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How to Set the Perfect Holiday Table

LAUNDRY TIPS

If you’re planning to host a dinner party this holiday season, you want to impress your guests. Whether this is your first time hosting or you’re the usual holiday host for your family or friends, you want to find a way to really wow them, not just with your cooking skills, but with your ability to create a festive holiday atmosphere that your guests appreciate as much as the food. Take a look at some tips for setting the perfect holiday table. 

Add Some Natural Beauty

Even the most beautiful set of delicate dishware can’t compete with the beauty of nature. So, bring some of that beauty to your table. If you’re in a hurry, a bouquet of seasonal flowers in a vase makes a nice centerpiece. If you have a little bit of extra time, you can do something a little more creative. 

If you have a Christmas tree already, then you have everything you need. Cut some of the small pine branches from the bottom of the tree. It shouldn’t be noticeable, but if you’re worried about a visible bare spot in your tree, take them from the part of the tree that’s facing the wall or that’s least visible to your guests. Then, place the small branches around the table. A small pine branch in front of each plate is a lovely decorative touch, or you could tuck them into your napkin holder rings. If your table is a little overcrowded, attach them to the backs of the chairs around the table with red holiday bows.

Create Place-Card Holders That Are Decorative Gifts

Who doesn’t love leaving a party with a little souvenir? An easy way to make sure that everyone gets a little something is to make gifts that double as place cards. 

This can be pretty easy. For example, you could get scented candles that come in individual decorative boxes, and just write each person’s name on a candle. If you’re the artsy type, or if you have money to spend on engraving, you could make or buy personalized tree decorations; each guest can have an ornament with their name on it placed at their spot at the table. Or, if you have a green thumb, you could give away small plants or cuttings. Place them in pots, and put a name label on each one so that you can use them as place settings. 

Opt for Flameless Candles

Sure, candles are a must for a fancy dinner, but actually lighting candles isn’t as good an idea as it sounds. Candles melt. The wax drips all over your candle holders and sometimes even onto your tablecloth. If you’re having a long, leisurely meal (or if you just use short candles) the flame may die down before the meal is over. On top of that, the scent can mix with the scent of your food and throw off the flavor; even unscented candles can give off some odor. 

However, there’s a simple solution. Just invest in some nice flameless candles. That way, you can have all the ambiance that candlelight provides, with none of the mess, smell, or fire hazard. 

Of course, even the most beautifully set table is likely to result in food or beverage stains on the tablecloth by the time a hearty holiday meal is finished – not to mention the stains that can accumulate on linen napkins, and of course on your clothes. 

You’ve put so much work into preparing the meal, why not give yourself a present this year? Let Tide Cleaners help you out with the laundry after the meal, and all year long!  Download the Tide Cleaners app to get started today!