner table," says Connelly and De Sousa. "Scale is important especially on the table. Oversized [items] can exclude guests from the conversation or eye contact with other guests."
Also, when throwing a party, it's important to decorate with your guests in mind. If you're throwing a cocktail bash, the pair advises you give your guests places to rest their glasses and plates. "Small tables are a must for guests. Also, scale your Christmas tree to the size of the room [so it's not overwhelming]. Take the time to select good background music. Unpleasant music that is too loud or inappropriate for the occasion can bring the house down."
Do-It-Yourself
Another fun way to put your stamp on your holiday party is to build your own centrepieces. Below is one easy, festive suggestion made of silver branches.
Supplies
- Tree Branch (that you can find on a nature walk in the woods)
- Red Crystal Birds
- Wallpaper Glue
- Glue Gun
- Silver Spray Paint
- Scissors
- Silver Glitter
- Artist Small Brush
- Swarovski Crystals
- Gem Tack Glue
- Festive Decoration
- Red Berries
- Greenery
- Brown Paper
- Festive Decorative Silk Poinsettia Flowers
- Florist decorative Glass Beads
- Garden Clippers
Instructions
- Cover tabletop with newspaper to create a good clean work surface.
- Trim tree branch with garden clippers to remove excess branches and to allow the branch to sit properly on the table.
- Spray the branch with silver paint and let dry completely. Do this in a well-ventilated area and wear a face mask.
- Apply the wallpaper glue to the branch using an artist brush and sprinkle silver glitter onto the glue. Let dry completely.
- Using gem tack glue, apply Swarovski crystals on to the branch to simulate water droplets. Apply the gem tack on to the branch and then position the crystal onto the glue and press into position. Let dry completely.
- Using the glue gun, attach the silk flowers/red berries/greenery to the branches.
- Using the glue gun, attach the red crystal birds to the branches.
- Measure a paper table runner with brown paper to accommodate the completed tree branch to sit on top of. Cut out runner with scissors.
- Spay the paper runner with silver paint and sprinkle with silver glitter. Let dry completely. Do this in a well-ventilated area and wear a face mask.
- Position the runner in the centre of the table and place the tree branch on top of the runner.
- Sprinkle the glass beads on top of the runner for added sparkle; use the beads to soften the edge of the runner by positioning them to make a sparkling glass border.