Help me decide on my Christmas table look

[StackOfFuckers]

Having Christmas at home this year with DM, ILs, DH&me and our two DDs 1yo and 3.5 yo

Our Christmas Day table has always used a set of father christmas shaped placemats my mum made about 25 years ago and I fancy a change.

I think I am going to make any new tablecloth/ runner/ placemats/ napkins/ etc but am looking for ideas for the colour combo/ look to go with

Not all white/ cream due to little ones, but any thoughts gratefully received.

Thoughts so far are going all out on holly/ Xmas fabric or but this would limit to once a year, or cream linen/ red ribbon trim in a scandi ish look.

What does your table look like?

I bought a damson tablecloth in Turkey in the summer. I plan to accessorise with some silver baubles in a bowl. It's our first time having christmas at our house with family.

Ooh, you see this is why I need to hear others' ideas. That sounds lovely.

I quite like the idea of jewel colours and gold

Hi Stack
you could buy a good quality white or cream tablecover (I know you don't want this with small DC) but I bought some sheer material from The Range .
A rich purple that I put with gold accessories and a white organza with tiny silver dots (I use at New Year mainly)

This year I bought a cream damask cover and napkins in Debenhams (75% off, was £120 originally )

But it's a bit difficult to match with my white plates .

I've also got a dark green cover and napkins + holly runner and placemats in tapestry (had for years) and ivy patterned plates.
I'll use those on Christmas Eve.

This year I'm going cream and gold. My new tablecover and huge white plates.
Cream and gold runner.

I'm looking for some gold placemats (Sainsburys do some )

Candles - either coloured taper candles or a large bowl with floating candles ( not with small DC but mine are teen / pre-teen )
Gold/Cream crackers and favour boxes for table sweets.

I might get a few white with gold edge plates as side plates.

I like rich colours and gold for Christmas and the white/silver for NY

How do you manage with candles et and serving dishes, I would love to have a beautifully decorated table but never have room with all the veg dishes.

NCISaddict, exactly. All the design magazines show perfect tables that are completely impractical and unworkable, unless you have a massive table to start with. So, you end up plating up in the kitchen, or people serve themselves in the kitchen and go to the table, or serve themselves from a sideboard buffet style, or you move the table decoration to make room for the serving dishes.

You could do a small decoration at each place setting so as to leave the centre free, or an 'elevated' thing such as candlabra which has a small base on the table surface but a wow factor higher up, leaving more room. If you choose one for five candles, you can get a special florists dish that fits in the central part, so that you can have a floral arrangement as well as candles.

But to be honest, once you have the Christmas tablecloth/placemats, crackers, napkins and stuff on the table, it looks festive enough.

im no help im afraid as our table at xmas is allways filled with stuff dc have made over the years. dd (13) allways makes name places and noone can move from the asigned seat. this sounds nice but when you cant move as you surrondes by aload of tat made in year 2 it gets annoying !

DH has said he likes red and gold so this will guide I think.

I saw a jasper conran at debenhams white tablecloth on sale today so maybe that with red chargers that we already have.

Might make a runner and coordinating napkins.... Hmmmmm....

I have a damask sheet as a table cloth with white china, silver cutlery and crystal glasses. In the centre of the table is a steel candle stick holder which is made of curves. I weave greenery and ribbon through it. The crackers are white and silver, everything looks very simple and fresh. The tree is decorated with silver and green baubles and glass and crystal decs and the lights are white.

Would you like gingham.. I think it is lovely at Christmas.

I treated myself to a new dinner set with a voucher I only had to put 20 towards it.
www.completelivingsolutions.co.uk/mindy,browne?sort=pd.name&order=DESC&product_id=724

I am going to get gold table mats and sprinkle gold confetti type stuff on the table.

My table is dark wood and have cream and dark wood chairs.

For everyday use over Christmas I got red polka dot mats from asda to use with a basic white dinner set. I tend to be clumsy and would dare use the good set too much..

I don't put serving dishes middle of the table.
If it's just DH, DS , DD and myself, the table is fully extended (it can seat 8 comfortably) and I put the plug in heater thingie at one end for the serving plates.
Then the candles can go in the middle.
(And I love the ivy on candlesticks look Chottie we have ivy in the garden which I grow especially for Christmas )

If my parents are through we put all the dishes on the kitchen worktops (it's a kitchen through to dining room ) . If anyone wants seconds then whoever is nearest will get up and hand the dish round.

Stick to Scandi simplicity. White, red and grey are the classic Scandinavian Christmas colours. In your case go more for red and grey.

This table is simple but gorgeous - I love the placemats but you could do a table runner instead?

www.dreamhomedecorating.com/scandinavian-style-christmas-table.html

Red and white votives are simple candle decorations that everyone uses in Sweden to create a warm atmostphere. They are cheap, you can use them all year and you can use battery operated tee lights for safety. I have some of those table lights - led and they are little twisted metal silvery balls - you just wind them around the dishes.

I've bought some gorgeous scandi print crackers in Paperchase, and an inexpensive Reindeer cruet set. Keep the dishes white and it's a classic look.

We make a tree or stocking cookie for each guest and pipe on their names and patterns in red and white icing. When you put them on a side plate they make a really cool place setting.

Idea are doing plaid placemats and table runners this year too?

I double up on the veg plates on the table - sprouts, peas and carrots go in one side by side, as do roast potatoes and parsnips!

Paperchase are also selling white scandi table Scattery sh*t too!

This is now what I'm thinking:

White tablecloth
Silver candlesticks with ivy round bottom and red berries?
White candles
Silver chargers
Silver placename holders with red cards and silver writing
Silver cutlery
White crockery
White napkins tied with red/white gingham ribbon ... Or gingham napkins
Crystal glassware
Red/white gingham table runner either down length of table or two across width

Very nice, Stack. Have a lovely day with your family.