Spaces Magazine

Holiday entertaining doesn’t have to be a hassle. Having spent my days as an idea-focused magazine stylist and homeowner intent on enjoying her own parties, I know this to be true. I recently shared the following doable decorating suggestions on behalf of Spaces to a fun design group gathered at Minneapolis’ International Market Square:

1) Work with simple yet stylish floral and fruit. Think:

• White tulips interspersed with cedar, or white hydrangeas with myrtle. Add fresh cranberries halfway up a clear cylindrical glass vase. Pour water one-fourth the way up and carefully insert stems; add more berries to fill to desired height, and pour in enough water to cover three-quarters of berries. (Note: Do not try placing berries in water first—they’ll float upward, leaving the stem ends exposed. It’s not a good look.)

• Boxwood or ivy topiaries placed in decorative urns, with a beautiful ribbon tied midway up the branch. Use in pairs for your mantle or sideboard. For the mantle, intersperse little green apples or votive candles in between them or, for the sideboard, place apples (red and/or green) in a glass bowl at the center.

Photos by Ben Garvin

• Decoratively work in small branches of white berries and small pinecones in between small creamy white pumpkins (shown above) on a creamware or old white platter.

• Show off bittersweet stems or branches of fall leaves in a tall vase.

• Beautifully present place cards in small berry bowls filled halfway with cranberries (shown above) or acorns and/or other fall berries. Put them atop each place setting of china.

2) Spruce up your napkins and coasters. Think:

• Texture—be it in the fabric, pattern or fringe. Napkins without a lot of pattern look best on plates with patterns and vice versa.

• Natural touches or vintage napkin rings: Tie napkins with raffia or ribbon and add small sprigs of herbs. Or, collect vintage engraved pewter or silver napkin rings. They make good conversation pieces (especially the ones with names like “Cora Mae”) and can be shown off in a pretty bowl year-round.

• Use linen cocktail napkins instead of paper ones, which tend to break apart. Or, do as my grandmother did: Use a mix of vintage bread plates as coasters; they beautifully hold both drinks and small nibbles (and keep food stains from making their mark on nice napkins).

3) Mix your china: Use similar color(s) as the thread that connects them. For even more fun, pair old and new patterns for a traditional-with-a-twist look.

4) Use at least one colored glass on the table. It helps take the set table to new heights—literally—and can nicely tie to your room or table’s color scheme. Work in etched or cut-glass stems as well, so your guests aren’t swimming in a sea of clear, non-descript glasses (and ones that stand out more are less likely to be knocked over by exuberant guests).

5) Note that wreaths aren’t just for doors: Try hanging a simple evergreen one with beautiful ribbon on a mirror; for more opulence, spray-paint the wreath gold or silver. Think about using small wreaths meant for candles on the backs of dining chairs (shown above)— or, use them as intended: encircling the base of candles.

6) Have a special beverage or cocktail waiting for your guests. In the South, where I grew up, bourbon-y, nutmeg-y milk punch is favored over eggnog because of its lighter texture, and it’s delightful served icy cold. It makes an unexpected treat—one that can be well made in advance and even bottled and given as a holiday gift. (See recipe below.)

7) Don’t just garnish your turkey; garnish your beverages, too. Use a mixture of pumpkin pie spice and sugar or finely crushed peppermint to rim your milk punch or eggnog. Cinnamon stick stirrers or chocolate shavings are tasteful additions.

8) Get the table conversation with a “grateful dish.” I discovered this idea from Nancy Wall Hopkins, one of my former Better Homes and Gardens colleagues, and it’s so much fun. Have your guests upon arrival anonymously write what they’re grateful for on small slips of paper, then place the folded paper slips in a bowl. After the meal, pass around the bowl and have each person read one of the “grateful” notes. See if you can guess who wrote it. And see how the blessings add up.

MILK PUNCH

3 Quarts Half-and-Half

1 Bottle (750-ml) Bourbon or Brandy

¼ cup pure Mexican Vanilla or Vanilla Extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Garnish: Grated nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice

Combine all ingredients except the garnish in a gallon-size container. Cover and freeze until the mixture is slightly frozen.

Use an ice pick to make the mixture slightly slushy. Pour into a punch bowl or chilled pitcher. Add more powdered sugar, if desired, and garnish as desired.

Pour into small cocktail glasses or wine goblets (not over ice). Garnish each drink with an additional pinch of nutmeg or rim the glass with a mixture of sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Serve very cold.

Serves 16 to 20.

—    From Southern Cocktails: Dixie Drinks, Party Potions & Classic Libations (Chronicle Books), by Denise Gee

Denise Gee is the national editorial director for Spaces magazines.