Decorating the table when you serve food down the middle

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

We always serve food in bowls down the middle of the table, and it's the most practical way for us to serve the food comfortably.
Table decoration is therefore minimal - crackers; serviettes with decorated napkin ring; if there's an odd number of us I put candles at the end of the table where there is space. Not sure what else I could do without making the table look cluttered? I don't want candles in between the serving dishes - did that once and even with tea light holders it made it difficult to reach over. Thoughts?

I have a second smaller table to the side in my dining room and I tend to dish up most of the meal from there. On the main table I have the gravy and sauces for people to help themselves once seated. We only have a maximum of six for Christmas so there is plenty of room. We have two candles on the table similar to these and we put tea lights in them so people aren’t stretching over a naked flame. If I was to put more on the table then the candles would have to go on the mantle piece.

www.johnlewis.com/lsa-international-tealight-holder-pack-of-4/p3248157

We all dish up ourselves, we have 2 very fast eaters, one incredibly slow and the rest 'normal' so someone would be up and down all meal for extras if the food wasn't in the centre. I do use LCD tea lights for safety reasons in Christmassy holders around the house but not in the table - thanks for the idea! I might be a bit weird but don't like to see the plastic candle. I'll have a look and see if I have/can find holders where I wouldn't be able to see them. Or try to get over myself!

Vines and fairy lights are pretty popular now

Something like this:

Amazon

You don’t have to place the vine across the centre of the table, you can just wind it around all over. It does look beautiful in person, I’m probably not giving the aesthetic justice!

Thank you, that's a great idea @throwaway100000

If you look up Danish Christmas decor, it’s very common there to hang branches, candelabras or wreath arrangements from the ceiling to hang low over the Christmas table. You could do something in that vein. Just use battery operated candles for safety if you prefer. I think I’d use a branch and have ornaments, candles and trailing foliage. You could use glass or tin hanging lanterns with an led tealight inside, to hang from the branch.

Or you could invest in a truly beautiful tablecloth which will be a work of art in and of itself.

I'd just wind some fairy lights amongst all the bowls :)

Oh I got one of these for Christmas and it’s really lovely! Battery operated so convenient for table setting.

One or two of these running the length of the table would definitely look festive and beautiful, and it’s wired so you can wind it round to suit your layout.

www.coxandcox.co.uk/jewelled-twig-light-up-garland-battery/?nosto=nosto-page-category1

I used to have a table runner along the length of it with an artificial foliage garland wound through with fairy lights in an extended S shape. Serving dishes went on either side of the S. Now I just have the runner with a circular arrangement in the centre and dishes either side.

Yes, you could have a dramatic centrepiece decoration
and just set the dishes either side instead.

More great ideas, thanks all

I used to get in a right pickle with this. I'd make a beautiful long foliage centrepiece, then try and serve Christmas dinner and curse the thing.

What I do now, is accept, the food is the star, so gorgeous serving platters and cutlery. Fabulous oversized crackers. A really lovely table runner for all the food to sit on. Pewter name card holders. It looks the most upmarket and beautifully classy setting. For one day a year at least 😁 by new year the kids are rubbing Quavers into the tablecloth...

For candles someone on the poncetastic thread burns fat pillar candles down until there is a hole in the middle and then once cooled puts a battery candle in.

That’s a long sentence and hope it makes sense

I serve in chafing dishes on the kitchen counter (not fancy ones) to keep things hot but I don't like tall decorations on a dining table anyway.

I usually weave some led lights along the centre of the table with pine cones and other christmassy green stuff along the way (I usually buy the stuff you are supposed to put in a bowl and separate it out) and short candles in between.

Something like this

@Canklesforankles

For candles someone on the poncetastic thread burns fat pillar candles down until there is a hole in the middle and then once cooled puts a battery candle in.

That’s a long sentence and hope it makes sense

Yes it does thank you!

I like the hanging decoration, thank you @waltzingparrot

Would d

I hang a variety of glass baubles on differing length ribbon from the centre light fixing so they hang over the centre of the table

I use pretty coloured cloth place mats, make simple but pretty napkin holders with names added. On the sideboard are a variety of differing size glass mercury coloured tea light and larger holders with battery operated tea lights in.

We have high backed dining chairs that I weave ribbons through or similar to add to decoration . Crackers are coloured themed to colours chosen.

There are usually 7 of us and apart from my DS everyone else is 50 plus and drinking alcohol - last year I added gold leaf to drinks and it added to the table setting with the lights on low it kind of shimmered and looked pretty- I'm probably the only one who is that interested but I enjoy doing it as my part of Christmas (DH cooks the lunch etc)

We serve down the middle and stuff things in still, maybe not live candles..

Waltzing that's so pretty. I'd love to be able to attach a branch like that, (stuff of dh nightmares)

@Mokusspokus. I asked our builders when they built our extension, to put up a couple of fixing points so I could hang a Christmas table branch and birthday bunting etc. They are professionally fixed thank goodness.

Individual ivy leaves scattered over the table. Looks lovely and doesn't get in the way of anything.

@Canklesforankles

For candles someone on the poncetastic thread burns fat pillar candles down until there is a hole in the middle and then once cooled puts a battery candle in.

That’s a long sentence and hope it makes sense

That was me, and your post makes complete sense.