When you're setting the Christmas table, you want to make sure everything is perfect. Carry the holiday theme into your dining room by making Christmas table decorations.

Try It!
Here are some Christmas recipes from our collection:

In this section, we'll show you how to make table runners and table accents. Try cooking our Christmas recipes to serve on your special holiday table.

Ribbon Runner

You'll Need:
  • Flannel backing fabric
  • Measuring tape
  • Scissors
  • Assorted grosgrain ribbons (6 to 8 different ribbons)
  • 1/2-inch fusible web tape
  • Iron
  • Pins
  • Fray stop glue

    Ribbon Runner Christmas table accent is a fun Christmas craft.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Ribbon Runner

To Make Ribbon Runners:
  1. Cut backing fabric to length you'd like plus 2 inches. To determine width, arrange ribbons on table in the order you'd like to place them. When you're happy with the arrangement, add widths of ribbons and add 1 inch on each side for finishing edges. Cut backing fabric to this width.

  2. Fold 1/2 inch of rough edge under, place strip of fusible web tape in fold, and press with iron according to manufacturer's directions. Fold same side under 1/2 inch, place strip of fusible web tape in fold, and iron. Repeat on remaining 3 edges of runner.

  3. Cut ribbons length of runner plus 1 foot. With wrong side of backing fabric facing up, iron a strip of fusible web tape along edge. Lay first ribbon on edge, on top of web tape, with ends of ribbon evenly hanging off ends of backing fabric.

  4. Pin ribbon in place. (There will be 6 extra inches of ribbon on each side.) Iron on ribbon. Repeat with other ribbons, using previous ribbon's edge as guide.

    Iron on ribbon.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Iron on ribbon.

  5. When all ribbons have been placed, place a strip of ribbon across ribbons at each end of backing fabric, adhering with web tape.

  6. Trim ribbon ends so they are even. Seal ribbon ends with fray stop glue; let dry.

    Holiday Hint!
    Make your runner as long and wide as you'd like to fit your
    holiday table.

Reminiscing Runner

Reminiscing Runner makes a nice Christmas table decoration.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Reminiscing Runner

You'll Need:
  • Canvas fabric
  • Measuring tape
  • Scissors
  • Double-sided fusible webbing
  • Iron
  • Computer, scanner, word processing program
  • Holiday photos
  • Fabric paper for computer printer
  • Fabric glue
  • Charcoal acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Optional: Letter stencil
To Make Reminiscing Runners:
  1. Cut fabric to length and width desired, adding 3/4 inch on each side for turning under. Turn edges under, using fusible webbing and iron to secure edges.

  2. Scan photos into computer. Use a word processing program to make pictures black and white (if not already), and add colorful frame borders. Print photos with borders onto fabric paper according to manufacturer's directions. Cut out individual photos, and apply fabric glue to edges to keep them from fraying.

  3. Cut fusible webbing to same size as fabric photos, and fuse webbing to backs of photos. Place photos around runner until you're pleased with design. Fuse photos to runner.

    Cut the fusible webbing to fabric photos.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Cut fusible webbing to
    same size as fabric photos.

  4. Paint "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" or some other phrase you'd like with charcoal paint across center of runner; let dry. If you're not comfortable with writing words yourself, use a stencil to create words.
Sugarplum Table Accents

Sugarplum Table Decorations add beauty to your Christmas dinner table.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Sugarplum Table Accents

You'll Need:
  • Polymer clay, 2-ounce blocks each: tomato red, lime green, just orange, yellow, vanilla creme, gold, white; 3 blocks pearl white
  • Needle tool or toothpick
  • Clay blade
  • Acrylic roller
  • 11/2-inch star cutter
  • 1-inch circle cutter
  • Liquid clay
  • Paintbrush
  • Small jar with lid
  • Clear glitter
  • 1-inch length wire
  • Large paper clip
  • White typing paper
  • Cookie sheet
  • Oven thermometer
To Make Sugarplum Table Accents:
  1. Mix the following clay amounts together to create new colors. Create new colors by twisting, rolling, and kneading combinations until they are smooth and well blended. If colors are not as intense as you'd like, add a small amount of color to intensify.

