Whatever You Celebrate, Make It Look Nice
The holidays are to human beings what fluorescent lighting is to a bathroom mirror: They bring out our true nature, whether or not we want to see it. Some of us are compelled to go big, with feasts and tablescapes in the key of ancient Rome, while others are compelled to not only go home but also into a quiet room to shut the door and practice restorative hygge until January 2. The holidays, in a sense, tell us who we are, or who we wish we were. But regardless of who you are and how big or small your observance may be, chances are you want it to look nice. At Eater, our platonic ideal of Making It Look Nice involves neither great expense nor great effort, but instead simple hacks that are as smart as they are accessible.
Because sometimes, the most direct path to low-key luxury is zhuzhing up an otherwise unremarkable stuffing with fancy bread cubes or oysters. Or displaying one showstopping cheese or sprinkling chopped green herbs over beige food. Or — appropriately for 2023, Eater’s Year of the Tablescape — dusting off the gravy boat, investing in a few taper candles, throwing together some mismatched textiles, and calling it a party. Beauty, as Madonna once said, is where you find it, not how much you pay for it. Don’t worry about having the perfect turkey, or spending a fortune on flowers, or sourcing Victorian-era doilies on Etsy. Just make it look nice.
