Whether you’re dining with family or a group of friends, a beautiful Christmas table really sets the mood for a wonderful evening. Here’s some festive ideas: or some body part fell off. Why not put these holiday trinkets to good use this year for your table setting? Lay ornaments in glass bowls either in a group or as a single decoration. Place a piece of garland in the dish and lay the ornament(s) on top.

Festive holiday coasters. Use circular-cut Plexiglas from a hardware store or craft store about 3 inches wide in diameter and cut holiday fabric to the same size. Use spray adhesive to sandwich the fabric between two pieces of Plexiglas. You can use wrapping paper or wallpaper also. Create these for yourself or give a set of four or six away. As a gift, remember they don’t have to have a Christmas theme; you can also use floral, contemporary stripes or photos.

Here is a centrepiece that will get everyone’s attention because it is unique! Find a tree branch and spray it with glitter. Stand it in a gold sand-filled pot. Glue little birds onto each branch and display this masterpiece on the table (great for a buffet table). Continue the bird theme by gluing a little bird to a single pipe cleaner and wrapping it around a cloth napkin as a napkin holder.

This simple design requires only a large pine cone spray painted gold, a small terra cotta pot painted gold and Christmas ribbon. Put the large pine cone into the pot and wrap ribbon around the centre. Tie the ribbon into a bow.

If you are having a dinner for two, your Christmas table decorations need to be intimate such as golden candles and mistletoe. Very suitable for the occasion.

Simple and yummy – decorate the entire table using chocolate. Make a large chocolate Christmas tree for the centre or little boxes, roses or angels for each guest. Chocolate moulds come in hundreds of different shapes and are available at craft and specialty stores. Wrap in cellophane for protection.

Speaking of chocolate, forget about making a fancy dessert this year; instead make your very own Ferraro Rochet chocolate tower. Whip up (or purchase) a batch of Royal Icing. Use the icing to secure each Ferraro Rochet one on top of each other until it looks like an Egyptian pyramid. Following supper, guests can take turns pulling off chocolates and eating them.

No time like the present to start the tradition of laying out a white fabric tablecloth. Pass around a thin permanent marker so that each guest can write a message. Use the same tablecloth each year so that family members can chuckle at what they wrote during previous years.

Tip:Make sure that the marker does not bleed through the fabric onto the table.

This holiday centrepiece not only looks good, it smells good too. Purchase a large wooden, twisted wreath. Use a hot glue gun to secure large, fragrant potpourri to the wreath (find potpourri in department or craft stores). Layer the outside edge of the wreath with potpourri and finish the project off by twisting glitter ribbon around the circle. Place a drip-less candle in the middle and enjoy!

Individual angel wing name cards for each guest. Fold an 8×8-cm piece of white card-stock paper in half. Make two small holes in the middle of the fold, 1 cm apart. Cut an 8-cm length of wire and thread through the holes. Fold a piece of silver foil paper in half and draw two small angel wings. Cut four wings. Use a sharp pencil to create “feather” marks on the mirrored side of the card. Stick the wing pieces together over the ends of the silver wire protruding from folded card. Write the name of one guest on the card and place it by his/her setting. Or make individual snowflake-shaped or gingerbread cookies; ice them with each guest’s name as a lovely and original place setting. You can insert a pretty ribbon through a hole in the top, or arrange them on a plate as a place setting.

Candy cane centrepiece. Fill small glasses with crushed mints or marshmallows to mimic snow. Place two to three miniature candy canes in each glass. Arrange the glasses around the rim of each plate. Sprinkle crushed candy canes in between tumblers and around dishes.

Fresh floral centrepiece. You can’t go wrong with red and white tea roses crowning a cake stand in dazzling holiday style. Begin by placing wet floral foam on top of a cake stand. Cut rose stems to three inches. Insert stems into foam, covering the entire surface. Fill spaces with greenery. Add lustre with tiny gold gift boxes, a swirl of mini lights and gold mesh.

Tip:Decorated cake stands add height and dimension to dinner tables to create interest. If you don’t own one already, you can often find them in thrift stores. Decorate each layer with a little tinsel, some pine cones, perhaps some seasonally coloured flower heads, some holly and ivy, maybe a few little Christmas balls, anything you have that is Christmassy and colourful, and arrange in the middle of the table. Alternatively, you can pile seasonal and exotic fruit with some Christmas balls and colourful ribbon and sprinkle with edible glitter from your local grocery store.

Moreholidaytips:

Remember to choose your Christmas table decorations with your guests in mind but also with the fact that it will represent you and your tastes.

Groupings are more effective than single displays.

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Reena Nerbas is a highly popular professional speaker and

the author of three national bestsellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and Household Solutions 3 with

Green Alternatives. Corporate workshops available by calling: 204-320-2757.