Treat your Christmas guests to a
little something special by adding some simple, personalized touches to place
settings around the dinner table and unexpected extras along with your holiday
party buffets. Let your family and
friends know you are happy to host them personally this Christmas season.
The standard fold-over place card
can be upgraded by accessorizing. The
mission is the same: designate each chair with a name to suit your planned
seating arrangement. But a little flair
can go a long way. Print name cards and
tie them on to Christmas tree ornaments, setting them alongside each place
setting. Use a ribbon strand in place of
a name card, using sticker lettering to spell out the names of your
guests. Tie each on to your napkin rings
or run each through a decoration at each place, like a pinecone or a small
wrapped box. Tie decorative flag-style
pieces of paper with each name onto candy canes or Christmas straws standing in
the glasses at each place. Pierce a few
cranberries or other pieces of fruit with wooden grilling skewers, topping each
off with a name card on the top. Stand
each in a drinking glass or small glass filled with dried fruit or pebbles and
place beside each charger.
For a little takeaway gift for
each party or dinner guest in a more casual setting, spread your monogrammed
accents throughout your buffet serving area, drink station, or on a foyer or
sofa table. Use the flag-style name
markers on the sticks in cake pops or sticks you place in the center of
cupcakes. Serve them up on a decorative
cake stand. Fill a short cylinder vase
with coffee beans and use it as a base to stand other little labeled goodies in
it like whimsical holiday lollipops, rock candy, or tall candy canes. Fill small favor boxes with mini chocolates,
and add each guest’s name on gift tags or sticker labels you print out.
Whatever small token you choose,
let all those who gather around your Christmas tree know that special attention
went into your guest list this year with your own personalized touches.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star December 18th.
