Ornamental Place Settings

• Get inspiration for your Christmas dinner table from your box of Christmas decor stuffed away in the attic. Look for vintage or colorful ornaments to double as party favors and place cards. Attach a labeled card with a handwritten message and the guest's name. You can also tie a piece of garland around a napkin and attach an ornament to it or use twine for a more rustic look. Place a single ornament ball at each place setting with a name label directly on the ball or fasten miniature ornament balls to a strip of gift wrap ribbon for a festive napkin ring.
  
  

Cards and Rings Inspired by Nature

• When you're fresh out of place setting ideas for your holiday meal, venture outside for inspiration. You can use gold or silver paint pens to write guest names on an acorn and create matching acorn napkin rings by attaching two acorns to either end of a piece of floral wire wrapped in brown tape. Glue on a dried oak leaf painted gold or left as is, and you have an eye-catching table setting for a Christmas brunch or country dinner. You can also use pine cones as place cards, attaching a labeled ticket to each one. For spots of color, use seasonal fruit in lieu of place cards. Apples, miniature pumpkins or pears work well.
  
  

Hand-Crafted Touch

• If you're handy with a needle, use your skills to create some granny chic place cards and napkin rings. Hand-stitch place cards onto vintage Christmas fabric cut into a rectangle or your favorite Christmas shape. Do the same with napkin rings fashioned from fabric. You can also knit napkin rings or hand embroider tiny squares of fabric still on the hoop for place cards. If you're wary of your crafting skills and want something more basic, cut out snow angel shapes from felt pieces and write your guests' names on each one. Make a matching napkin ring by attaching an angel onto a long string of felt, then tie it around a napkin.
  
  

A Bit of Ribbon

• You may think you're too low on crafting supplies to go all out on do-it-yourself place settings, but you probably have plenty of gift wrap ribbon laying around, and that's about all you need for homemade place cards and napkin rings. Make colorful napkin rings by gluing long strips of thin ribbon to a thicker ribbon so you have a colorful band of ribbons. Tie that around each napkin or cut the ring short and glue the ends together for a small burst of color. Tie a bow to each place card, or place the name of each guest on a larger bow placed on the chair itself. If you're handing out favors, wrap them in a small box, and write the guest's name on the bow.