Hosting over the festive season need not be expensive or require days of kitchen labour. Here are a few festive DIY dining trends we are obsessed with.

Wrap a piece of offcut leather around your napkin, and decorate with a herb. Insert herbs or pieces of greenery into clear balls for a fresh take on festive decorations

Make a wall feature with festive ornaments. Tie short, evenly spread pieces of string to a lightweight branch and hang from nails on your wall. Tie long pieces of string to the branch so that they hang to the floor. Tie your festive ornaments along the strings, making knots where you want them to hang. Cut off any excess string

Take a small ball of white air-dry clay. Play with the clay to soften it up. Mould into the palm of your hand and shape into a bowl. Leave for 1–3 days or until set. Paint the rim with gold craft paint. Wait until it’s dry. Use it to serve salt and pepper on your dining table

For more DIY dining trends, page through the December issue of Livingspace.