Cheap, Easy Ways to Decorate Your Holiday Dinner Table

If you are searching for easy and affordable ways to decorate your dining room table for the holidays, there are several creative ideas that can help. The materials needed can be purchased at very low prices but create elegant and impressive decorative pieces for your dinner display. Follow the tips below to begin decorating your holiday table the easy and affordable way.

Table Cloth/Cover

Every holiday table should have a table cloth. When serving a number of guests and passing food around the table, it is almost inevitable that a spill will happen. You shouldn't invest too much into a fancy table cloth. A cheap plastic or vinyl table cloth will be fine. They are easy to clean and less worrisome than a fabric table cloth. You can purchase a cheap table cloth at one of your local dollar, department, or drug stores. Don't worry about any fancy designs, a plain white or solid colored table cloth is best. You will barely see it once all of the food and other decorations are present. It is there mainly to protect and/or hide the surface of your table.

Table Runner

Now, to perk up that plain old table cloth, add an eye-popping runner.

A very unique and elegant table runner can be created by using a cheap mirror. Find a flat, full length door mirror with a small, pretty frame. Look for low priced mirrors at your local discount or second hand stores.

A mirror table runner is great way to impress your guests. You can lay it centered across the length of your table. You can place dishes of food, candles, center pieces, and other decorative items on the runner to create an elegant reflection of your display. It is also super easy to wipe clean!

Placemats

Placemats add a classic touch to the dining decor. To create your own placemats, you will need clear contact paper. The contact paper will serve as laminate for your finished placemats. You can get creative with the material you use to create your placemats.

You can start with a sheet of thick construction paper in the color of your choice. Use whatever you like to decorate it.

Example 1: Take a white sheet of construction paper and cut out 3 circles to create a snowman figure. Place the 3 circles in the figure of a snowman and glue to the center of a sheet of red construction paper. Use a black marker to draw eyes and a mouth on your snowman. Add a construction paper nose, scarf, hat, and whatever you like to your snowman.

Example 2: Personalize your placemats with the names of your guests. Choose the color of paper you would like to use and write the name of your guest in the center with a glitter pen, marker, paint, or chalk. You can also use glue and glitter to write and decorate. Write the name with glue. You don't need to put a ton of glue. Use a thin layer. Pour glitter over the name you just wrote and shake away the excess glitter after the glue is dry. You can add your own designs in the remaining empty space.

Example 3: Cut out snowflake designs from wrapping paper, scrap paper, or construction paper. You could also use your old Christmas cards and cut out pretty scenes and pictures. Glue them onto a sheet of construction paper and decorate them with glitter or whatever you choose.

There are many twists and spins that you can put on your own customized placemats. The possibilities are yours to create. Use your imagination.

When you are ready to finish your placemat, take a sheet of clear contact paper that is slightly larger than your sheet of construction paper and lay it sticky side up on a flat surface. Make sure it is flat in order to avoid bubbles and wrinkles.

Next, lay the placemat you've created onto the sticky contact paper and press down tightly. Do the same with the opposite side of your placemat and another sheet of contact paper. After your placemat is sealed tightly behind the contact paper, trim any excess from the edges.

Napkins

Special napkins are the perfect way to compliment your holiday table display. Look for cheap packs of napkins at your local dollar, drug, or department stores. Select a napkin to compliment your color scheme. Pick a color or design that matches your placemats or centerpiece if applicable.

A cute way to distribute your napkins to guests is to take an empty greeting card box or another similar sized cardboard box and wrap it with and elegant paper like a gift. You can line the inside of the box with the wrapping paper as well. Place your festive napkins neatly inside. Add a bow or a gift tag to the outside of the box. For example, you could write "To: A Messy Face From: Santa".

Candles

A candle lit atmosphere can always bring a bit of elegance and class to a dinner event. You don't want to choose short candles. Select an un-scented, tall, pillar style candle in the color you desire and a simple holder designed to fit that candle. Select a holder that is designed to catch any dripping wax. Place two pillar candles along the center of your table runner. As an alternative, you can use one tall jar candle as a centerpiece instead.

Please be sure that you do not place burning candles near anything flammable or within the reach of small children!

Candles can also be displayed without being lit. They add a nice touch to the decor regardless if the are burning or not.

There are so many simple ways to create a beautiful holiday dining table design. Something as simple as tying a ribbon around the stem of a wine glass can add magic to your holiday display. Spend your imagination and creativity, not your money! Have fun!

Happy holidays to you!