BookFilter: DIY holiday party decorations

November 3, 2016 3:58 PM

I'm hosting a book-themed holiday party, and I'm scouring the net for some good DIY creative decorations that are book-related. Pinterest is a big help but I need all the help I can get!

All the attendees love to read, and we love all kinds of books. So far I have a pop-out snowman made from an old book, a snowman face made with a pile of books with white bindings and felt, and glass ornaments with words mod-podged on the outside. I know there are some really creative Metafilterans out there... do you have any more ideas? Food related ideas are good, too, but I'm mostly looking for stuff I can either hang up or set out on a table. This is not for kids, so I'm looking for ideas that are more classy, less cartoon-y. Thanks!

posted by onecircleaday to Grab Bag (11 answers total)

Best answer: You can of course cut snowflakes out of book pages. If you wanted to be meta about it, you could look up theme snowflakes and match them to pages cut from particular books (Game of Thrones, fairy tales, ballet). Or start designing your own Wuthering Heights snowflakes...
posted by aimedwander at 4:50 PM on November 3, 2016

Best answer: Book Page Christmas Treesa>
Book Page Ornaments
Book page garland/banner
Another Book Page Tree

Obviously, you wouldn't want to make these if your group was squeamish about defiling old books.

For food, some sort of finger sandwich (book pages), wrapped in something (book cover). Date bread with cream cheese filling, wrapped with a fruit leather?

I would pile books on the food table to use as risers/cake stands for the food platters.
posted by sarajane at 4:52 PM on November 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: garland with holiday themed bookmarks? something like this or these?
posted by vunder at 4:55 PM on November 3, 2016

This page had some neat ideas.
posted by cecic at 5:28 PM on November 3, 2016

Not cheap, but book pages lamps?
posted by Mchelly at 5:37 PM on November 3, 2016

Best answer: I have not personally made these fruit leather bound edible books but they look soooooo cute.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:48 PM on November 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Origami lights made with old book pages instead of origami paper!
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 11:22 PM on November 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Have you heard of the Bring Your Own Book game? I just came across this recently and it looked like a really clever idea!
posted by amicamentis at 6:25 AM on November 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Aaaand the game thing is NOT a party decoration, just a fun idea, so here is a decor one: I was thoroughly charmed by this Christmas tree book!
posted by amicamentis at 6:31 AM on November 4, 2016

Best answer: These bow bookmarks would be adorable and then people could take them home!
posted by amicamentis at 6:33 AM on November 4, 2016

Best answer: I love those origami lights. Maybe ask everyone to bring books they'd like to swap. You could go to Goodwill and pick up some good books to make sure the Take 1 or 2 pile is well stocked. Use fairy lights and pile books in a triangle to make a book tree, or outline a tree on a bookcase.

Most of all, serve tea in the most traditional and decorative way possible. You'll likely have wine or a nice cocktail, too, but tea and books go together. Can you invent a cocktail to serve in pretty teacups? I frequently see pretty teacups at thrift shops, maybe even have people take a teacup & saucer home as a party favor. Also, plenty of mellow lighting for that literary vibe.
posted by theora55 at 9:12 AM on November 4, 2016