holiday entertaining must-haves

Ready or not, the holiday season is officially upon us and I couldn’t be more excited!!  Entertaining is one of my favorite things to do and it’s so much more special and meaningful during the holidays.  If you guys have been following along here for a while, you know I post about entertaining basics a lot and how I use the same pieces over and over again all year long, turning up the special details as the seasons change or when holidays roll around. 

I’m a HUGE fan of using what you have and not buying new pieces constantly but I’m always getting questions on Instagram and here on the blog about where I’ve found certain pieces I use regularly, so I thought it was the perfect time to do a big roundup here with everything you could ever need to host a dinner, a cocktail hour or drinks and appetizers with friends!  Here are my picks:

Basketweave serving set / French wine glasses / Rattan charger / Set of four platters / Glass votive set / Tortoise drinkware / Marble wine cooler / Bamboo serve set / Tortoise decanter / Basketweave salt and pepper set / Bone handled cheese knife set / White nesting bowls / Water hyacinth placemat

I LOVE my bamboo flatware and think it was definitely worth the investment because I use them all the time, but even if new flatware isn’t in the budget, you can still turn up the voume on holiday get togethers with a beautiful serving set.  I love this basketweave option and these bamboo beauties (that are on sale!)

French wine glasses from Crate and Barrel double as chic, Ina-inspired water glasses and pair so nicely with tortoise old fahioneds for a little holiday touch!

Simple white dinnerware used everyday looks amazing on top of a rattan charger or an inexpensive water hyacinth placemat; a little texture always goes a long way on a table!

I stocked up over the years on simple white platters; they let the food your serving be the real star of the table and look equally lovely stacked in hutches or glassfront cabinets.

I love when entertaining pieces can serve more than one function; this marble wine cooler can double as a vase in a pinch and is so budget-friendly, it would also make for a beautiful hostess gift!

Is there anything better than soft candlelight for the holiday season?  I love to use unscented white glass votives to add some sparkle to my table and cocktail station; you can find inexpensive sets of 24 or 48 on Amazon.

Silver Revere bowls….ah, I just can’t get enough.  I find them in antiques and thrift stores all the time and with a little silver polish (I swear by Wright’s) and some elbow grease, they are a beautiful contrast to all white plates and platters on a table! 

I’m obsessed with all things tortoiseshell and think it just adds such a festive touch to a holiday table (but it also looks amazing year round!)  Love, love, LOVE this decanter from Oka!

Something so simple as a basket weave salt and pepper set can really take your table to the next level.  This one is gorgeous and is another great gift idea!

Bone handled cheese knives are the perfect finishing touch to a charcuterie tray!

A set of simple white nesting bowls are great for serving and save storage space!

What are some of your favorite entertaining staples for the holidays?