A regular Bridge, Canasta or Mahjong game gives friends a reason to sit down together, catch up, laugh and play for a few hours. When you host the game at home, you do not need to serve a formal luncheon or decorate an elaborate table. Give everyone a comfortable place to play, put out a few good things to eat and use pretty serving pieces, paper goods or flowers to make the food table inviting.
Simple Setup for Your Card or Mahjong Game
Cards, score pads, Mahjong tiles, racks and drinks take up most of the useful space on the playing table. Place platters, flowers and most of the food on a nearby kitchen island, dining table, console or sideboard. Set out small plates and napkins with the food, and leave only the game pieces, drinks and coasters at the playing table.
When it is your turn to host, a few dependable serving pieces make setup easier: a pretty tray or board, small bowls, appetizer plates, cocktail napkins and a pitcher or coffee carafe. Choose pieces you will also use for birthdays, holidays and other gatherings. Neutral serving pieces work with almost any deck or tableware, while one wonderful patterned platter or tray can add plenty of color on its own.
Let the Cards Inspire the Table
Garden Party Card Day
Garden Party shows how one strong floral pattern can supply most of the color for a card game. Use the floral cards and score pad at the playing table, then repeat the pattern on the serving table with a tablecloth, platter, dessert plates or cocktail napkins.
Use several coordinating pieces when you want more florals, or choose one favorite and add the white dishes you already own. Either approach lets the cards lead the look without requiring a fully matched table.
When your regular card game falls near someone's birthday, add her favorite cake or bakery dessert, a birthday card and a few festive paper pieces. You do not need to plan a second celebration around it.
Mix & Match Trellis and Lemon Playing Cards
The Trellis and Limoncello card collections make it easy to vary the table from one game to the next without starting over. Both decks use fresh greens and yellows, and the coordinating plates, napkins, coasters, placemats and trays give you plenty of pieces to mix.
Pair the green Trellis cards with lemon napkins one week, then use the Limoncello cards with green plates the next. Add a few real lemons or clipped greenery beside the serving pieces and use everyday white dishes for the rest.
Classic Black, White & Gold
For an evening card game, black, white and gold create a dressier table. Start with a handsome deck, add graphic paper plates and napkins, then use gold glasses or serving pieces for a little shine. A cards and dice centerpiece can add one playful reference to the game, while the rest of the table stays polished.
Mahjong Day
Blue, White & Rattan
The Hill House x Williams Sonoma Mahjong set pairs naturally with rattan baskets, white serving pieces and pale blue glassware. Rattan adds texture, while the blue glassware picks up the color in the set without adding another busy pattern.
Cocktails and Mahjong
For an evening Mahjong game, pair a dark green set with blush coupes and a few metallic serving pieces. Serve cocktails or sparkling drinks in the coupes and use small bowls nearby for olives, nuts or other bites. Repeat just one or two colors from the Cocktail Social Club tiles in the glassware and serving pieces so the set remains the focus.
What to Serve at Your Card or Mahjong Game
Choose food that guests can eat in a few bites before the game or between rounds. A small cheese and charcuterie board, deviled eggs, olives, nuts and one or two individual appetizers give four or six friends plenty to choose from without serving a full seated meal.
The serving pieces can make very familiar food feel a little more special. Arrange six deviled eggs on a small egg platter rather than filling a large tray. Spoon shrimp or another favorite bite into individual tasting spoons, or serve a simple salad in small glasses so everyone can pick one up without balancing a full plate. Add individual bowls of olives and nuts and a modest board with cheese, crackers, fruit and salami, and most of the food can be ready before your friends arrive.
Have a few of these small serving pieces on hand and change what you put in them from one game to the next. The same glasses or mini martini glasses can hold salad, chicken salad or fruit, while small bowls work for nuts, olives, candy or berries. Add coffee and pastries for a morning game or wine and cocktails later in the day, then sit down and play.
Keep It Pretty. Keep It Easy.
A regular card or Mahjong game does not need elaborate decorations or a complicated menu. Put out food everyone enjoys, use a few serving pieces you love and make the setup simple enough you can enjoy it too. Then pour the drinks, deal the cards or set out the tiles and enjoy a few fun hours with friends.
Party Hearty!
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