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15 Ways to Use Traditions & Decor for Your Holiday Quince

Whether you’re planning your Christmas Quince at the last minute, need a few ideas for extras for your winter Sweet 15, or if you just want to get a jump on your upcoming Quince for next year, there are so many ways to make holiday traditions work for your party. Here are 15 creative ideas for things to repurpose, make ahead, or collect during your school vacations and have ready either in a hurry or for next year’s Quinceanera celebration.

1. Collect Nature’s Decorations

Autumn leaves, acorns, pine branches—all of these make for lovely centerpieces and can be used in your bouquet! Pinecones alone can be painted and used in many beautiful ways.

Tip: All of those pretty pinecone ideas shown came from this one site! http://www.sortra.com/36-brilliant-diy-decoration-ideas-with-pinecones/

2. Choose Holiday Ornaments to Match your Theme

https://happythought.co.uk/mexican-paper-craft-decorations

You can make Mexican-style star ornaments with this great tutorial: https://happythought.co.uk/mexican-paper-craft-decorations

Or you can pre-plan your table decorations by choosing different colors and/or styles of ornaments. Then collect enough according to the number of guests tables you plan to have. If you don’t know for sure, then collect perhaps 2 dozen of each and spread the extras around your venue.

3. Bargain Hunt for Mini-Lights & Fairy Lights

http://www.fabmood.com/wedding-light-decorations/

Pre-holiday sales, leftover Black Friday bargains, and dollar stores are great places to look. Just gather as many light strings as you can. Trust us—if you have them, you’ll use them!

4. Consider Vintage Holiday Cards for Invitations

You don’t need to find enough cards for each guest. Just find one design that you like, then scan it and make your own invitations.

Pro tip: Use the same technique to make your Quinceanera invitations out of the vintage card as you would if you used your own original artwork. Here’s a complete tutorial with everything you need to know: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/09/drawing-greeting-cards/

5. Borrow Your Family’s Decorations

Pine tree branches, wreaths, garlands, old ornaments, leftover wrapping paper from last year—everything can be used to decorate your tables, your venue, or make favors for your guests.

Tip: Scout thrift stores and dollar stores for vintage and vintage-looking ornaments!

6. Serve your Family’s Holiday Menu

Serve your guests a traditional holiday menu with a Latin twist! Here are a few ideas for fabulous holiday entrees and treats perfect for a holiday Quinceanera feast:

  • Tamales de Navidad
  • Pavo Relleno (Stuffed Roasted Turkey)
  • Pineapple-Mango Glazed Ham
  • Pastel de Quinoa (Quinoa Sausage Casserole)
  • Mango Pineapple Cranberry Sauce
  • Cheesy Mashed Yuca
  • Colombian Bunuelos and Natilla
  • Panettone (Holiday Fruitcake)
  • Pan de Pascua (Chilian Holiday Fruitcake)
  • Pan de Jamon (Venezuelan Ham & Olive Bread)

Here are all the recipes for those goodies: http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/holidayrecipes/tp/SouthAmericanChristmasMenu.htm

And here’s the recipe for the pretty Churro Cupcakes in the photo: http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/churro-cupcakes/

7. Build a Pop Holiday Music Dance Set

Use classics from the Nutcracker Ballet score for your entrance. Do your surprise dance to the golden oldie “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” And for sure, build a dance mix including these updated holiday  classics for a fabulous non-stop set:

  • “Jingle Bells” by Paul T.
  • “Come O Come Emmanuel” by Groovecatcher
  • “Feliz Navidad” by Lenny B. with David Verbist
  • “White Christmas” by Breakout Sister
  • “Sleigh Ride” by TLC

8. Collect Candles

Regular wax candles will be on sale, but so will the ultra-safe battery-operated kind. Luminara candles are stunning in a centerpiece. Add a few acorns in dollar store vases, and you’ve got one gorgeous tablescape!

To find Luminara candles near you, check here: http://luminara.com/

9. Repurpose Empty Wine Bottles

Ask your friends and family to save their holiday wine bottles. Then use spray paint or glitter to make them perfect vases for your centerpieces. You can make them simple and pretty or totally silly!

10. Scout Cost-Effective Grapevine Wreaths

Mini wreaths are great around a single taper or column candle. Medium size wreaths can surround a table decoration grouping of candles or another tablescape. Large wreaths look great on the doors of your venue or hung as a focal point on the front of your head table

11. Have a Cookie Decorating Station

Instead of the traditional S’mores station, why not have sugar cookies already baked then provide icing, colored sugar and sprinkles.

Tip: To make it easier and less messy, have store-bought tubes and spray cans of frosting (like cans of whipped cream) rather than open tubs of icing. Or just put your icing in squeeze bottles!

12. Mini Tree Centerpieces

You can always use tall, slender pre-lit battery operated trees to add sparkle, but how about something different? Like these vintage look bottle brush trees:

Here’s a tutorial for those beautiful little trees:

These miniature trees—made from pinecones, tiny terra cotta pots and decorated with pearl ornaments and little stars are super simple.

And who says a holiday “tree” needs to be pine? Why not bonsai?!

13. Jingle Bells All the Way

 

Nothing says “Holiday celebration!” like bells. Tie them on your giveaways, make jingle bell garlands for decor. Or follow this fabulous photo tutorial for how to make “antique” bells out of super-cheap dollar store bells, a concoction of glue and paint, and a little gold glitter: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/574842339910154153/

14. Make a Christmas Pinata

You can opt for one big pinata and let everyone take a swing, or enjoy the traditional fun in miniature:

Here’s a tutorial with 35 DIY pinatas, all different shapes and sizes, and all with complete tutorials! Check them out here: http://www.coolcrafts.com/pinata-idea/

15. For a Sacred Touch, Serve Epiphany Bread

Here’s a delicious recipe for the traditional sweet bread: http://www.latinofoodie.com/featured-blog-posts/celebrate-dia-de-los-reyes-rosca-de-reyes/

But if you don’t want to go all out, you can still serve Rosca de Reyes cupcakes!

However you choose to decorate your Christmas or holiday Quince, as you’re collecting decor and ideas, just think “family holiday joy.” Besides, what’s a Quince all about if not families who are joyful about your most important birthday?!

For some very creative holiday Quinceanera bouquets, check out this blog: 10 Utterly Original Quince Bouquets