The menu is set. Everyone’s taste for steak, crab, lobster, and tiramisu is met.

Now, how do you make your holiday catering even more luxurious?

It’s all about the table setting and the glow. When done right, a proper table setting can stand as its own form of art in the midst of all the festivities.

It’s the place where everyone will gather and it must set the right tone.

Below, we’re going to help you up the ante and knock it out of the park. When the holidays are over, people will be talking about you well into the new year.

Warm up the AMEX, and get ready to sparkle and shine.

Bring Out the Trays

When you’re indulging in luxurious catering for your friends and family, serving it up right is the top priority.

If you have time, take a quick trip down to Home Goods or Michael’s and pick up several different serving trays. Don’t be afraid to mix and match here.

Take aim at all the silver trays and pop on an array of colored doilies. (Michael’s will be your friend for that.)

Or, if you’ve created a more rustic affair, seek out all the lovely wooden trays that exist in the store aisles. Line them with some green foliage (faux or real) to dress up the tray accordingly.

And, if you can, add a few kitchen tongs to your shopping cart so you can serve all your delicious delights with class and style.

Let the Lights Twinkle

In the midst of the music of passing trays and happy chatter, be sure to string twinkle lights to and fro. Even if you don’t normally trim your living room in twinkle lights, be sure to let them glow during all your holiday events.

Trim the living room and all the outdoor spaces (even if it’s too cold to slip outside). Invest in a set of curtain lights to make a statement wall. Also, see what you can find while you’re tray-shopping in the way or hurricane lamps and candles.

This might be your opportunity to go antiquing, too, with a couple of trusty friends. Set out an array of candle holders, candles, and table centerpieces. Allow everyone to soak up the ambiance and glow wherever they’re seated and sipping.

Shine Up the Glassware

Have you ever set a mix-and-match table? They’re only for the daring, but they’re often a smash hit. The goal is not to fret too much about having a perfectly paired set of glasses and dishes.

Imagine a gold charger beneath a colorfully floral dinner plate. Then, imagine an array of colored glass goblets dotting the table as they twinkle beside your candelabras.

Not only will people marvel at your unique style, but they’ll also think mix-and-match is the only way to go!

Find a Punch Bowl

As you scour the market for trays and doilies, keep an eye out for a decadent punch bowl, too. If you’re antiquing, you may even find an old set that includes the glasses.

And remember that punch bowls aren’t for the adults, alone. You can make a fabulous warm apple cider for the kiddos. Then, of course, you can go with a little mulled wine or punch for the adults in the room.

Setting out a punch bowl on a side table almost becomes its own party favor. People can self-serve until they’re just the right amount of warm and toasty.

Order a Few Different Courses

Since you’re already indulging in fancy catering, be sure to splurge! Order a few different courses. You can always keep things warm in the oven as you and your guests make your way through the feast.

All you have to do is line up all those serving trays and platters beside the stove and work your way through.

If you’re a fan of fine Italian fare, then you’ll know the appetizers abound. You can set out all the stuffed mushrooms, eggplant rollatini, and shrimp cocktail your guests can handle. Opt for an array of hot and cold delights.

Spread the options throughout the main rooms. Allow people to congregate around the shrimp cocktail on the coffee table if they’d like or the stuffed mushrooms on the dining room table.

Then, when it’s time to eat, you can call everyone to the main dining area. Serve up a few different courses, too. You can lay out salads first. Or, you can warm the soup on the stove and go that route, too, if you’re in the midst of the chilly holidays.

When it’s time for the main course, simply pull it out of the oven, arrange it on your trays, and serve up the fun!

Don’t Neglect Dessert

Sure, the price tag keeps climbing here. But, the good news is everything you’re investing in can be re-used year after year.

We’d like to invite you not to neglect dessert. If you happen upon an array of teacups and saucers in your adventures, scoop them up.

You can serve parfait from them, the obvious tea and coffee, and even dainty little cakes. When you’re setting the menu, be sure to include an array of dessert options for your guests.

They’ll be delighted to go “old school” and sip from an antique cup and saucer. And you’ll know you’ve really knocked it out of the park without having to cook a single course.

Holiday Catering Done Right

And that’s holiday catering done right! You don’t have to go down to Williams Sonoma and break the bank. (Although that sure sounds like a lot of fun.)

Rather, you can set the stage in any number of ways. Don’t be afraid to mix and match your table setting. It could be the thing that makes you the talk of the town!

If you live in or around Melville, we invite you to set your menu with us. Here at Refuge, we’ll help you turn your refuge into a sparkling affair.

Friends and family will be delighted to dine on fine Italian and Spanish cuisine while the spirits are flowing and the chatter is going. Give us a call today at 631-577-4444. We can’t wait to plan this year’s showcase event with you.

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