10 Placecard Ideas for Your Holiday Table

As you plan your table setting for this holiday season, don't forget to add a personal touch. Individual placecards will make guests feel extra welcome, and each of the 10 ideas below take little to no extra effort.

Trim the Tree
[Left] Leave it to Martha Stewart to turn tree clippings into stylish tabletop décor. If you have a Christmas tree (or some branches out back), some pruning shears and a glue gun, this woodsy beauty can be yours.

Darling Clementines
[Right] Who doesn't love clementines at Christmas? Help guests find their seats and have a yummy take-away by making these adorable little place settings. Tuck the mini oranges inside strips of folded parchment paper and tie with waxed twine. Cut leaves from heavy paper and write guests names on each. Not so good with the calligraphy? Use a computer printer to print names in a pretty font them cut leaf pattern around them.

Edible Placecards
[Left] Simply grab colorful fruits or veggies that sit upright (pears, apples, plums, baby pumpkins, etc) and spell out guests names in alphabet brads (found at scrapbooking or craft stores).

Nesting Instincts
[Right] How sweet is this little nest? And with a chocolate-covered almond in it, it's like a tiny treat for each guest. To make, cut small strips of construction paper (use two colors of brown). Curl paper by pulling a scissor blade along each strip, then intertwine the curled strips to form the nest. Loop one of the curls through a nametag. Place on a small feather a top a plate to finish the look.

Leave It To Fabric
[Left] A fall table isn't complete without a touch of the season. Make these leaf-shaped placecards from scraps of fabric; opt for different colors and patterns to make them extra interesting.

A Sure Winner
[Right] Forget the triple word score, you'll rack up plenty of style points with these effortless Scrabble-inspired place settings.


Get Seedy
[Left] Need an excuse to take a long, relaxing walk in the park? Here's one: Scour beneath the trees to find a bunch of seed pods – aim for those with longer stems. No seed pods? Pinecones would work too. You could leave them au naturel, or, like shown, spray paint them white (silver or gold would be pretty too). Write guests names on card stock or cute gift tags and tie 'em on with pretty ribbon.

Double Duty
[Right] Cute holiday ornaments can do more than dress your tree. Take a set of any pretty ornaments and simply tie guests names (written on heavy card stock, of course) on with a ribbon. The placecard can serve as a take-away gift for each guest after dinner. This snowman ornament from CB2 is a great option for the modern table.
Snowman ornament, $1.95. CB2


How Sweet it Is
[Left] Peppermint candies prevail at Christmas time, so turn them into a theme with retro-candy-shop-inspired placecards, courtesy of Martha Stewart. To make: Cut out 3-inch ovals from colorful card stock. Using a hole punch, make a hole at each end, and write guests names with black ink. Thread ribbon scraps, about 6 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide, through the backs of the place cards. Notch the ribbon ends.

Natural Style
[Right] Little time or patience to craft some elaborate DIY placecards? Here's your solution: Cut long sprigs of fresh evergreen (or any bendable greenery) and wrap around napkins, tying together with a small ribbon. Write guests names on hole-punched circles of paper and tie to the sprig with a pretty bow. Add little embellishments (like bells) if you're not totally exhausted.

Now that the placecards are done, you're ready for a delicious meal. Find Christmas recipes here!