How to Personalize a Restaurant Table Place Setting

Give guests something to do when they first sit down. Since everyone loves a little flair, that's where you start:

• For the ladies, attach large bobby-pins to the stems of gardenias to wear in their hair.

• Go classic for the gentlemen; pierce an orchid with a boutonnière lapel pin. Adapt the pin to your party's theme by gluing a gem to it.

Display the pins and boutonnières in small perfume bottles; the bobby-pins slide on the rim and the lapel pins slide inside the bottle. Find beads and gems at a place like Bead Factory or online.

Now that your guests have flair, invite them to get further into character by playing a storytelling game. It's done with napkin cards:

• The idea is for guests to tell a short story by finishing the two partial sentences you've written on the cards at each place setting. Guests read them aloud as you go around the table. Add an image to the top of the cards (Google Images is a good place to start). Print directions that read: "Use the phrases below to tell a story about yourself" so guests know what to do. Here are a few to get you started:

a) If I were a condiment I'd be....
b) I never leave home without....
c) I'd give my right arm for....
d) So I'm standing in line and....
e) Way back when....
f) I'm too sexy for this....
g) Every once in a while I....

• Once printed on cardstock, cut the cards to size (they're going on top of napkins so use their size as a guide). Using mounting tape, glue this card to a contrasting colored card stock that is ½ inch larger on each side. Trim the base cardstock with zig-zag or ruffled scissors.

Next, it's time to get to what a New Year's Eve party is all about: champagne and resolutions. Give each guest a champagne glass for toasts throughout the party and to take home as a party favor. One suggestion is to choose black champagne glasses and set one at each guest's place setting. Avoid "is this your glass or mine?" confusion by attaching resolutions with a ribbon to each one. Write them (or print from your computer) on card stock and cut into squares (scale them to the size of your glass). Mount them onto colored card stock that is slightly larger than the card to make a nice border. Punch a hole in the top left corner, thread a thin ribbon through and tie a bow around the glass. For extra credit take them to Kinko's and get them laminated. The resolutions are meant to be silly. Guests can think of a serious one on their own watch--on this night, they are here to party. Here are a few ideas:

a) So many men, so little time, I resolve to make more time.
b) I resolve to learn cuss words in different languages.
c) I resolve to not look at boys.
d) I resolve to answer my snail-mail with the same enthusiasm with which I answer my e-mail.
e) I resolve to think of more creative passwords.
f) I resolve to live each day as if it were my birthday.
g) I resolve to dance at parties-and get dance lessons if I suck that bad.
h) I resolve to bring back "Jolt."