My 2019 Rosh Hashanah Table Decorations

IT’S HEEEEREEEEEE! The full Rosh Hashanah 2019 tablescape reveal, that is.

I hope you’ll pardon the ~83-year delay in actually posting this, but as you may RECALL, this whole running-a-blog thing is not actually my real job, and also sometimes real life just takes precedence, and also sometimes you get tickets to see Waitress and then you’ve gotta listen to TSwift’s new album and then you have a few errands to run and, well, you get it.

Anyway, at long last, it’s HERE. Find all the zillions of photos below, plus a few tips and tricks along the way. Remember, these are all just suggestions—try to throw your own spin on it! It’s always more fun when you do it your way.

Think about adding a runner! It’s an easy, inexpensive way to add some flair to your table without having to resort to an old-school tablecloth (which, in my opinion, can look a little 80s if you’re not careful, but I’d be happy to be proven wrong!). I got this one on Amazon for around $15 and was thrilled with it. The same company makes a ton of different colors, so you could opt for whatever works best for your table. And the best part, of course, is that it’ll be reusable (assuming no one gets too carried away with his or her honey dipping).

Place cards aren’t a throwaway detail! Okay, so not all of us are blessed with the handwriting of my friend Maria. (I mean, my own penmanship is an absolute DISGRACE. Hence Maria.) But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try throwing together a few place cards! They’re cute! And a nice way to direct the seating. I was so excited (read: too excited) about these ones, which are tied with grey baker’s twine to little olive-wood honey dippers. I know some people are more into a casual, free-for-all seating situation, and I get and RESPECT that, but I’m gonna stick to my guns here. My cute place card guns.

Pick a few Rosh Hashanah motifs, then use them repeatedly to create your “theme”: I’m all for ignoring themes altogether, to be honest, but there are certain can’t-go-without elements and central motifs that I can’t imagine hosting Rosh Hashanah without. Those are apples and honey, of course—but also pomegranates and, if you’re celebrating Sephardic style, a whole slew of other symbolic foods (leeks, dates, and carrots, to name just a few). You could even place a shofar in the middle of the table and decorate it with eucalyptus leaves to spruce it up—instant centerpiece! Here, I kept things simple by adding a few extra un-cut apples and pomegranates (from the supermarket, nothing fancy!) around the runner. Easy.

A gorgeous floral arrangement is always a good idea. Actually, I can’t really imagine throwing a dinner party without flowers! You don’t have to go totally over-the-top—a collection of tiny bud vases would work just as beautifully here—but if you’re up for it, arranging a few flowers is a fun way to reinforce whatever colors you’ve got going on and it’s…just plain pretty! One thing I always try to keep in mind when planning a floral arrangement is that it shouldn’t be too high, lest your guests have a tough time actually seeing each other over it. Go for a lower, squat vase. (On the other hand, if you’re hosting sworn enemies, a ginormous floral arrangement in between the two of them might not be a bad idea. Your call.)

Round challah, meet round cake stand: In general, I like to vary the height of my serving platters to provide some visual interest, so I’d probably naturally opt for a cake stand no matter what holiday I was decorating for. But in this instance, I was really feeling that round shape—it’s such a nice way to accentuate the round challah. If you’ve got a family heirloom challah board, by all means, go ahead and use it! I just thought this was a fun, different approach to the whole challah-serving thing. (Also, real talk, if you’re gonna spend all day slaving away in your kitchen over challah dough, you might as well elevate and draw attention to it.)

Pretty silverware doesn’t have to be expensive: These gold forks, knives, and spoons are all available on Amazon for around $20 for a set of 160. Truly a sweet deal. If you don’t mind that the edges of the cutlery is sort of scuffed. Also the paint was peeling on nearly all of them. Eh. On second thought, not sure I’m giving this set a wholehearted review. But the POINT is, you can grab nice disposable silverware online and your guests will be none the wiser. Until they see the scuffed parts.
Moving on.

You’ll save money on decorative elements if your food and drink are decorative elements. *And,* first and foremost, taste good. Yes, yes. This is probably my favorite entertaining truism, though. If you’re on a budget, beautifying your food is actually the easiest way to throw a gorgeous dinner party without having to buy random extra decorative elements. That apples and honey board is really pulling its weight, for instance, as is the challah (aha! Another reason for the cake board!). It’s why I love having food on the table as soon as people arrive—an empty table is a sad table.