Decorating Ideas for Christmas Dining

Christmas dinners bring family and friends together to celebrate the holidays. As you plan a dinner party, add touches of Christmas decor without overwhelming the food presentation. Choose decorations based on the size of your table and available space. Does this Spark an idea?

Centerpieces

If you are hosting a Christmas dinner, centerpieces are a way to add style to the dining table. Evergreen boughs can be combined with candles for an old-world Yuletide feel, or use clear glass dishes filled with brightly-colored Christmas balls for a modern look. If you have crystal candlesticks in varying heights, make a dramatic and inexpensive centerpiece by topping them with boldly-colred Christmas balls.

Table Linens

With table linens, set the tone of a dining room for a Christmas dinner party. Choose a color scheme that matches the decor in the rest of the house. For a traditional motif, use a deep red or green table cloth accented with gold napkins in decorative napkin rings. To create a winter theme, use icy blue and white linens and napkins and silver napkin rings. For a festive look, find linens with rich detailing in brocade or satin accents.

Suspended Decorations

For an unexpected and elegant touch, suspend Christmas decorations above the table. Hanging ornaments allow you to add a festive touch to a small table that doesn't have room for centerpieces. Choose lightweight items that appear to float--filigree snowflakes, Christmas balls, mistletoe or wire-frame ornaments in seasonal shapes are all easy to find. Use strong fishing line and attach to one end of the ornament, tie the other end to a tack pushed into the ceiling. Choose a length that will place ornaments at varying heights.

Place Cards

Fold stand-up paper trees topped with stars at each place setting, and write the guest's name on the star. Add a small gift tag with printed names to a festive napkin holder, or make small personalized ornaments that double as a party favor. If you have traditional place cards, create a holder by cutting a slit in a piece of tree branch--add a small evergreen sprig as an accent.