10 Tabletop Essentials for Holiday Dinner Parties
Planning on hosting up a storm this holiday season? Then you best be stocking up on dinnerware, flatware and all those other essentials to get yourself through dinner parties, cocktail hours and more. We’ve teamed up with Target Wedding Registry to share our favorite picks for this season — filled with natural wood boards, pretty patterns and bright colors, of course.
If you’re gettin’ hitched in the near future, we’ve got a pro tip for you: Add everything you need to host your holiday dinners to your REGISTRY! It’s a great move for making sure you’ve got your essentials covered, and is a nice way of having even your long distance friends and family at the table every time. Just make sure to find a good mix of must-have staples and stylish accents and you’ll be good to go.
In addition to glasses filled with piping hot cocktails and a cake stand or two, here’s what’s on our table this holiday (hosting) season :)
Dinnerware That Fits Your Personality
Your perfect table starts with the folks sitting around it, and the food you create. But after that? Dinner plates, salad plates and bowls set the scene. We swooned over this Threshold Avery 16-Piece Dinnerware Set ($70) from the moment we spotted it. The graphic design and hand-drawn nature of the patterns is just lovely.
Statement-Worthy Silverware
Or should we say goldware? ;) This Gold Izon Flatware Set ($20) has a luxurious feel while still being fun and not too weighed down. We’re sure you’ll use it way beyond the holidays.
Accent Plates
In addition to the perfect dinnerware set, we like to add a few pops of color or contrast. In this case, we threw in a few Crackled Glaze Ceramic Salad Plates in Blue ($19 for 4). You can do the same with bowls or even glassware if you’ve got a few stylish pieces you love.
Wooden Serving Bowls
Next up, we’re stacking up bowls for salads, side dishes and freshly baked biscuits. Mmm, biscuits. But we’re digressing here. This handsome pair of Acacia Serving Bowls ($30) is a staple set that you will use time and time again, even when it’s just dinner for two.
Bowls for Dips, Toppings and Accoutrements
Sure, you’ve got a handful of main events on the table, but we’re all about letting guests customize their meal. Use small, light bowls like these Oh Joy! Melamine Bowls ($4) to serve up fresh herbs, chopped green chile peppers and the like. These also make for great “add this to that” vessels for keeping dietary restrictions in mind — these bowls would hold bacon, nuts and shredded cheese pretty darn well.
Plenty of Cutting Boards
Guess what. Cutting boards are not just cutting boards anymore, especially these rather attractive wooden ones. Use them to serve stinky cheeses, fresh veggies or even an entire roasted cornish game hen. On our table we’ve got a Round Wood Cutting Board with Hanging Strap ($10), an Acacia Plank Cheese Board ($15) and a Green-Edged Acacia Serving Board ($20).
Paper Plates for Unexpected Guests
What are the holidays without a gaggle of unexpected out-of-towners showing up at your doorstep? You’re the hostess whose door is always open, which means you’ve got backup paper plates aplenty. We heart these Oh Joy! Abstract Rectangular Plates ($3) for any occasion.
Stylish Salt and Pepper
Not the female rappers from the ’90s, silly — though those dames were definitely stylin’. There are so many fun salt and pepper shakers out there that it’s easy to find a fun pair for your tablescape.
Quick and Easy Decor
If you’re cooking a big feast, the last thing on your mind is the decor in your dining room. Stock up on a few sets of Paper Fan Decorations ($6) and you’ve got wall decor, table decor or even an entire photo backdrop if you like.
Bonus! Silly Little Touches: And finally, don’t be afraid to get a little bit weird. For place settings, throw a little holiday knickknack into the mix, like a jingle bell, a little toy lamb or a bundle of mistletoe.
