How to dress the table for Christmas dinner?

[MickeyMouseShithouse]

I know there’s bigger problems in the world..

but I’m really struggling with how to dress my dining table for Christmas dinner; this will be the first Christmas dinner I’ve hosted for family (I’m 26 and have been to my mums for Christmas for the last 5 years since I moved out)

I just cannot for the life of me figure out colour schemes, themes.. table cloth colour to match the runner, the runner to match the dinner wear.. colour napkins, what colour charger plates.. name place holders and Bloody centre piece?!

I usually go with a very boring white and silver tree.. however we brought a new house and I feel like we need more colour in our life so I’ve gone with a traditional red/white/gold tree.. lots of candy canes around the house so I feel like I might tie this into the table theme and go with a candy cane theme - but will this look cheap? Should I just go with solid colours of red and gold?

I know I’m obsessing.. and I hope there someone out there who is like me and just feels better about myself when I accomplish something.. and a lovely look Christmas table is just that something 😂 so help a woman out.. pictures/advice/tips and tricks all welcome. Help me dress my table!

Hi Mickey, listen to this episode of The Deep Dive podcast. They’ve a table designer on and she gives tips. My plan is a table runner and then lots of candles and various assorted vases and jugs and everything with flowers. Planning on buying a few bunches of flowers and mixing and matching. Doing Christmas Eve late dinner so hoping all the candles and winding around some fairy lights will look lovely on a dark evening. I also have floating candles above the table which I love. We’ll see how it turns out but I’m very inspired after listening to the podcast!

Surely you have no room for centre piece crap as that space is filled with serving dishes?

To add. My table sits 14 and I have no specs for anything other than place settings and wine glasses, the serving dishes then fill the centre.

I’d step away from the candy canes.

I like a fairly traditional green, silver and red on a wooden table myself (green holly, red berries, silver candle sticks and cutlery etc)

But anyway, I’d say don’t over theme it, or it will end up looking like a hotel rather than homely. If it’s a new house use it as an opportunity to get some things you like, and add a smattering of Christmas theme in a couple of colours if you don’t like the 80s quality street free for all style.

You do not need to buy new charger plates, or for that matter own charger plates IMO..

Country living is good for Christmas decor. Or someone like Rita Konig

If you can get your hands on a long rectangular mirrored charger that will go in the middle of your table then this will make whatever you have look fantastic. A few small baubles among whatever candle holders you have, or even some greenery e.g. bits of holly. The mirrored charger really brings it together though!

If you are starting from scratch a neutral e.g. white tablecloth you could use at other times might be a good option, then a more festive coloured runner, patterned or plain.

John lewis and tk maxx usually have some good options.

Thanks everyone! Going to listen tk the podcast mentioned and I didn’t think about the lack of space.. we have a pretty large table but you’re right, even on a normal Sunday roast with the family round it’s full of serving dishes ect!

No to the mirrors! And also the candy canes.

Something that can have dishes pushed in around it easily, so no solid wide candle holder things. I have personalised place names from Etsy

Ours matches our living room which is copper, gold, teal and navy :) We have a velvet table runner over our bare wood table, hand made wooden place mats which we painted and varnished (husband has a laser cutter at work), candlesticks and a small vase for flowers. We're also hosting for the first time in our new house and I'm so excited that I can actually have a tree this year!

I bought a navy table cloth last year after the white one got trashed with beetroot juice! We have a white runner and wooden/pine cone candle holders with bits of silver and aqua in them from John Lewis. I’ve just bought white and silver napkins from TKmaxx this year and I want to get some napkin rings.

I serve up by the cooker so on the table theres minimal estate serving dishes. It's a kitchen diner anyway so loads of dishes is just more washing up! If people want seconds it's no faf to get up and go to the kitchen for more. I just put all the things everyone wants more of on the table.

I've got lots of lovely things from habitat this year. I have a centrepiece I made which is a small hurricane lamp, and a willow wreath with those little Christmas trees of varying heights hot glued in and tiny fairy lights wrapped around and through it. It looks pretty, it's Christmassy and takes up minimal room too.

Have you looked on Pinterest?

If you're looking in TKMaxx/HomeSense then you need to look now , they get things in earlier than other shops so gone quicker .

I have a red/green paisley table cover (not Christmas but festive colours)
White oval plates (which are our everyday ones) you need enough plate for the food
White serving dishes - big bowl, divided serving dishes . We don't have a turkey so no huge platter .

Candles in a big glass vase with garden ivy twined round (candles are LED with a moving flame effect for safety)

Red/white can look Scandi , Ikea will have tonnes of Christmas decor .

Keep it simple, it stands the test of time better. We have a good quality white linen cloth and napkins. White runner with silver details, silver napkin rings, charger plates are pinkish this year, but I also have red or green ones. Some simple led taper candles don’t take up much room. By the time you’ve added place names, cutlery, glasses etc it will look good enough. I do have wreaths and fairy lights around the area the table is in too.

John Lewis do a free Christmas table setting workshop online: experiences.johnlewis.com/events/set-the-perfect-table-for-christmas-free-439162646297

I did it last year and enjoyed it.

I think a candy cane theme is fun and red and gold always looks lovely. Both would tie in with your tree colours.
I’d go with a white tablecloth and white crockery and red charger plates, then you could go with either the candy cane theme or add a gold runner for the red and gold theme. Do you have room for a small centrepiece display in the middle with the serving dishes either side? Sometimes I use existing decorations I have, gold small trees or just a bit of fake greenery with coordinating decorations on. And always some sort of candle or fairy lights on the table for ambience. For the candy cane theme I’d put a candy cane with a name tag tied on at the place setting and for gold I’ve used mini Lindt reindeers with name tags on before. I’m a bit boring with napkins, I like plain white cotton and napkin rings I mostly don’t bother with and use a bit of co-ordinating ribbon or try and fold a bit fancy. I always match the crackers to the table theme as well.

I’ve used the Lindt chocolate at place settings too, but I did little bunnies at Easter🙂