Throw a Holiday Party on a Budget

The great thing about holiday decorating is that just about any entertaining staple can turn into something festive. You'll probably find most of these items packed away in cupboards. Time to dig them out.
-- Silver serving dishes They add a level of sophistication. Use them for food, candles or after-dinner mints.
-- Holiday-theme props Drag out the storage tubs filled with ceramic Santas, nutcrackers and other holiday knickknacks normally reserved for mantels and shelves. Try scattering some across a buffet table or clustering them on a dinner table.
-- Candles Candlelight adds instant atmosphere. Buy a bag of tea lights ($5) and put them in (or on) pretty glasses or plates, and place them at different levels of the room. For the tabletop, surround pillar candles with pine branches.
-- Runners and cloth napkins Take a solid-color tablecloth from your cabinet and use it with a holiday-theme runner. Cloth napkins add instant class.
-- Empty boxes of varying sizes For a buffet table, turn boxes upside down, cover with a tablecloth and place serving dishes at different heights on the boxes. It makes the food more interesting.

Do you have a tip for saving money on holiday parties? Share your ideas in the Comments section below!

(A version of this story appeared in Midwest Living® November/December 2009.)