Nesting With Grace

by Brooke Christen

Favorite Things Holiday Dinner Party

December 19, 2025

Even though our book club has read lots of fun holiday books over the years, this time we decided to skip the discussion and just have a party. And honestly? It was the best kind of night—festive, cozy, and full of good food, laughter, and the cutest gifts.

Holiday Reads We’re Loving

This is our book club group, most of them I’ve know since high school! We didn’t discuss a book but we did share some of our favorite holiday books we’ve been loving lately. My favorite this year is Grace & Henry’s Movie Marathon, I truly can’t recommend it enough. If you’re looking for a good holiday read, add it to your list! A few other fun favorites:

Winter Street (it’s a series of books!) // The Frozen River // Christmas with the Queen // Little Women // The Holiday Swap // One Day in December // The Holiday Stand-In // Lovelight Farms

Setting the Christmas Table

For dinner, I wanted things to feel nice and thoughtful. I keep most of my table-setting pieces right in our cabinets and love buying the cutest version of everyday items so they double as decor.

I was so excited to use my new tablecloth (similar) , it looked so festive next to the Christmas tree and paired beautifully with our dining chairs (slipcover). I ran fresh cedar garland down the center of the table, and can we talk about these candelabra’s with pretty candle tapers (mine are old Anthropologie)?! They made the whole table feel warm, cozy, and so inviting.

Hosting Favorites

Hosting Favorites (Rifle Paper code Nest20 for 20% off)

Table Details I Loved

I found these adorable bread pots, I’ve made them on my own before, but these were especially nice because they come as a kit. It’s the same bread they serve at the Terrain store café. I used them at each place setting, and everyone got to take the mini pot home as a little party favor, tied a bow with velvet ribbon.

I started by placing the dinner plates (Rifle Paper code Nest20 for 20% off), then layered the dessert plates on top. Each setting included a potted roll, with matching napkins and red flatware on either side. Above the plates, I added a glass tumbler (mine are older).

I finished each place setting with a Christmas cracker for a fun, festive touch. We’ve learned guests cross their arms so they’re holding one end of their cracker and one end of their neighbor’s cracker. On the count of three, everyone pulls at the same time. It usually ends in lots of laughs, everyone opens their cracker, reads the jokes, puts on the paper crowns, and enjoys the little gifts inside. It’s such a simple thing, but it instantly makes the table feel festive and connected, perfect for a holiday dinner or party.

The Menu

The food was so yummy! I wanted to keep it light. A yummy salad. We really love this Kale salad with Sweet Maple Dressing. Full of protein, roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranates for taste and color, almonds and feta. Yum yum!

My collection of vases has been so fun to use this holiday season. The gingerbread vase is one of my favorites, and Jolly’s Corner is always my go-to for floral arrangements. I love the mix of fresh greenery with little pops of red, it looks especially pretty styled next to a simple white vase.

On my large Lazy Susan, I placed this creamy Boursin spread. It’s always a crowd favorite. I simply spread Boursin cheese on a large serving plate, topped it with salted pistachios, and finished it with a drizzle of hot honey. Done. It takes all of five minutes and somehow becomes a total people magnet, it’s so good. I served it with crackers and sliced apples so we could keep snacking at the table… and of course still save room for a cute dessert.

The Dessert

Ella made the coconut cake, or as we call it, the Tom Cruise Cake. Placed on a cake stand, the Copycat Tom Cruise White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake is inspired by the famous Doan’s Bakery cake Tom sends to friends every Christmas. It’s incredibly moist, flavorful, and delicious, and the best part? This version doesn’t cost $130. A total win.

Drink

Created a little Italian soda with a Cherry Limeade over ice, and a splash of vanilla creamer! It was delicious! (My creamer cup is sold out, I linked some pretty options).

Favorite Things Gift Exchange

After dinner, we played our favorite gift exchange game. Everyone picked a number, then chose a gift or stole one. We played with two steals. The first person opens, and each gift can be stolen twice. I’ll admit… I like to steal.

Everyone brought the best gifts, and it was so much fun watching everything get traded around.

It was such a fun, cozy evening with friends—exactly what this season is all about. I hope this gave you some inspiration for hosting, table styling, book picks, or recipes for your own holiday gatherings. Sometimes the best memories come from simply being together.

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