Colin and Justin: Turning tables

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Crafting an easy breezy tablescape with a restrained yet ample scattering of seasonal style

Ah, we love Christmas. Everything about the holiday season, to be honest, appeals: from decorating the perfect tree, to arranging the perfect playlist for dinner guests (composed by asking attendees to tell us their favourite song in advance) we go out of our way to chase festive atmosphere at every turn.

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Having recently filmed a TV special (‘Home for the Holidays with Susan Hay airs on Global, at 5.30 p.m, on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day) we feel well versed to chat all things festive. As much as the show is about holiday recollections and traditions, we also focussed on dressing the perfect table.

Following on from that, we thought it might be fun to consign some of those ideas to these pages. And so, without further ado, here’s our guide to crafting an easy breezy table scape with a restrained (yet ample) scattering of seasonal style.

1. Choose ‘chargers’ (decorative plates that sit below other crockery) to add colour and amp up food presentation. Work around what you already have: red chargers, for example, would add punch to a gold dressed table (and vice versa) whilst natural wood chargers would enliven a plainly attired white tablescape.
2. As affordable guest place markers, opt for inexpensive gift tags tied loosely around wine glass stems, or visit your local florist for large castor oil leaves to use as place ‘cards’: inscribe guest names on each, using a gold or silver Sharpie, for added drama.
3. Atmospheric flickering flames are a must have, but don’t just plonk a candle holder down and hope for the best: build the drama – tall glass candelabras look fab (though ensure they don’t clutter eye lines between guests) as do storm lamps or Mason jars, a twinkling tea light set in each.
4. Select beaded napery and runners to pick up on and reflect the glow created by the aforementioned candlelight. Gather pine cones, fir branches and seasonal fruits like pomegranates and tangerines, and pile into shallow baskets, interspersed with a few sprayed gold or silver to suffuse a natural look with added shimmer.
5. Scatter chocolate coins across your table for extra sparkle, and a great way to persuade kids to behave on the promise of a ‘hoover up’, post prandial. At the pricier end of options, Eataly have a tempting section of foil wrapped faux Italian money, whereas Dollarama have golden chocolate coins for just $3 a bag.
6. Centrepieces add drama – try a jewel toned glass bowl with floating candles to telegraph a romantic feel, a clutch of dwarf Poinsettias (they look particularly good in shiny gold pots) or a collection of real oranges studded with cloves, neatly arranged across your table.
7. Provide each guest with a chilled miniature Champagne bottle as a table side aperitif. Nicolas Feuillatte One Four Brut Reserve would be a great choice. Visit wineandbeyond.ca to break out the fizz.
8. Avoid too many expressly festive items that can only be used at Christmas: instead, fix foil snowflake stickers (from Michaels or similar art stores) to existing wine glasses to add temporary sparkle. And hey, if you still feel compelled to add the odd Christmas specific item, the red and white deer plates (from Crate and Barrel) would be perfect.
9. Hit up your local branch of Claire’s for glittery hair bands and baubles to use as napkin rings, and create a sparkly Christmas look without draining your festive purse.
10. Christmas crackers; who doesn’t love ‘em? We certainly do, but we always up the stakes by sliding a lottery ticket into the tube of each happy snapper before the tugging begins. You never know: you might just go down in history as the host who made someone a millionaire. Let’s hope your guests share their fortune should they win.

With less than two weeks to go before Santa tips his merry yield down chimneys everywhere, time remains on your side. So come on: start party planning now, so you can slip into optimal relaxed mode around the table… rather than find yourself stressed to the max, as guests take their seats.  But wait: where’s our invite?

Watch for Colin and Justin on Citytv’s Breakfast Television. Find the Colin
and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit www.colinandjustin.tv