This past Friday, while everyone else was out trying to score discounts on XYZ video game console and Whatchamacallit New Toy, I was shopping at Price Chopper, and thinking about Holiday Entertaining!

Living in Rhode Island I don’t get to Price Chopper as often as I’d like, but whenever I’m back “home” in NY I make sure to stop in.  It has always been my favorite supermarket, they have everything, and the savings you get with your AdvantEdge card cannot be beat!

This trip was a bit different. I wasn’t looking for my usual grocery items. This time I was searching for the perfect peices to decorate the dining room table at my Aunt and Uncle’s house!  I wanted to create a holiday tablescape for our family Christmas dinner! This year we’re doing Christmas a bit early since the majority of our family will be out of town.  So, I wanted to do something special to make sure it still felt like Christmas and not just another Saturday.

While in Price Chopper’s holiday aisle I gathered up all the items I thought I’d need. Christmas ornaments, mini stockings, a white “snowy” drape and a few inexpensive dishes. Then I looked around the rest of the store for my other needs. I found an adorable little christmas tree from the floral department and Betty Crocker colored sugar from the baking section! I was ready to go!

First I put the tree into the large bowl I’d purchased and surrounded it with all those fun, glittery christmas balls! This would be our centerpiece!

 Next I got to work on our colored sugar tea light holders! I poured the Betty Crocker colored sugar into the glass tea light holders using a small funnel.  I decided to go with red and green stripes to make them more fun! Once the glasses were full I pushed small led tea lights into the sugar!

I then created place cards for each of the guests using the mini stocking gift card holders I’d picked up!

 Of course, I didn’t do all this on my own……I had some help….from a little, mischievous elf name Avery!

 

Then I stood back and admired my work–all ready for holiday entertaining— and wished it were Christmas! Because I love presents food spending time with my family!

 

The next day I realized I had forgotten all about the kids table!!  The kids table in our family is made up of the twenty and thirty somethings, my toddler daughter, and usually my dad. Basically, all the “kids” and kids at heart. I wanted to do something a bit more fun and crafty for the centerpiece so I headed back to Price Chopper and picked up a selection of peppermint candies!

I started with the mini candy cane tree.  All you need for this is a foam or paper mache cone, a glue gun (or other super sticky glue) and candy canes. Starting with the bottom row, add candy canes all around until the meet. Then start on the next row, and continue until you’ve reached the top! I added a starlight mint on top as a “star”

Next I went to work on the starlight mint tree.  Again, you just need a cone, mints and glue.  I started at the top and worked my way around and down until the entire cone was covered.

And for the third, and tallest tree, I made a crushed candy tree. I crushed up the mints in a plastic bag, using a meat tenderizer (you could use a hammer or mallet as well) I then brushed on the tacky glue (don’t go too thin or the larger pieces wont stick, but don’t go too think or it will “melt” down the cone (this happened to me in spots)

TA DA!! I placed them together on the drape I’d gotten earlier at Price Chopper and threw some little snowflakes all around.  I think this will make a great addition to our “kids” table this year!

 So, what are your plans for the holidays? Will you be hosting Christmas at your home? How do you decorate for your holiday parties?

For more information on Price Chopper and to find the store nearest you, visit them online at pricechopper.com, On Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest

 

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