home decorating ideas christmas

- hey guys. as we're heading intochristmas and new year's eve, i wanted to give you three ideas for a festive table setting. whether you're atraditionalist, a modernist, or if you love the naturalworld and appreciate things that look like nature, i'vegot a table setting for you. let me show you how quickand easy these ideas can come together.

first up, let's talk traditional. i know that the holidayseason can bring out the traditionalist in all of us, so i wanted to show you aclassic table setting first. for the plates, go forsomething that looks old world and classic. you can find a lot of thesetypes of things at thrift stores and yard sales. i also find that theyeven don't have to match.

as long as they're inthe same color scheme, it can be a really charming look. if you have four that domatch and two that don't, you might consider puttingthe two different ones on the end. for flatware, i like to dosomething classic and silver. you can find some good dealson silver plated flatware, usually at flea markets or antique stores. for a more formal look,i like to also include

the dessert fork and spoonup at the top as well. for napkins, i keep it classic white but i do look for somenice old world detail like embroidery or eveneyelet is a great way to go. if you can find glasses thathave little etching to it, that's also a really beautiful look for something traditional. in keeping with the traditional theme, i think place cards are a nice touch.

i find it's really welcoming when guests come to the table and theyknow exactly where to sit and there isn't that awkward feeling of not knowing where to sit. for candles, i like touse a classic candlestick with some off white candlesand also a hurricane globe. i think those are reallygreat for a traditional table. for my centerpiece,because i do serve soup as a first course, ilike to put the tureen

right in the center andmake it the show piece. instead of cut flowers,i like to use fruit, and this time of year, ithink maybe because i grew up in new england, which hasa lot of colonial history, i do like to use fresh pineapples. i know that sounds like a strange thing, but they were a decorationthat was used a lot in colonial america around christmastime, and i like to nestle in little crab apples

and oranges as well. it's just an unexpectedcenterpiece that's super simple to put together and you caneat all the fruit afterwards. pineapples are also thesymbol of hospitality, so they are a goodconversation piece as well. for additional interest at thetable, i like to add things like silver salt cellars andlittle wine coasters as well. these are things that justkind of complete the table. it's almost like the jewelry of the table.

it's good to have a few accessories. there you have it,table setting number one for the traditionalist. if contemporary design is more your style, then i have a moderndesign that you might like. for this look, we're goingto use just plain white square plates. i think there's something funabout using a square plate instead of a round platebecause it's a little more

unexpected. for silverware, go for adesign that's really simple but maybe has a great finish. i love this gold flatware that i found. it's not real gold, it'sjust the finish that's on it, but i like it because it's really festive, especially for the holidays. for a more contemporarydesign, you might consider a wine goblet that's stemless.

i love these tumblers thati found because they pick up the gold in the flatwareand they also have a really beautiful soft gray dot to them. to pick up on that, i'm goingto use a soft gray napkin that i'm gonna placeright on top of the plate. then you can see it startingto bring this look together a bit. for water glasses, i'llalso do a little tumbler in a smaller size in a different shape.

for a centerpiece, you wannago with something simple yet dramatic. i like to use a tall cylindrical vase and just add one branch to it. even though this branch isfake, i do add water to the vase just to keep people guessing. i like the fake branchesbecause you can manipulate them almost like a sculpturebecause they have wire in those branches.

to tie the centerpiecewith the rest of the table, i do like to add littleevergreen sprigs on the napkins of each place just to soften it. otherwise, it does startto look a bit severe, and to make it a littlebit more holiday themed. to flank your centerpiece, you can use two small votive candles. i think it helps to havethem lower because it'll make that centerpiece more dramatic.

it also just creates more visual interest. you don't want everything the same height. it's good to have the variation. for a little whimsy and table decoration, i do like to add somemetallic christmas trees just lined up and down thetable, and these are fun parting gifts for people. your guests can takethem home and put them on their own tree as asouvenir to your dinner.

finally, i also like toinclude a contemporary style decanter that you canfill with water or wine. what's nice about it is it's functional, but it also looks like apiece of sculpture as well. there you have it,table setting number two for the more contemporary entertainer. so now for all you nature lovers. this is a table settingthat i really love to do for christmas morning breakfast.

there's something socharming about bringing in mother nature and celebratingall of her creatures, especially this time ayear when we're focused so much on pine trees and the forest. we're going to begin by usingsome rustic wood chargers. i like the shape of thesebecause they look very whimsical, like they were hand-carved in some little mountainside studio. on top of the chargers,we're gonna go with these

soft beige plates that almost look like they could be hand thrown pottery. this is a theme you'll start to see emerge in this table setting, reallyconcentrating on things that are made out of woodand pottery that looks like it could be hand thrown. it'll just help completethat woodsy cottagey look. then we're gonna bringin a little holiday red in the form of our napkins.

i like a nice clean stripe because i think it's a really basic design that also pops. then you can concentrateon flatware that maybe has a little bit of thatwood detail as well. i think that also helpstie the look together. for your mugs, again, go forsomething that looks like naive pottery that somebody may have made. i like actually taking mugsthat are all mismatched because to me, theylook like one-of-a-kind,

and it also helps your guestsremember what mug is theirs if they get up for the tableand as the day progresses and people start to open gifts, they can keep track ofwhat coffee cup is theirs. for juice glasses, ilove these little pieces that i found at the dollarfifty store, believe it or not. when it comes to glassware,i have the best luck at the dollar fifty store. you can really find somecharming things in there

and it won't cost you a lot of money. for a dramatic centerpiece,i really love these little tabletop trees that iput in white wash tubs. i think they're so charming and beautiful, and their branches aremade out of wire so you can have fun kind of adjustingthem and making them look as lifelike as possible. try to find the ones thatcome with the pinecones on it 'cause i think that's even more charging.

then i like to add twopitchers made out of pottery, one for juice and one for steamed milk, or you can put syrup in it as well. what i think reallyties this look together is to bring in some woodlandcreatures to join you at the table. i found these reallyadorable christmas ornaments in the shape of different forest animals. the fox is my favorite.

i just love his expression,and i find if you have kids in your family, theylove to see the animals. i like to clip on a bird toone of the christmas trees. the finishing touch isjust to add some pinecones that have been topped withsome bright red ribbon to each place setting, and i think that brings the whole thing together. there you have it, tablesetting number three for all of my nature lovers out there.

i hope you guys enjoyedthese table settings and have found one that fitsyour unique personality. be sure to leave me a comment. i wanna know, which one are you, the traditionalist, themodernist, or the nature lover? alright you guys, i hope you have enjoyed my holiday helper series this year, and special thanks tothe whole team at bissel for sponsoring this seriesand collaborating with me

on these videos. it has been great fun, andif i don't see you guys before then, i wish you alla very happy holiday season, and i hope to see youin the new year ahead. until then, bye. (christmas music)

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