Centerpiece | Geek Life: Augmenting Reality

The presents are bought and wrapped, the tree is sparkling bright, and now your focus is zeroing in on your dinner table. This is usually where I get stuck and perhaps a bit lazy. After slaving away, making sure the turkey is in the oven, and that the potatoes are cooked well enough to be called mash, there isn't much brain-power left to figure out if the forks go on the left or the right. Thank goodness for Pinterest, 'cause when in doubt that's the best place to get help from those in the know. So, here's five things I found to make a beautiful dinner table, the easy way. Cutlery Settings I'll never remember whether the fork is to go on the left or the right of the plate. And I've always wondered if your dinner guest is left handed, shouldn't the layout be reversed for them? Do I really need two forks? Luckily, there are some fabulously inventive ways to set cutlery so that you don't need to fuss so much and still have a pretty setting. Napkin Fold Designs It turns out napkins can be fun! I always hated putting them on the table, 'cause it would be a boring old square of red or white, that would maybe act as a plain pillow underneath the utensils at first. Thanks to Pinterest, I found a whole bunch of fun ways to dress up the table with napkin fold designs, and found one in particular that took literally seconds to put together. At first, I was going to tie our cutlery with bits of gold and silver ribbon, but when I saw this particular napkin fold design, I switched gears and now have something truly simple, yet fun and perhaps even a bit elegant for our Christmas dinner. Floral Centerpiece This is truly a new thing for our dinner table this year, and I'm already hooked, even before I've set the table. Why not bring some holiday cheer with a fresh flower arrangement? Depending on the size of your table, you can select an actual centerpiece that will sit low and run along the table for everyone to enjoy, or if you tend to not have a lot of room left after sitting the turkey down, a beautiful bouquet in a sparkling vase will do the trick as well. I was recently requested by Victoria and Julia's Flowers (located just south of Bloor on Yonge Street,) to review one of their Christmas flower selections. Their choices are all truly gorgeous, and it was hard to choose, but I couldn't stop myself from staring at the aptly named "Spirit of the Season". It would look perfect, and fit just nicely with our favourite Christmas dishes strewn about. Wish you had a scratch 'n sniff monitor right now? I would too if I didn't have the festive Spirit of the Season arrangement right here at home! I hope this picture shows the evident care this flower shop took to put this display together. The fresh scents and vibrant colours, and the obvious quality and detail in putting this arrangement together is heart warming. When my feet are tired, and my dinner plate is full of all the good fixings, I'm going to enjoy this display immensely! Next time I'm near the Wellesley subway station, and am in need of a special gift, I am definitely stopping by this florist to see what they have in store. Victoria and Julia's Flowers specializes in wedding flowers, bridal balloons, sympathy arrangements, gift baskets, corporate gifts and so much more. Meet Victoria & Julia's Flowers, on their social channels & , or call them directly (416) 962-6382 to talk flowers and beautiful Christmas arrangements! They can accommodate weekend and rush flower deliveries, so call as soon as possible to see if they can fit you in for Christmas or New Years. Entertain All Senses with Music Okay, so its not like you'll be putting the boom box right on the dinner table, but playing the tunes of your favourite holiday music compilations while sitting down for dinner is a great way to spice up the atmosphere. It also helps fill the void of a silent night, while everyone is nomming over your delicious turkey dinner. Your stuffing? Amazing. Song tip: Get 2015's The Voice winner Jordan Smith's "Mary Did You Know" now on Google Music or iTunes. It landed #2 on Billboard's Holiday Music list last week. It was only beat out by Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which, lets face it, will forever be #1. Add a Bit of Magic with Candlelight A low lit atmosphere definitely holds a certain magical quality to it, so why not incorporate a few Christmas themed candles to your dinner table? I went with a truly easy design, that cost me roughly $8 at Walmart to put together. Simply stacking a snowflake coaster under a tealight candle holder. Easy peasy, am I right? And that's it! I have all my table items sitting on a hutch and ready to place on our dinner table in time for our family Christmas meal this year. Thanks to Victoria and Julia's Flowers and Pinterest I can't believe how easy it's going to be to make a warm setting for all of us to enjoy! Do you have any special plans for your dinner table this year? Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Victoria and Julia's Flowers in a partnership with Geek with Style to provide you the most up to date facts, helping you make better informed decisions. All opinions in this article are my own.

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Five Easy Ways to a Beautiful Dinner Table

Technology. Collectibles. Travel.

Technology. Collectibles. Travel.