With Thanksgiving officially behind us and the holiday season on the horizon, the time is ripe to start brainstorming themes for your imminent dinner parties. Need some inspiration? Think outside the box—and we mean literally outside. Filled with foliage, overgrown greenery, and sweet forest friends, this exuberant tableau is as lively and lush as any fairy-tale fantasy. Just follow these four steps, and shop our décor picks below.
1. Create a World
For a look that's wild and wooded, use live moss as a runner, or plant some in a grouping of clay pots. Cluster maidenhair ferns, and make a mini still life under a glass cloche to display pomegranates and wooden mushrooms (the more faux, the better!). Layered tree-trunk slabs are a rustically romantic way to boost your table's profile. And why not let a little woodland creature or two make this place their natural habitat?
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2. Dish up the Delights
Charm guests with scrumptious fare, like shiny caramel apples, mulled wine with cinnamon stick stirrers (clear glass mugs play up the earthy color), and cupcakes garnished with chocolate leaves. Sprinkle acorn chocolates on the table as if they've just dropped onto the forest floor.
3. Give Gifts to Go
Emerging from the thickets, iced shortbread bunnies, deer, and leaves carry sweet memories of a midwinter night's dream. Cinch up a few in individual bags with twine to make them road-ready.
4. Think High-Contrast Chic
A sophisticated black-and-white setup allows the delicacies you bring to the table to really pop.
