We can’t believe how quickly the holiday season has come around, the social gatherings have already begun! 
This is the ideal excuse for a festive shindig with family and friends and if you need a little help along the way, we have a few tips and tricks on the essential must haves to make your evening perfect!

Tableware. 
If you’re wondering where to start, we suggest the tableware and no need to break out the fine china for your dinner party, we believe a key essential for a good dinner party is keeping it simple and using what you have!

Amp up your table decor with pops of colour, don’t be afraid to accessorize with what you have; oak wood boards and pops of greenery really create an authentic look. If bright and quirky prints are more your style, go for it. Whether that be the kind of plates you use, the placemats or silverware, whatever fits your personality choose the decor that matches!

Glassware. 
Glassware is important when setting up your table, they should be an eye catcher the moment your guests are seated. Remember, when you have good quality drinks you need good quality glassware! We suggest small glasses (rock glasses) for water and a white wine and red wine glass placed on each placemat. Don’t over complicate it with cocktail glasses or large bulky cups, keep it simple so your table doesn’t look cluttered. 

Centrepieces.
It’s not 100% necessary to have a centrepiece but if you do, try not to use anything that’s too tall or wide. Your guests shouldn’t have to duck around huge flower arrangements to make conversation with someone across the table. An assortment of candles and small flower arrangements are always a good idea but if you want to jazz it up for the festive season, you can take the inspiration from your Christmas tree! We used snips of our tree and some pine cones. (sorry dear Christmas tree!)

The Ambiance.
You can have good food, good drinks and a showstopper table however if there aren’t good vibes, your guests will feel it.  Here at Anchor & Den our philosophy in dining is feeling that sense of home away from home, a place you can reunite, reconnect and relax. Creating this at home with mood lighting, candles and cool chic music will definitely make your guests feel like home.
Check out HolyChil on YouTube for a chilled background playlist. 

Never forget – 
The Devil’s in the details.
Small details really do go a long way. Handwriting name cards adds a nice personal touch and provides your guests with something to take home to remember the night. You can also create little giveaways that they can take with them. It can be as easy as preparing homemade cookies (or store brought, we won’t tell) and wrapping them up nicely with some string and a cute greeting card!
 
So here you have it, your table is all set for your festivities this season. Hmmm, does there seem to be something missing? Keep your eyes peeled in the next week for parts 2 and 3 of A&D’s spin on holiday gatherings! 

Spoiler alert, there are some tasty items to come!