CHRISTMAS TABLE DECORATIONS

There is nothing more exciting and more fun than Christmas Day with the family and loved ones, is there? Let’s be honest, we all love it. The decorations, the food, giving presents or getting together with the family, one thing that I love the most, being an event planner is the decorating part! Over the holidays I have found many bargains which made our Christmas table decorations look great.

Me setting up the room

One of my most favourite parts of Christmas in Manchester, is the Manchester Christmas Markets. I adore them. The food stands are unbelievable, such as the pancake stands made in seconds in front of your eyes, with lashings of honey, whip cream, chocolate sauce; or the German sausages, or the mulled wine, you really can’t beat it! 

But the best part of all is the Christmas decorations on offer here, all hand made from different parts of Europe, from hanging decorations for your door, tree or fireplace or gifts and special sweet treats to give as presents, or stunning table decorations. If you want something really unique then at the Albert Square section sells beautiful handmade centerpieces of wicker baskets filled with plants, and Christmas decorations of red, gold and green looking very festive, with plenty of designs to choose from. We picked one up for a fiver! And it went down a treat, with everyone commenting on how beautiful it was.

Centerpiece from the Manchester Christmas Markets

There are several other stands as well selling reindeer's and penguins made out of wicker and twine which would compliment any Christmas setting or table centerpiece. However, when I saw these, I pictured them in the front garden, covered in snow, which put me off getting any this year due to the fact that there was no chance of a white Christmas. L

So when it comes to your table centerpieces, there are plenty of ways to make your table look beautiful without it costing the earth.

Firstly you need to start looking for decorations around early to mid November, as once you get to mid December all the good decorations are gone. Think of what colour scheme or theme you want to go for then your theme will fall into place. Common Christmas themes could be traditional Christmas such as gold, red and green colour's with Christmas crackers and matching colour decorations, or winter wonderland using different cool shades of blues, whites and creams, with white tree’s as centerpieces, branches in vases attached with lights, or a white theme so many possibilities, you don’t always have to go for traditional! 

Cottage tealights

I searched many shops, especially during times when the shops were less quiet so I could search the shelves properly to concentrate properly on my theme.

We chose a traditional theme using red and gold as our main colours. The main centerpiece was from the Manchester Christmas Markets which looked beautiful on top of a gold table runner and red table cloth. We even splashed out on some gold plates, and

little trinkets on the table such as snow globes, mini topiary tree’s, red ceramic tealight holders, shaped like a cottage which in low lighting looked stunning; and were bought for £2.00 each in the sale.

Though the best time to get your decorations is Christmas Eve or the few days after Christmas, that way for Christmas 2012 you will have great decorations done and dusted, that cost you next to nothing. On Boxing day I picked up lots of decorations for next year, some stunning little pieces which would brighten up any table and only cost me as little as 45p for some! I spend less that 6.00 on expensive decorations which would have cost in excess of more than 100.00 a few weeks earlier, so hit the shops after Christmas, and stock up for next year. You would be amazed at the bargains you can find, I know I was!