(BPT) - It’s that time of year again — when hosting holiday guests means sprucing up living spaces, brushing up on new recipes and hunting for the perfect stylish centerpieces. Before you plump guest room pillows, tinker with a new Christmas dessert or purchase the perfect place settings, there are a few entertaining trends you’ll want to keep in mind this season.
Holiday hors d’oeuvres
Surprise guests with a beautiful cheese board that will keep them satisfied before, during and after the holiday dinner. Assemble your cheese board with a savory selection of options. Choose an aged cheese, a firm cheese, a soft cheese and a blue cheese. To begin arranging, place the cheeses down on the board first. Next, assemble all other sides around them — or tuck a variety of sides into each other for an extra bountiful look. Add some fresh fruit, olives, cured meats, crackers and nuts. To give your cheese board a sophisticated and special look for the holidays, serve on a marble board. Voila! You’ve got the perfect platter ready for holiday guests to devour.
A pop of personalization
Personalized hand-lettering lives on (thank goodness)! One way to make holiday guests feel right at home is to create a hand-lettered place card for every person at your table. This special touch looks lovely with a simple botanical element next to a cursive name. Little details like this hardly ever go unnoticed. A hand-lettered welcome sign or dinner menu can also take your holiday party to the next level — especially if it’s penned on glass, a mirror or another translucent surface.
Let glassware sparkle
It’s difficult to host a holiday dinner party without holiday drinks! Take your entertaining skills up a notch with the Glass Care Center from Thermador, specifically designed to accommodate glassware of various shapes and sizes. The Glass Care Center holds everything from beer steins to cocktail glasses to champagne flutes, and features the largest wine glass capacity of up to 26 large wine glasses. Whether your guests choose to toast with a malty beer or a sweet champagne, the Glass Care Center will always be stocked with sparkling clean glassware.
A twist on tradition
Decorating for the holidays often means displaying grandma’s beloved fine china passed down from generation to generation. While nothing can compete with heartfelt heirlooms, try sprucing up your tablescape this season by mixing cherished antiques with modern accents and décor. Pair your traditional holiday table setting with geometric ornaments or a bold statement piece like a rose gold terrarium. Geometric accents can give an expected arrangement the modern and fresh pop it needs!
A winter wonderland
Festive décor can help sweep your guests into holiday bliss. A consistent aesthetic will not only be pleasing to the eye, but help bring your guests that warm, “home for the holidays” feeling. If you’re decorating with a woodsy cabin theme, nature-inspired details are more popular than ever. Bring the outdoors in with a simple leafy garland centerpiece or a full twig wreath on your front door. Drape a chunky knit blanket or soft flannel across your couch to add to this cozy feel. If your style leans more toward a modern snowy aesthetic, fill a glass jar with sparkly silver ornaments, hang white twinkle lights in eye-catching spots, and wrap all presents in a silver frosted paper for more of a formal, put-together look. No matter your style, keeping your décor consistent will help your guests fall into a winter wonderland.
