Decorating for a Christmas Party

The sound of a crackling fire. The joy of newly fallen snow. The anticipation of Santa Claus. The smell of a cedar tree. The taste of a freshly baked Christmas cookie. At its very essence, Christmas is a holiday that excites our senses. How things sound, look, feel, smell, and taste evoke memories of holidays past, flooding us with emotions.

The right decorations can make your Christmas an event to remember.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
The right decorations can make your Christmas an event to remember.

The best way to re-create these memories -- and to create new memories for our families and friends -- is to surround ourselves with things that remind us of the season. Decorating is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this. Whether you are planning a small get together or a large party, decking your home in seasonal splendor will satiate the senses and fill all your guests with holiday spirit.

Try It!
Here are some Christmas recipes from our collection:
  • Christmas Castle
  • Christmas Cookie Tree
  • Ginger Shortbread Delights
  • Mocha Nog

Quick and Easy Centerpieces

A centerpiece doesn't have to be showy to be sensational. A small Christmas tree topped with a silver star is an elegant touch for an intimate family affair. On the other hand, going all out with a bedecked arrangement is bound to impress dinner guests. Keep in mind that the best centerpieces blossom above or spread out below the sight line, enabling guests to make eye contact during conversation. If you use candles, position them out of the way of plates and glasses.

Ornament Centerpiece:

Before you begin constructing your Christmas centerpiece, you'll need to assemble the following items:
  • Dry floral foam
  • Knife
  • 4- to 6-inch-high brass bowl
  • Hot glue gun, glue sticks
  • Ruler
  • Evergreen bough
  • 14 Christmas ornament balls
  • 12 small pinecones
  • 1 spray of plums (or about 7 plums)
  • 4 berry sprays, cut into pieces
  • 3 poinsettia flowers with leaves
To create an ornament centerpiece:
  1. Cut floral foam to fit the bowl; glue. (Use a plastic liner if you don't want to glue bowl.) Cut bough into five- to six-inch lengths. Form width and length by gluing greens around edge of container.

  2. Mound Christmas ornaments, pinecones, plums, and berry sprays on the greens and floral foam and secure with hot glue.

  3. Glue sprigs of greens, poinsettia flowers, and other poinsettia leaves to fill in holes between ornaments and pinecones.
Variation: To create place card holders, cut pieces, two- to three-inch lengths, from the bough. Glue the sprigs of greens and a few berries to the base of an ornament, making sure the ornament stands upright.

The Colors of Christmas

Christmas is all about color. Glowing strings of lights, festive stockings, and beautifully wrapped gifts take center stage. The colors you choose to emphasize in your Christmas decorations can impact the feelings they evoke. Consider your goals -- icy and intense, cozy and traditional, modern and fresh, elegant and luxurious -- before deciding on a color scheme.

Red and green are the classic colors of Christmas, but your decorating does not have to stop there.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Red and green are the classic colors
of Christmas, but your decorating does
not have to stop there.

Cool blue looks icy and cold, like the light of winter after a heavy snow has settled. The spectrum ranges from pale blue so light it shimmers to shocking cobalt. Whether you choose to use various shades all together or stick with one main color, blue will electrify and intensify your decorating scheme. White or silver is often added to enhance the decor; mixing in greenery and other naturals can also accentuate the various hues of blue.

Seeing red -- and green: Conjure up memories of Christmas past, and you likely envision a holiday decked out in red and green. These colors are synonymous with Christmas; they're the traditional colors most often associated with the season. Technically, red and green work well together because they are opposite each other on the color wheel. In practice, red and green go together in almost any setting in your home, from a mantel festooned with a natural garland and flanked with red stockings to a table centerpiece that highlights Christmas china.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas: A white Christmas can be classic and traditional or glamorous and fresh. That's the beauty of decorating with such a versatile color. With contemporary interiors, an all-white Christmas is en vogue: current, up-to-date, modern. With traditional decors, all white lends a homespun feel to the holidays. Twinkling white lights and touches of silver are spectacular accents to an all-white decorating scheme. Flickering candles or a roaring fire add warmth to pure white and play up the shimmery effect of any gold or silver accents.

Now that you have your decorations picked out, it's time to plan your party. On the next page, we will help you make your Christmas party a reality.