When thinking of an eco-friendly holiday table, it's natural to think, well, nature: twigs, leaves, anthuriums, nuts, red ginger, berries, pine cones. It is possible, however, to set a glamorous, even opulent, table with materials that are reused or recycled.

The visual merchandising team from Neiman Marcus, headed by wunderkind Doug Jago, sets tables at C.S. Wo each holiday season for an event called "Home for the Holidays." As in years past, we've admired the settings and have come up with ideas to borrow their strategies for your own holiday decor.

This year, in keeping with a theme being embraced throughout the world, there were several ideas that are eco-friendly.

At a table designed by Jago, Christmas cards were woven together with red grosgrain ribbon. This is a great use of last year's cards that were too cute to toss — or a good reason to save this year's cards, so next year you will have the raw materials ready to go. The weaving is quite labor-intensive, making it a great excuse to get friends or family together to share the work.

Jeannine Espinda created a "table cloth" by weaving together red and gold ribbons. This would also look beautiful with ribbons of many colors, and it's a great way to use recycled ribbons from holiday packages. You can simply toss them all in a box for next year or wrap them around an old packing tube to make it easier to see what you have.

Another inspired idea spot-ted at a Neiman Marcus table earlier this year: using Post-it notes (try red and green or red and white), stuck together in a pattern like fish scales, as a table runner and mats. When the table is dismantled, the Post-its can go to work as they were originally intended.

For an Island-style table, gather up all the treasures collected while beachcombing (beach glass, shells, coral) and scatter them around the table. Add some strings of faux pearls, blue or white ribbons and/or Christmas ornaments and voila: a tropical table.

Before you venture out into the holiday shopping madness, look around the house for recycled stuff that may just make your holiday table shine.

Red-and-green recyclable materials make for personal Christmas touch

Jeannine Espinda wove ribbons together to create a Christmas tablecloth. This is an ideal way to recycle ribbons from holiday gifts. A three-tiered cake platter takes on a festive treelike look when bright Christmas ornaments and pomegranates are stacked on it.

Used Christmas cards woven with ribbon can become an imaginative and eco-friendly tablecloth. The weaving of the tablecloth can be labor-intensive, so it provides an opportunity to get together with family and friends to share the work.

Doug Jago, who sets tables at C.S. Wo each holiday season, created this table setting to commemorate Neiman Marcus' 100th anniversary. Note the many different shades of red on this table: pomegranates, plaids, gerbera daisies, red ribbons. The white Slinkies introduce a playful mood to the table.

Reach Paula Rath at paularath@aol.com.