    Pink: 1 block pearl white with 1/4 block tomato red
    Green: 1 block pearl white with 1/2 block lime green
    Orange: 1/2 block pearl white with 1/8 block just orange
    Yellow: 1/2 block pearl white with 1/8 block yellow

  2. For each cookie, make 2 or 3 for the jar and 1 for each place card holder you plan to make. Depending on the size jar you have chosen, you may need to make more cookies.

    Flower cookie: Roll ten 3/8-inch pink balls. Form 9 balls into tear-drops. Slightly flatten remaining ball for center, and place teardrops around outside of center. Use needle tool to texturize surface.

    Roll ten pink balls to make Sugarplum Table Accents.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Roll ten pink balls.

    Tree cookie: Roll out a 1/4-inch green snake. Cut 4 sections of the snake 11/2 inches long with blade. Place snakes side by side on work surface, slightly pressing them together. Use blade to cut tree shape. Cut a small section of snake and pinch for trunk. Press trunk to bottom center of tree. Use needle tool to texturize surface.

    Star cookie: With roller, flatten vanilla creme clay to 1/8-inch thick. Cut several stars with cutter. Stack 2 stars, and blend seams. Use needle tool to texturize surface.

    Swirled cookie: Roll out gold and vanilla creme;me clay into snakes that are 1/8 inch in diameter and 4 inches long. Taper ends to a point. Place snakes side by side. Wrap gold clay around vanilla creeme clay, and roll clays together to create swirl. At end, cut snake on a diagonal, and press cut edge against spiral. Use needle tool to texturize surface.

    Wrap gold clay around vanilla clay.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Wrap gold clay around vanilla clay.

  3. For candy cane trim, roll out 1/8-inch-diameter snakes of white and pink clay. Twist snakes together; gently roll twisted sticks until smooth.

  4. For fruit slices, use roller to flatten yellow, orange, pink, and green clays to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut circles of each color with cutter. (You'll need 3 to 5 circles of each color.) Roll out 1/16-inch white snake; wrap each circle with white snake. With clay color same as circle, roll out a 1/8-inch-diameter snake. Wrap snake around white snake, matching center color with outer color. Cut each circle in half.

    Wrap snake around white snake.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Wrap snake around white snake.

  5. Use a thin layer of liquid clay when you attach pieces to jar. Place candy cane trim along top and bottom of jar. Place fruit slices with flat edges against bottom trim, alternating colors. Place cookies below top trim, alternating types (swirled, tree, flower, star). Stagger cookies, keeping a portion of cookie touching either trim or slices below. Lightly coat surface of cookies and fruit slices with liquid clay, and sprinkle with clear glitter. (Do not glitter candy cane trim.)

  6. Place a swirl cookie in middle of lid, and place fruit slices around outside of lid, overlapping edges and alternating colors. Insert 1-inch wire into bottom of a star cookie, with some wire protruding from bottom of star. Place star cookie upright into center of swirled cookie. Lightly coat surface of cookies and fruit slices with liquid clay, and sprinkle with clear glitter.

    Place star cookie upright into center of swirled cookie.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Place star cookie upright into
    center of swirled cookie.

  7. For each place card holder, make two 1/4-inch white snakes that are 31/2 inches long. Place a snake on top of other snake, with top snake slightly off to one side of bottom. Make a 1/2-inch white ball, and press it to back of white snakes, flattening ball slightly. Press paper clip into top of ball. Place alternating cookies on top of bottom white snake, in front of top white snake. Place fruit slices in front of cookies, aligning bottom of fruit slices with lower white snake. Brush cookies and fruit slices with liquid clay, and add glitter. With a 3-inch length of candy cane trim, form length into a candy cane shape, and place shape at left side of cookies. Wrap candy cane trim around bottom of fruit slices; bring ends around to back.

    Press paper clip into top of ball.
    ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
    Press paper clip into top of ball.

  8. Place jar, lid, and name card holders onto paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 275 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn oven off, and let items cool. Remove items from oven.
In the next section, we'll show you how to make Christmas table centerpieces.