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Christmas, a table decorated with nature
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The first snowflakes start falling, the Christmas tree is decorated and surrounded by gifts, the nativity scene is full of lights. As each year, Christmas traditions are renewed with the entire family around the table. The table on the 25th of December can be very simple, but there must be all the symbols representing the exceptional event making all people feel the warmth of this special celebration. The colours used for Christmas are white (snow), green (nature), orange (the colour of most winter fruits and berries) and gold (Christmas), and it is playing with these colours that you can obtain a classic, graceful and elegant table. As for the rest, let your imagination run also using natural materials such as branches and leaves, fruit, fresh and dry flowers, and scented essences. The table shall be set as a formally set Italian table, with a few extra touches.
An idea that you can put into practice with your children's help, so everyone can really take part in the excitement, are place cards made with artichoke candle-holders.
They'll last at least a few days: all you have to do is cut the base, open the leaves and spray them with gold varnish; put the candle in right away before the leaves start closing. When they're dry, set them on small dishes and use them as place cards. Also the big wrinkly leaves of a cabbage, sprayed with gold varnish can become a decorative surprise that will amaze your guests for their originality. Use them as a "dish" to place nuts, peanuts and almonds. |
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HOW TO MAKE A CENTREPIECE FOR THE PARTY |
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To easily make a centrepiece with great impact you'll need the following: a basket, a sponge for flowers that you can find in a flower shop, (or clay to model), a big candle, ivy leaves, dry fruit, wire and for a touch of colour, resin-made berries, ribbons and little red silk flowers.
How to proceed: place the candle in the centre of the basket, fixing it if necessary with a few drops of hot glue; fill the space around the candle with a sponge cut in small pieces and start sticking the branches, leaves, and ivy leaves in the sponge, some of which may be made in small bunches and tied together with a wire. Insert a few red flowers and berries within the leaves; if you wish, you may further enrich your centrepiece with a red apple, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, nuts or other dry fruits. Finish the composition covering all empty spaces around the candle with ivy leaves and, if you want to give it a natural touch, wrap a few pieces of raffia around the leaves. With the red ribbon prepare a bow, which you will attach to the sponge with a piece of wire, last but not least, complete your centrepiece with a light spray of non-toxic gold coloured varnish.
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One of the latest imaginative effects is snow-frosted fruit. To do this you'll need fruit such as apples and pears and maybe a bunch of grapes. At this point pass the fruit through unbeaten egg white, then cover it with sugar: to make this operation easier, you can stick a little wooden skewer through the fruit, to help you hold the fruit together.
All you need to do is rotate the fruit while you're sprinkling the sugar (do this on a bowl to gather the sugar in excess). Let the fruit dry, and the sugar will really look like snow frost. Make a centrepiece in a low bowl or basket, alternating to the fruit some big shiny leaves (bay leaves and magnolia tree leaves) and other decorations you prefer that evoke Christmas magic: pinecones, poinsettia plants, whole citrus fruits and red berries.
This snow-frosted fruit will last a few days and of course, they are edible.
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