Dining to impress

By Wangeci Kanyeki

Whether You Will Be Having A Relaxed Family Dinner, a celebration buffet or a sophisticated  formal  dinner, a well dressed dining table will impress your guests and invite them to dine with you. Toss out those plastic or disposable plates.  This is your opportunity to flaunt your crockery and cutlery and show off your best china, silverware  and glassware in a classic arrangement.

Lay the table: Cover the table with a Christmas themed red or green table cloth.  A white cloth could also work if it has a runner along the centre of the table that blends in with the festive theme.  If hosting a  party buffet with restaurant type setting that uses,  ten-seater round tables, use  round embroidered cloths to dress the table.

Centre Piece: To create a focal point and secure the table in place, position a low centerpiece  to allow for conversation.   Ideas of centerpieces can be of festive fruits such as mangoes, apples and plums surrounded by glass candlesticks, or a simple red candle surrounded by a green Christmas decoration.  

Personalise: Make your guests feel special and glad that they came by personalising the red and green napkins with their names or photographs printed on them and show them where to sit.  

Favour bags: Place sweets and chocolates in favour bags made from organza tied with a red or green ribbon.  Your guests will enjoy nibbling while they chat and wait for their meal. Place small bowls of crisps, nuts and carrot sticks with a sauce to  dip at several strategic locations in the room to keep your guests busy as you do the final hosting touch ups.

Drinks: For party celebrations, it is better to place the drinks and glasses on a separate table, so as not to clutter the dining area. Beauty is all in the details, so tie the wine stems with miniature bows in green and red and sugar coat the glass rims with colours to reinforce the Christmas theme.  

Entertainment: To remind the guests of the occasion, put on some Christmas music to fill your room with a festive mood or better still, let your guests sing some Christmas carols by singing along a CD out the songs in advance for them to follow.   Prepare a play room with mini-craft-games with pencils, colours,  crayons and toys for  the  children if in attendance.  Have quiz games on the table to break the ice especially if your guests do not know each other, and watch as every  one relaxes, has fun and enjoys your memorably decorated festive party.