Today, in partnership with Sengled, I’m sharing three SIMPLE and achievable winter entertaining tips, and the tutorial for making your own table wreath centerpiece! It’s the season of hosting, so I’m doing all I can to make our home extra cozy and inviting for all who walk through our doors, even if it’s just a neighbor stopping by for a few minutes to chat!When I welcome folks into my home, especially during these cold winter months, I try to think about what will make their experience most comfortable and intimate and refreshing.
Make Your Entryway Most Inviting
This is guests’ first impression of your home, so take an extra minute to focus on this area. Make room on the coat rack for guests’ coats and winter accessories. Hang a pine garland over the coat rack. Light a candle and place it on the side table. Simple gestures that can really set the tone for the evening as soon as guests arrive. Pay attention to the space your door leads your guests into.
Our front door opens directly to our dining room, so our dining room table can be set for dinner, or decorated with a simple handmade table wreath (tutorial below). Most of our guests come through our back door, though, which is the first door you see when you park in our driveway. Since our back door leads to our mudroom/laundry room, this area needs to be clutter-free and welcoming. Hide away some of the boots and shoes that tend to accumulate this time of year (we literally have about 20 pairs of shoes and boots in our mudroom right now; is this just us?).
Encourage Conversation & Lingering Through Mood & Lighting
The manner in which furniture is arranged will definitely contribute to guests’ conversation and comfort! Try putting out enough seating (even if that means busting out the folding chairs or using poufs and stumps) for everyone to be in the same room at the same time (this is hard for us, since we have a tiny house). Include a few cozy throws and blankets for guests to use, if they desire. For some, they’ll feel more at home with these little, intentional details.
Place lights in strategic places, and make sure every corner of the room is well lit. Check that all your lights have working bulbs. We just recently started using Sengled Element bulbs, and have fallen in love. We’ve been using Amazon Alexa for about two years, and now that we have smart bulbs, I’m addicted and I want a completely smart household. The smart bulbs are simple to install; you twist them into the light fixture just like regular bulbs, and then download the app and link it to your Alexa (or other smart home platform).
I love how our Sengled Element bulbs make it simple for me to control the lights by simply saying “Alexa, turn on dining room” or, if I’m out of earshot, control them with my phone. In preparation for dinner time, I can discretely set the mood in the dining room by dimming the lights on the Sengled app, from the comfort of the couch in the living room. These bulbs make it easier than ever to prepare and enhance your home for hosting this holiday season!
Include Simple Seasonal Decorations EVERYWHERE
Growing up, our family friends Wendy and Jen always made their homes incredibly welcoming at Christmastime. Their homes were beautiful no matter the time of year, but I’m realizing what made them extra cozy at Christmas was the use of simple, seasonal decorations throughout their homes. Wendy would set up tiny vignettes on her kitchen counter, dining room table, and bookshelf, sometimes using miniature items like plastic animals spray painted gold or miniature ornaments. And Jen always stressed the importance of lighting. Her lights were always on, with the perfect brightness for the occasion. Her home always smelled so delicious and seasonal, and there were always candles lit.
Holiday decor needn’t be expensive or ornate (unless that’s what you want)! Simple, intentional details spread throughout your home is all that’s necessary to make it feel welcoming; a simple garland, candles scattered, a miniature tree forest, and maybe a homemade wreath.I’m sharing a tutorial for a homemade table wreath; it’s perfect for keeping on your table all season long, or whipping together just before hosting Christmas dinner!
Christmas Table Wreath DIY
Supplies
Grapevine wreath form (make your own, or buy online)
Pine garland (or simply pine greens)
Shears/scissors
Twine
Floral wire
Christmas tree candle clips
Narrow taper candles (I buy mine at Williams Sonoma)
Directions
1. Tie pine garland to sides of grapevine wreath form using small pieces of twine or wire.
2. Cut smaller pieces of pine from garland, and fill in any gaps/places you can still see the grapevine wreath. Simply wedge the pine branches into the grapevine wreath. You can wire these in with floral wire, but wiring isn’t necessary. Since this wreath uses real pine, you can just pull the pine out at the end of the season and save the grapevine form for next year.
3. Attach candle clips to grapevine wreath form, then add candles. You may have to wrap a small piece of cloth or paper towel around the base of the candle to secure it in the candle clip!
4. Place on dining room table (or anywhere in your home); light candles when guests arrive or at dinner time!
I love the simplicity of the pine combined with the vintage candle clips. I’ve been holding on to these clips for about 3 years and finally found a way to use them this season! They’re the perfect addition to a dining room table this season, paired with these dim-able, smartSengled Element bulbs!
Sponsor Note: Although this post is sponsored by Sengled, all content, words, and ideas are my own. Thanks for supporting the partnerships that keep A Daily Something running!
