Any holiday table can be enhanced with personalized place settings. When you get creative, your guests will even have a party favor to take home with them that will spruce up their own décor. Even simple ideas like these can make your holiday table unique, while at the same time letting everyone know where to sit.
1. Frosted Pinecones: Found at most craft shops, these decorations make wonderful place settings. Simply take a gold or silver pen and write your guests’ names on the pinecones. Turn them into ornaments by adding a ribbon. Make sure you write clearly and neatly so there is no confusion when it comes time to sit down for dinner.
2. Ornaments: A box of plastic or glass ornaments can be used for personalized place settings. Using coordinating pens designed for writing on glass or plastic, gently scrawl the names of your guests onto each ornament. Now each guest has a personalized ornament to remind them of your party to hang on their tree when they get home.
3. Origami: Whether you’re good at origami, or know someone who is, this technique can be used to make paper reindeer, trees, Santas or even gift boxes. Use a felt pen to write the names of your guests on the completed place settings. They will appreciate these unique crafts and will certainly want to take them home at the end of the evening.
4. Homemade Treats: Purchase small gift boxes to send your guests home with chocolate, cookies or other treats. Write the guests’ names on the boxes and stuff each one with any goodie you would like. You might also consider Christmas or holiday crackers personalized with the name of each guest. These can be purchased at most stores during the holiday season.
5. Personalize the Table: Although this option doesn’t provide a party favor for guests, craftier hosts can personalize their glasses or dinnerware for the place setting. Make sure to use food safe paints if you go this route. If you don’t want to re-use your tablecloth, you could even get some fabric paint and write the names of your guests directly onto the tablecloth.
6. Use the Food: A more difficult, but very unique idea, is to use actual food as personalized place settings. Try preparing an appetizer that requires a sauce, and use that sauce to write the names of your guests. Or offer a salad and use dressing for the writing instead. This requires some practice, so do two or three test runs before the actual event.
There are countless ways to use personalized place settings to make your table beautiful and unique. This is a chance to exercise your creativity in planning your holiday party. It usually takes only a few extra minutes, and your guests will certainly appreciate the effort.