Welcome to December! With less than a month left in 2019, it’s time to finish off the year with lots of laughter, fun, and of course, entertaining. Whatever kind of holiday party you are planning, we’ve put together some festive (and simple) ideas to impress your guests, and remove some of the stress from your holiday entertaining.

Let’s start with your table. Keeping your table linens more natural, with simple tones and patterns creates a backdrop that allows the rest of the details to stand out. Here are a few we love.

(1. McGee & Co, 2. McGee & Co, 3. Pottery Barn, 4. West Elm, 5. Pottery Barn)

With a neutral backdrop, you can then layer in texture and sparkle with napkin rings, napkins, pillar candles, votive holders, and place settings.

(1. Pottery Barn, 2. Pottery Barn, 3. Target, 4. Target, 5. Pottery Barn)

Bring in elements of the outdoors to help create a feeling of effortless beauty. Arrange pine branches, berries, pinecones, or eucalyptus leaves in a fun vase, mason jars, or birch planter to bring in height and a pop of color.

(1. City Farm House, 2. The House of Silver Lining, 3. Mama Cheaps, 4. Lauren McBride, 5. HGTV)

Now that your table is ready, let’s get the party started with some fun holiday drinks and appetizers:

Cranberry Old Fashioned – A holiday twist on an old favorite.
White Chocolate Peppermint Martini – Is it even a winter holiday without peppermint?
Jingle Juice Holiday Punch A drink everyone will love.
Non-Alcoholic Sangria A “mocktail” for those wanting to celebrate without alcohol.

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Shrimp A traditional holiday appetizer that’s delicious and easy to make.
Cranberry Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts – A crowd favorite with a holiday spin.
Tortilla Roll Ups With SalsaSeriously how cute are these tortilla rolls stacked into a tree shape?
Olive WreathA delicious and beautiful holiday appetizer that you can assemble in minutes.

And who could forget the cookies and candy?
10 Fabulous Fudge Recipes
Ginger Cookies
Sugar Cookies
And my personal favorite, Cornflake Wreath Cookies

We hope that some of these ideas may spark some inspiration for your next holiday get together. Happy Entertaining!