Holiday Table Decorating Ideas

Christmas

• Decorating a festive Christmas holiday table is easy, thanks to the proliferation of lights, ribbons and garlands readily available stores at this time of year. You can use some or all of these to create a beautiful holiday table.

  Choose a seasonal color scheme, such as red, green and gold or silver and white. Create a base using a tablecloth in a rich fabric, such as silk or a sheeny cotton blend. Use festively patterned tableware to add interest or, if you'll be setting out an intricate centerpiece, stick with solids for the tablecloth to decrease visual competition. Clear glassware and shiny flatware add sparkle to the table.

  For a centerpiece, use candles surrounded by evergreen branches. Fill a hurricane vase with sparkling Christmas tree bulbs or pine cones. You can also cluster holiday figurines--such as a winter village--in small groups, creating vignettes across the table.

Birthday

• Almost anything goes when decorating a birthday table. Base your choices on the honoree's age and preferences or opt for bright colors, which reliably enhance a party atmosphere.

  For children, start with a brightly colored tablecloth--plastic is often better for young children to guard against punch spills. For easy decoration, pile presents in the center of the table, letting the brightly colored wrapping paper serve as the decoration. A birthday cake or cupcake tiers also makes an easy party centerpiece. For kids' parties, it is usually best to keep centerpieces simple, to avoid distraction and too much touching with sticky fingers. Select linens and tableware that will add pizazz to the table. "Bouquets" of small balloons, in vases or cups across the table, make a fun-yet-simple addition to the party table.

  For adult parties, center table decorations around a theme, such as "birthday diva," using bright pink decorations or "birthday hero" with sports-themed decorations.

Fourth of July

• For a Fourth of July table, red, white, and blue rules. A red or deep navy tablecloth will be the most forgiving of barbecue fingers; add white with heavy, basic tableware. "Bouquets" of pinwheels or American flags, set in mason jars, make cheerful decorations. Set white flowers such as hydrangeas, daisies, carnations or roses in red pails. A giant punch bowl or watermelon slices add a shot of red to the table. Keep the color scheme easy and primary and allow brightly colored summer fruits to add color to the celebration.

Easter

• Decorate an Easter table using pastel colors and fresh spring greenery. Softly colored table linens in pale yellow, green or blue create a gentle background to showcase spring flowers. Mismatched tableware in whites or pastels with mason jars for glasses lend a charming, casual touch. Centerpieces of bouquets of cheerful flowers or buckets of grass, surrounded by pale Easter eggs or figurines of chicks or bunnies, complete your Easter holiday table decoration. Keep the entire palette pastel and you can use almost any color.