As per the Greek tradition, the first day of the year is celebrated with family and friends, sharing a well cooked meal and cutting the New Year’s Pie (Vassilopitta) which has a hidden coin for the lucky one of the year. This year, it will only be the four of us, but this is not keeping me from setting the table in a festive way. It’s really last minute and I haven’t thought about how to decorate my table, so there’s only one thing left to do and that is … shop my home!
Here is how to set the table with whatever you already have:
1. Start with a tablecloth or placemats which are a must to any table setting. Depending on the celebration, use materials and colors that suit the circumstance. I have used plastic, wood, burlap, paper and many more in the past, but today I am using well ironed white linen placemats.
2. Add tableware that is appropriate to the celebration. Since it is New Year, I am using my very best china.
3. Wander around the house for any decorative item that suits the event. I found nothing but some plastic snowflakes from the dollar store, but they certainly don’t look cheap with the white linen! I spread them around the middle of the table to fill the empty space.
4. Candles on a table are always a good idea. I’m using these LED votives that I got from Costco back in the Fall. I already used them in very different ways for the diy Halloween lanterns and the Thanksgiving table. Only this time, I am wrapping around them a piece of faux white fur, that fits the season just right (use faux fur only with LED candles! Otherwise they can be a fire hazard!).
5. Some greenery or flowers are always a must, but I have nothing on hand. In my backyard I see that my camellia is ready to bloom. I wish that the flowers were all opened, but this will have to do. I placed each camellia on a little dish that I had brought back from Greece this last summer, and that gives the color that was missing.
6. Last, I am adding some clear glass gems (a remainder from a floral arrangement that was sent to us) here and there, on the table, and ready!
I combined items and materials that I already had in the house, and in just a few minutes my table looks beautiful!
It is always nice to be able to spend a lot to make a table setting look nice and professional, but using whatever we have at home is a fun, creative and inexpensive way, too!
A table that is nicely set for the meal shows your loved ones how much you care, creates memories and makes the meal much more enjoyable!
Happy New Year!
