Easy Ideas for New Year's Tables

Your New Year's Eve table decorations can be easy and elegant with a touch of gold and glitter. Holiday dinner parties can be accentuated with personalized place settings, celebratory centerpieces, and simple party decorations for any table.

Gold leaf is said to bring good fortune, which makes it the perfect place card for a prosperous new year. Hand-cut leaves from cardstock, fold once to crease, then write the name of your guest in calligraphy. Set each leaf on a plate or punch a hole in the corner and string with metallic ribbon that can be tied around a champagne glass.

A handful of sparkling star-shape embellishments are nearly the only color on this festive table. White linens and china always provide an elegant look for your New Year's dinner party.

Start the New Year on the right foot with an elegant dinner party with taper candles and gold accents. These metallic utensils and napkin rings add a sophisticated feel to any New Year's dinner party.

Forget waiting for the ball to drop -- these blue glass globes provide a festive addition to your New Year's table decoration. Bottles of champagne are elegantly displayed alongside coordinating blue and silver place settings.

Play up your New Year's countdown with painted burlap wine bags. Editor's Tip: Use a crafts store stencil and spray paint in order to keep the numbers consistent.

Twist metallic chenille stems (pipe cleaners) into a unique napkin ring. Start by folding one stem in half, and twist to secure; attach the ends to form a circle. Next wrap a few additional stems around a pencil to form curlicues. Unwrap each scroll and attach to circle ring.

Touches of sparkle will carry ordinary table or shelf displays into the holidays. Glass ornaments are an inexpensive way to give a New Year's party look.

Craft gloriously pretty wine charms using 4-inch jewelry eye pins (or bent wire). String with your choice of beads or tiny ornaments, keeping to one color per wire.

Add a festive, personalized touch to your New Year's glass with pearl and glitter glass paints. Coat the underside of the glass base with the pearl paint, swirling a pattern out from the center; let dry. Or add a coat of glitter glass paint on top of the base and up the stem.

Multiply sparkle and candlelight by using a snow-inspired theme for your tabletop. Inexpensive candles and neutral charms add a festive look, and they combine easily with most any color of table linens. Look for neutral decorating pieces at crafts, party, or floral supply stores.

To disguise your bright eyes for a New Year's party, draw inspiration from Mardi Gras and let them take flight in a fantasy of feathers.

Dress up a plain white tablecloth with an overcloth of sheer fabric or inexpensive tulle netting. Silver mesh fabric squares are tied to hold confetti as party favors. Under the plates, a circle of white feather boa (available in crafts stores) is a festive touch. Glue it to a foil-wrapped cardboard circle, or tuck the boas under the rim of the plates.

All dressed up with nowhere to go? This adorable champagne-bottle tuxedo is a fresh take on traditional bottle bags. Give your bottle a touch of glam with gold-brad buttons and an adorable bow tie.

Blues and greens combine with white to create a table perfect for a New Year's bash. This runner was hand-sewn, but similar looks could be put together from purchased linens. Glass candleholders dress up both tall candles and simple tree ornaments.

It's easy to make unique wine charms for your party. Look for letter charms in a crafts store, purchasing one for each of your guests. Thread seed beads onto a 16-inch length of wire, ending with a few large beads and a letter charm. Wrap the wire around a dowel to make tight coils that will twist around the stem of your wine glasses.

Plain linen napkins get a touch of modern style with a stenciled or embroidered monogram and a scattering of tiny glass beads sewn on for sparkle.

Decorate small beveled mirror coasters with stripes or swirls of acrylic paint. Once dry, use white crafts glue to attach crafts-store gems. Coordinate the paint and gems to your candle color, or go multicolored for a festive look. Editor's Tip: Make sure the gems are out of the way so candles sit flat on the mirror.

Small glass ornaments give a plain pinecone ball a whole new look. Give it importance by placing on top of a vase, pedestal, or compote. For an added touch, a handful of color-coordinated larger ornaments sit on the tabletop.

Bring the twinkle of icicles to your party with a dangling decoration made from prisms and beads. Start with the bottom pendant, adding more beads above it. Finish with a circle of wire to attach an ornament hook. Use on a Christmas tree or as a party favor, gift decoration, or napkin ring embellishment.

A small silver Christmas tree can look just right at New Year's if you dress it up in blue, hot pink, purple, and black. Party favor horns, tiny festive hats, miniature champagne bottles, and wired ribbon stand in for "ornaments," adding even more New Year's flair.