Christmas Buffet Tablescape

It's that time of year where I feel so alive and festive!  Christmas is one of my favorite seasons where I love catching up with everyone.  I like having an open house for friends, neighbors and relatives where people can come in at any time and have an opportunity to catch up.  With this type of gathering, I like doing a buffet style of several appetizers and a couple of hot main meals.  For this Christmas Tablescape, I've chosen Santa and the poinsettia as the theme.

Along with my nativity collection, Santa is my one  constant décor during the holidays because he evokes good cheer and most of all the idea of giving.  But, I also wanted something different that would highlight the colors of the season, thus the poinsettia. 

  

 I've always been enthralled by poinsettia flowers and was even more fascinated when I found out the symbolism behind it.  For Christians, they are called the Flowers of the Holy Night.  It is said that the shape of the poinsettia flower are sometimes thought of as symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem which led the Wise Men to Jesus, and the red colored leaves symbolize the blood of Christ. But, in the  language of flowers, they symbolize good cheer and success, bringing wishes of mirth and celebration.

Since the table already has the dominant color of red, I wanted the food to show off more by having clear and silver platters, then draped a gold mesh to bring the gold out of the poinsettia. 

 Aggregate heights are important to show the different appetizers and makes for an interesting visual .

The centerpiece features the colors of Christmas.  The vases were embellished with poinsettia flowers. I put Santa on the side next to the utensils and I filled the sleigh with plastic candy ornaments, toy like items to show Santa's bounty.  I used red and gold stars (symbolizing the star of Bethlehem)  to break the flower pattern and to give it more texture.

  

 Santa on his own corner under a Christmas tree surrounded by Poinsettia

 To flow with the clear platters, I'm using wide-mouthed candlesticks as utensil holders and keep the poinsettia theme for this small table. The round boxes were hand painted in green and sparkler pens were used to design the flowers. 

Food labels for people who have special food requirements.  I used  seasonal photo holders for the labels.

Next to the buffet table is the dessert table.

This is that one time of the year where I like to use some of my old favorite seasonal dishes and candlesticks. The colors and design of the platters pulls together the theme of Santa and the greenery.

To create a visual break within the buffet table and the dessert table, I surrounded a small Christmas tree with Poinsettia instead of having it draped.

GIVEAWAY

 As people leave, I give a parting present that matches the theme of my table - thus, a Santa acorn.

Happy Holidays! HO, HO , HO