Tis the season to be jolly. A time for family, loved ones and friends. A time to gather together, relive old memories and make new ones. It’s a time to eat, drink and be merry gathering around the dinner table. For me Christmas is all about the food, good company and of course the odd cocktail or three! And so our celebrations have the festive table as its heart. Starting with the 12th of December which is my husbands birthday (and a big one it is this year too) right up until the big day with the main attraction that is Christmas dinner itself many an hour is spent in our dining room. And so it’s important to think about dressing the festive table. With this in mind, here are my golden rules on how to style a Christmas table.
Creating a Base for your Christmas Table Styling
Choose a colour scheme
Before we get down to the nitty gritty of how to style a Christmas table though, the most important things to decide on are not only your colours but the theme for the year too. Colour wise, look to your home, what colours feature heavily? And theme wise there are so many now aren’t there. You might want to go down the traditional route with reds and greens or perhaps you’re more pared back and scandi. Whatever you decide go with your heart. You are going to be sitting at the table for quite a while so make it something you love. My theme this year is gold, green and white and of course black!!
Products Used:
🎄20 Pack gold glass luxury baubles – Out Of Stock
🎄 Luxury marbled opulence crackers
🎄16 piece cutlery set in gold – Out Of Stock
🎄12 piece gold rim dining set
🎄Light up bauble Garland – Out Of Stock
🎄Maxim red wine glasses
🎄Maxim tumblers
Choose a base
So now we have our colour and theme it’s time to start layering up the festive table. The tablecloth or runner in my case will set the tone for the rest of your display so it’s important to get it right. You can’t go wrong with a crisp white table cloth but it doesn’t have to be white. Nor do you actually have to have a tablecloth at all if you don’t want one. This is my preferred option as I’m always terrified that someone will accidently tuck the tablecloth into their shirt ‘a la’ napkin and then get up from the table with it still tucked in! Can you imagine the chaos as you watch all your hard work landing on the floor! And so for this year I’m opting for a runner in a rather fetching olive green.
Creating Christmas Table Settings
Bring out the best
Come on it’s Christmas! Now’s the perfect time to use our your best, Your best crockery, cutlery and crystal. Some people at this point decorate the table but place settings should always be first so you can make sure you have room for them all. For me you just can’t beat a classic white porcelain plate with a gilt band around the edge but this isn’t about me, it’s about creating a table that you love. I layer up a dinner plate, side plate and bowl for each setting. Then add in your cutlery begore finally adding the glasses. Lay the first complete setting all in one go though so you know where everything goes before repeating for all the other settings.
Make it personal
Once each setting is laid and looking glorious think about personalising each setting with a place card. We’re not having guests this year and so I haven’t made any but I do have a rather good post on making some really effective ones with a bit of card, some corks and pheasant feathers if you wanted to create something a little unusual for your guests. They’re cheap as chips and sooooo easy to make.
Decorating The Christmas Table
Introduce natural materials
Place settings done, now it’s time to layer up the table to bring a sense of the festivities to table. First up bring in some nature. I’ve opted for some faux eucalyptus but as they say the world is your crayfish. You could make floral arrangements, add a garland or some potted Poinsettias or mini Christmas Trees. It really doesn’t matter what you as long as it’s personal to you.
Add some height
A flat table is a boring table! Add some height. There are lots of ways to do this. You can use your foliage. Add in tall candle sticks or even create the height by suspending an arrangement from the ceiling! Just be sure to place them strategically though. You do actually want to see the person sat across from you! Unless it’s aunt Maud of course, and in that case block away to your hearts content 🙂
More is More
Come on, it’s Christmas after all. The time of year specifically set aside for exuberance, magic and laughter. Now add in all the baubles, crackers and sparkle. Don’t be afraid to let go people, it supposed to be fun. Wire fairy lights are a great addition too. Pile it on, tastefully of course 🙂 Oh and don’t forget to add in your napkins at this point too and a bauble in each place settings bowl too.
Lighting The way
Finally create the mood. Add in candles galore, fairy lights and lamps. Christmas day is not the day for the glaring overhead light. And there’s nothing quite so magical as the pools of light created by multiple lamps. Layer the lighting to create a magical winter wonderland.
And there you have it, my recipe on how to style a Christmas Table to perfection. What colour and theme are you going for this year?
NB. Although the pieces featured are part of a previous collaboration with M&S all words and thoughts are my own. This post is also not part of the previous collaboration.
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