When the weather turns cooler, our thoughts turn indoors — to guests, food, entertaining, decorating and holidays to come.

Of all the times of year, home entertaining is most popular during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday season.

Are you looking for new ways to show your holiday spirit this season? Think you’re ready to host a holiday bash this year — on a budget? These simple decorating ideas can transform your home into a winter wonderland, without breaking the bank.

Find New Uses for Everyday Items

Look around your house for everyday items, such as glasses, plates and candy. Use your imagination with ordinary items and create a festive decor. Here are some ideas from Libbey, a prominent glassware producer in the United States, to get your creative holiday juices flowing:

* Fill glasses or coffee cups with decorative stones, marbles or beans, then place a tealight candle inside.

* Use goblets as blooming parfaits. Unpot miniature poinsettias just before they bloom, wash the potting mix off their roots and pack them into glasses or cups.

* Build your own multi-story centerpiece with glassware and plates. Fill center glasses with cranberries, kumquats or potpourri. Trail an ivy fountain off the elevated plates.

* Go vertical with your food, tucking a wrap sandwich inside a short beverage glass, or serving pretzel rods in a pilsner glass.

* Use patterned glasses for impromptu vases, creating centerpieces or table displays with an assortment of styles and sizes.

* For one-of-a-kind cookies, press interesting designs in dough using the pattern on the sides or bottom of your favorite glass.

Light up Your Tabletop

Holiday lights aren’t just for trees — try this simple decorating tip found in the Libbey Entertainment Guide and illuminate your upcoming party. You’ll need:

• Short strands of battery-powered clear or colored lights
• Small gift boxes to conceal the battery packs
• Clear glass dinnerware
• Sheer fabric napkins

Lay napkins folded or flat on table and place dinner plate on top. Wind a circle of lights under each napkin, following the curve of the plate. Arrange the bulbs so the tips of the lights extend slightly beyond the edge of the napkin. Run the cord from the lights to a small gift box beside the plate and place the battery pack inside.

Create a Winter Wonderland Centerpiece

One of the easiest ways to liven up your dining room table is with a festive centerpiece. Think beyond expensive flowers and candles though, and look straight to your kitchen cabinets. Create an adorable snowman centerpiece from a few simple plates, a mug and candy. You’ll need:

• Matching white plates in two or three different sizes (dinner, dessert, saucer)
• Brightly colored oversized coffee cup
• Assorted holiday candies for decoration

Arrange plates largest to smallest to create the circles of the snowman’s body. Place the coffee cup sideways above the smallest plate to make the snowman’s hat. Have children create a face, scarf, buttons and accessories using their favorite holiday candies.

Add Shine to Your Tabletop

Make your tabletop glimmer and glow with this simple centerpiece idea using Libbey’s Metropolis martini glasses. You’ll need:

• Martini glasses
• Silver BBs (one box for every glass you fill) or small glass decorating marbles
• White tealights

Fill martini glasses with BBs or marbles, leaving 1/2 inch at the top of the glass. Place a single white tealight in the center of the glass, making sure it’s level and secure in the BBs or marbles. Place glasses on the table in lieu of traditional tapers or votives.

Eggnog Latte Recipe

Serve an Old Favorite — with a Twist

Though most parties center around food, serving gourmet meals can be expensive and time-consuming. You can still impress your guests by serving special holiday drinks at a fraction of the cost of a full meal. Try this recipe for an eggnog latte — a new twist on an old holiday favorite. You’ll need:

2 cups dairy or canned eggnog
1 tablespoon light-colored rum
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 cup hot brewed espresso
ground nutmeg

Heat eggnog in small heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot, but do not boil. Stir rum and bourbon into hot espresso. Transfer half the eggnog and half the espresso mixture to a blender. Cover and blend until frothy. Repeat with remaining mixtures. Divide evenly among coffee cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes 5 (6- to 8-ounce) servings.

For more great seasonal decorating tips and ideas, order Libbey’s free Entertainment Guide. Filled with creative serving and home decorating ideas, as well as tasty theme-based recipes, Libbey’s Entertainment Guide will make your next entertainment occasion a success. In addition, tips on choosing the right glass or setting the perfect table make the guide valuable year-round. To receive a free Entertainment Guide visit www.libbey.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Tags: coffee latte recipes, eggnog latte, eggnog latte recipe, holiday entertaining, holiday latte recipe, latte recipe, lattes