Table settings and centrepieces. What are you planning?

[Nonplusultra]

Mine is silver and white, and I’m thinking of doing a centrepiece using rosemary from the garden as I have an overgrown bush of the stuff. I just haven’t decided whether to do a wreath type thing with candles, or a sort of drift of greenery along the table.

I’ve been browsing Pinterest and most table settings seem to include a pile of plates and bowls which look lovely but how does that actually work? Are you supposed to eat a starter from the plate balanced on the top and work down? And what about heating the plates? Does anyone do this in real life?

My table is only big enough to hold our plates and some small serving bowls, but I do have a Christmas table cloth.

I don't bother with the stack of plates.

I have a plain white tablecloth and plain white diahes, and then in a row down the middle I arrange small pots of rosemary and fairy lights in jars (possibly candles again that my children are teens) and then strew pretty fruit in the gaps - grapes and figs and clementines, and then scatter some gold coins around. It looks lovely and abundant, and you get to eat it at the end of the meal.

What a load of effort for a roast dinner 🤣🤣🤣
nope only plate’s glasses and cutlery on the table!

My centerpiece is my roasted goose. 😁

The settings and centerpieces you mention work where food is served on plates imho not "family style" to be passes around. So my GPs have big candle holder and wreath, different glasses for different drinks, etc because everything comes already on plates from the kitchen. I have the aforementioned goose and bowls of sides so no space for decs really. Just nice plates, napkins and runner.

Why go to the effort of a roast dinner when you could just eat a sandwich or some beans on toast?

Sometimes it's nice to put in a bit of extra effort and make things special and different from the way they are every day.

Warm plates are definitely worth it, as the big challenge with Christmas dinner is serving all the components hot.

Personally I find piles of crockery a bit fussy on a table. They have to be moved off to eat. I am hoping to just use the napkins and crackers inside the place setting. Or you could set plates ready for a cold starter.

We are having a single plate of roast lamb and roast potatoes eaten on our laps on the sofa in front of the TV.

We have a red Christmassy tablecloth, white plates and then in the middle a few candles surrounded by a garland thing with lights - this sort of thing. I add fresh greenery to it.

https://amzn.to/3Tcfsvg

i think on Pinterest you often t see a ‘charger’ plate which is just for decoration. Eg a large gold one. Edited to add, there are also definitely two white plates going on top aren’t there. How odd.

I have a 40cm footed platter (wedding present) with stunt pineapple, pomegranate, overflowing grapes, baubles etc. that gets moved around strategically.

Yes another one who doesn't have room

I did make a table runner, placemats and napkin the other year with Sophie Allport 12 days of Christmas fabric. That's about as fancy pants as I get

Oh and one thing I've done the last couple of years is a nice folded napkin with cutlery tucked inside, including a small set of tongs for each person to serve themselves.

Saves everyone waiting for someone to finish with the tongs

I have garlands with lights on the windowsill beside the Christmas table

so I think I will keep the table simple with sawgrass mats. Christmas charger plate (white with JOY written on them ) and a candelabra

@UnimaginableWindBird that sounds lovely. I love that it’s edible too!

@Oldraver love the practicality!

@Sgtmajormummy I can’t see a pineapple anymore without thinking of the MN stunt pineapple. I think I need a pic of your platter!

@Cheeesus yes, always a stack. Looks great but it’s so odd. @deplorabelle coldstarter works.

Our dining area is in the kitchen, and the actual dinner is laid out on the island. I love the idea of the roast as the centrepiece @Sauerkrautsandwich but dh and I are clumsy carvers, and it’s hard to get the grease stains out of the tablecloth.

@Ladyof2022 that sounds lovely and relaxed.

@Oldraver Envying your sewing skills. I’m cackhanded with a needle and thread

We have a colour-in tablecloth every year, stays on for about a week. Have had one every year since the kids were little... now 21/23. Gives people space - when the bustle gets too much they go off and do some colouring. MIL has dementia and it is especially good for her now as she will chat along merrily whist doing something. (Also saves me faff... it would be me deciding, buying, laying out, fixing, finding space, putting away... but here it is tablecloth, pencils, go for it)

@BeyondMyWits love that!

@Ewoklady that sounds really nice

I do a white cloth, red chargers and silver candle sticks with red candles. This year I also having a silver and crystal rose bowl with red flowers and greenery.
Food in serving dishes on the table.

Irish linen tablecloth, silver, Wedgwood crockery, on red and silver chargers, Waterford crystal glasses, linen napkins, red candle in a small circle with the Holy Family, Christmas crackers and a scratch card each. I also years ago, bought a (playing card size) box of trivia questions and the world’s worst jokes which we ask whilst DH is cooking. Cue much groaning and hilarity. Table is like this, but with ivy this year.

@Highlyflavouredgravy

Yes to serving bowls on the table.

I'd love to have a centrepiece, but where do you put the food? Even with just four of us and a massive table, by the time all the dishes are out, the candles, crackers, glasses etc there's just zero room for a centrepiece. I do bring the turkey to table, though, and carve it there, so maybe that is the centre piece.

We have a Christmas tablecloth - really beautiful, hand embroidered, with candlesticks draped in garden ivy and that's all I can squeeze on.

We are doing golf and white. Got very reasonable placemats in gold and matching napkins. Crackers also carry the theme. There isn't enough room gif a centrepiece as such but we'll have a couple candles.

No extra effort for me as I roast every Monday so no difference to me

I have quite 'modern' Heals/Habitat type taste. Unfortunately my lovely, sweet, kind MIL (who will be with us on Xmas day) proudly delivered a home-made table centrepiece this week which is in line with her polar opposite tastes (think multiple clashing colours and patterns in every room and frills and flowers everywhere).

Putting it politely, it really is not my taste at all. All plastic flower things and weird rusty coloured plastic baubles with plastic ferns in an elaborately etched glass dish thing. 😳

I'm sure lots of people would love it but it's the opposite of anything I'd normally give house room to. My adult kids saw it and gave it side eye and asked erm, mum why on earth did you buy that? 😬 they clearly know me.

But we love her and it will be in the middle of the table clashing with everything else on the day because it will make her happy.

Yes, I know I'm shallow but gadzooks it's so ugly but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter.

Now all I have to do is make sure my own mum doesn't make and unintentionally rude comments about it in front of MIL 😂😂😂😂

Silver & white scheme, with greenery, pine cones and twinkly lights down the centre of the table.

We put all of the food, in warm bowls, on the island, so plenty of space.

I have crackers with musical whistles and a carols sheet, to play some ‘tunes’ after we've eaten. 😆

I bought huge vintage ‘silver’ candlesticks, my DC’s always liked to eat later in the day, when the candles can be lit.

I bought a full set of matt white placemats and coasters too, quite reasonably and I'm collecting vintage napkin rings.

Hoping it is nice!