Whether you take advantage of the December month to give each other gifts or not: there is always unwrapping. We wave goodbye to the old year and dance into the new year. As a couple, with family or with the whole club of friends. Eating together and toasting the good things in life is of course part of it. This year, will you be the one to throw open the doors and give them a warm welcome? In this blog I share with you some tips for wonderful holidays without stress spots.
A beautifully dressed table is so arranged
Of course, you can do what you've been doing for years or go with the trends. The latter is very easy this year, because the minimalist look is in. You do not have to put much on the table to create a wow-effect. You do have to think about what you put on the table in terms of decoration and tableware and you have to think about the colors. With these three ingredients, you can transform any table into an inviting, cozy party in no time.
1 | Atmosphere-enhancing decoration
With minimalist decorating, you only need a few well-chosen accessories. Create extra atmosphere by using natural products:
- Three to five small glasses with a few sprigs of eucalyptus.
- Use firethorn (shrub from the rose family) with red berries on the table.
- Slip a sprig of holly into each napkin.
2 | Use matching tableware
Minimalism doesn't have to be austere. On the contrary, follow these steps and your table already looks much cozier:
- To start, choose plain boards in quiet colors such as white, gray or cream.
- Next, place a cloth napkin on each plate (Pinterest and Instagram are bursting with easy folding instruction videos).
- Under each plate put an underplate, for example, made of reeds or sea grass.
- Top it off with wooden serving boards. These are perfect as rustic coasters or to present small appetizers on.
Extra tip for a classic dinner
Arrange the plates in order of use on the table and place the necessary cutlery next to them. One of my favorite dinnerware sets at the moment is the series Nordic from Palmer. This service exudes elegance and tranquility. The green and white plates and bowls have a lovely winter look. This adds to the atmosphere at your table and gives an extra touch to the food that is served.
3 | Mind your colors!
Christmas and kitsch go very well together, but with a minimalist look they don't match. Therefore, this year leave the Christmas decorations with disco lights in the attic and limit yourself to two, three colors for the decoration of your dining table and your home. In December, it is obvious that green is one of the basic colors in your home. Complement the green with black and silver or gold, with white and gray, or with white and beige.
4 | The final touch: music
It's nice to enter a space where music fills the silence. And you know me: I wouldn't recommend it if you can't pull that off fairly easily. There are endless online playlists with Christmas music, dinner music and New Year's Eve music. Is streaming music out of the question or will there be a mixed party at the table making finding the right playlist a challenge? Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, the Top 2000 offers a solution with 2000 songs that almost everyone likes.
Extra tip for a sharing dinner
At a sharing dinner, you may leave the large plates in the cupboard. Instead, use large bowls and serving platters and a mix of small plates and bowls. To emphasize this light-hearted way of eating together, you can also choose to combine different dinnerware. Avoid making it too busy and use dinnerware of the same color or style or made of the same material, such as pottery.