Holiday Place Settings and Decorations

        

             Ever stressing about what kind of table place settings you need for your holiday dinner? How fancy do you need to be? Are you trying to impress your in-laws or parents? Or your friends and coworkers?

            China is beautiful but not necessary in my opinion. China usually is passed down as an heirloom or we’ll register for china if we are getting married, but the formality of the meal is completely up to the host. Beautiful knock off disposal china place settings can be purchased at Costco, Smart and Final, or Party City. Table settings can range from one plate for the main course and one plate for dessert, to multiple plates and courses.

            Decorations are where you can have fun. Name holders for seating makes the feel of the meal more formal, and personally, I like to let people choose where they sit. Sites like Pinterest show amazing table layout arrangements from simple to advanced. If you would like to get the kids involved, you can have them help out with the decorations, maybe making holiday crafts for the occasion, or helping set up the table. This gives you a chance to teach the young ones about place settings and what the different utensils are used for.

            Putting flowers or holiday themed decorations on the table give a very fun and festive look. Candles are great if young children are not present, and make sure you don’t over decorate, you gotta leave room for the food you will place on the table!

            When hosting a holiday dinner, the table place settings will set the mood of the formality of the event. Opt for whatever makes you happy, whatever is easier for you to manage, and don’t stress yourself out! Holiday dinners are for getting to come together with your family and friends and celebrate the holiday season with those you love.

Gifting and (Re)Gifting With Family and Friends at the Holidays

          What do you do when you’re put in an awkward position, by receiving a gift from your friend that you remember giving them for their birthday the year before? Clearly they didn’t like what you gave them, and decided to give it to someone else to get it off of their hands. But that person is you. Should you say something? Or keep it to yourself?

            If I were faced in this kind of situation, I would just say “Thank you” and move on. It isn’t worth the trouble of causing tension or guilt, sometimes your friends might not like what you give them as gifts, just as you might not like everything you receive as a gift either.

            In order to avoid gifting mishaps, like someone giving you a gift and you have nothing in return, set up parameters with family and friends so everyone is on a level field. You don’t want to be the one to show up to the holiday party unprepared as you receive more gifts than you gifted out to others. In doing this, you can set up a dollar amount that is appropriate for the “level” of relationship you have with that person. For example, you would typically spend more money on a gift for your mother than a co-worker, just because of the level of closeness you have with a family member over a friend.

            To mix things up a bit even more, a Secret Santa or gift exchange could a fun way to gift someone an awesome gift, without the pressure of them knowing it is you. Trying to find out who is buying you a present is part of the fun!

         When there are too many people to shop for, always prioritize the children. If you have to skip the adults, they will understand, but the little ones get so much joy out of opening presents, no matter the size or money spent. So pick up a little something for the kids in your family, and watch their eyes light up with excitement. It’s a great feeling knowing the kids are grateful they have someone like you in their lives.