Considering how much time you’ll be spending around the table on Christmas day, you’re going to want it to look spectacular! To help you make your dinner table the centerpiece of your home on Christmas day we’ve got some tips on the best way to lay your table and how to tie it in with your chosen decorating theme.
Laying the Table
When laying the table, make sure you leave enough space between each plate for people to sit comfortably, and to place platters of food on the middle. Place your cutlery with the fork on the left, knife on the right, and spoon to the top of the plate. Your napkin should be placed to the left of the fork. Glasses should be placed above the tip of the knife. If you’re having an entrée, place the smaller plate on top of the dinner plate. Napkins and bon bons can be placed on top of each plate, as can name cards.
Very Berry Christmas
To create a Very Berry Christmas table fill a couple of vases with decorative branches, some plain and others featuring bunches of berries, and position these at regular intervals along the table. Lay each place setting with a red or tartan placemat and tie a piece of tartan ribbon around the back of each chair.
Nordic Christmas
Tie your table in with your Nordic Christmas theme with the colours and decorative centerpieces you use. Start with a white tablecloth, then set each place with a red cloth placemat. Place cork or wooden boards along the centre to place the hot food on and intersperse them with tall vases filled with fir tree branches and red and white baubles.
French Vintage Christmas
Create a French Vintage table with a gold tablecloth and lace placemats, and place settings laid with your best crystal glasses and silver cutlery. Run some crystal green leaf garland down the length of the table and wrap some copper seed fairy lights around the back of each chair. Add a fresh flower on the top of each place setting to finish the table off.
Woodland Christmas
There are plenty of ways to keep your table in keeping with a Woodland Christmas theme. Lay some branches, real or fake, down the centre of your table and scatter some pine cones and gold or silver baubles in amongst them. Instead of laying you’re your cutlery in the traditional way, tie each set together in a bundle with some twine and fasten the name of each guest on top.
Coastal Christmas
For a Coastal Christmas table forget the tablecloth altogether! Place white table runners across the table instead and set each place with a woven placemat in a light blue and place a bunch of glitter coral spray on each person’s dinner plate. Place white scented candles evenly along the centre of the table and a silver bonbon beside each plate to finish.
Merry and Bright Christmas
Keep your table a Merry and Bright as the rest of your home by laying out different coloured placemats for each person, and layer each place setting with colourful plates and glasses. Scatter some decorations from your tree along the length of the table, marking each person’s seat with a personalised bauble that will double as a gift for them to take home!
For more Christmas table setting and decorating ideas head to our inspiration gallery.