While some people wait with anticipation for the snow to fly and holiday lights to appear, others get a knot in their stomach just anticipating the rush of the holiday season. Of course, there is always things for everyone to look forward to; few people are downright Scrooges. However, if you could have all the holiday cheer without worrying about how much you're spending, wouldn't that be ideal? Entertaining is an important part of many holiday traditions and you can impress family and friends without breaking the bank. Holiday entertaining doesn't have to cost a lot to make an impact.
Deck the Halls
Whether you are hosting a holiday event or just want to get your home and family into a festive mood, your holiday decorations are important. However, when you're entertaining on a budget, it just doesn't make sense to go out and buy an entire new set of holiday decorations. The good news is that there are plenty of sources for free holiday decorations. If you need to trim your tree a bit, save the cuttings to fashion into a wreath. There's no way you can consider this technique passe when it's recommended by none other than Martha Stewart. If you don't have enough leftover greenery to fashion an entire wreath, try stopping by a local Christmas tree farm; many will give away the cuttings and trimmings for nothing. Add in a few berries or decorative balls for Christmas, or some fruit for Thanksgiving, and you're good to go. You can also arrange the greenery into a swag or lay it on a tablecloth for a centerpiece.
White Goes a Long Way
Creating a beautiful tablescape can be one of the hardest parts of entertaining. However, don't go out and buy all new china just to host the event. In fact, you may be surprised to find out that most people can create a beautiful setting with what they already have. If you feel you really don't have anything suitable, invest in one complete set of simple white china. White china can be mixed and matched with any theme and still stays fresh and beautiful. For Thanksgiving, pair it will deep oranges, red and gold tones with a pumpkin, fall floral arrangement or fruit bowl in the middle. Use the same dishes at Christmastime with a deep cranberry color theme. White always looks elegant and never gets old. Once you know how this works, it's easy to pick up white dishes and serving pieces throughout the year at tag sales and thrift shops; these can particularly stunning when used as a holiday centerpiece. You can mix and match to your heart's content using white as the base.
Entertaining is mainly about making the people you love feel cared about. Few people even bother to ask what you spent on the event, so the impact is much more important than the budget. Don't be afraid to use the same supplies for several different events, especially if the guest list is different. Keep it simple and your holiday events will wow the crowd without causing you to hyperventilate.
We know you have your own unique way to save on holiday entertainment; share your tips and tricks by commenting below.