Dressing The Christmas Table
Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without sharing good food and drink with the ones we love. Don't get us wrong, we love dressing up in all things sparkly, the exchanging of gifts, decorating our homes, and the excitement leading up to the big day, but our all-time favourite thing about the festive season is the excuse to come-together with our loved ones and share some food and a glass of bubbles. And at the heart of it all; The Christmas dining table.
Decorating the table may feel like a daunting task, so we've put together a collection of our favourite tableware, along with some helpful tips to give you a little inspiration, and help you create that show-stopping centrepiece for your festive meal.
Step One - Build Your Base
We find the best place to start is by building a simple base. We love starting with a neutral colour scheme and natural materials. Think rustic off-white stoneware plates, woven seagrass placemats, and foliage to decorate the centre of the table. Faux botanicals can be a great option, but foraging a few pieces from the garden is a lovely, sustainable choice - just be sure to check it's all safe to be used near the food!
Pion White Porcelain Dinner Plate £18, Pion Grey White Lunch Plate £14, Pion Grey White Cake Plate £8.50, Pion Grey White Stoneware Serving Dish £45, Pion Large Grey White Stoneware Serving Dish £60, Faux Natural Eucalyptus Spray £8.50, Large Natural Blush Faux Eucalyptus Spray £18, Natural Braided Hemp Tablemat £10, Nature Circle Placemats - Set Of Four £24
Step Two - Choose A Metallic Accent Colour
The beauty of the neutral base is that it will work harmoniously with any accent colour. Once your base is in place, you can start to incorporate colour through your choice of table accessories. We love to start with something sparkly, so choose either gold, silver or bronze to run throughout your table. Cutlery, napkin rings and candle sticks, finished with metal decorations placed throughout the foliage are a great way to incorporate a little shine and sparkle. We particularly like gold as our metallic accent colour, as it helps to create a warm toned, cosy look.
Golden Stainless Steel Cutlery from £6.50, Brass Napkin Rings - Set Of 6 £50, Small Golden Joytis Candleholder £12, Brass Classic Candle Holder £24
Step Three - Choose A Complimentary Colour
From here, you can add your final colours. Choose one or two complimentary colours for your final table accessories - your napkins, crackers, and additional decorations. Keep things traditional with a red and green theme, or go for something a little unconventional. Personally we think pink looks beautiful alongside gold on a festive table, but if you've gone for silver accessories, maybe go for a cooler colour scheme, and accessorise with icy blue tones.
Another great option is to keep things clean and neutral, and accessorise with white napkins and crackers, and let the foliage and natural tones be the star of your theme.
Berkeley Glass Champagne Flute £8.50, Meri Meri Festive Foliage Medium Christmas Crackers £22, Kollam Ruby Red Paper Napkins - Pack Of 50 £12.50
Step Four - Light It Up!
Finally, add a little light! Candles and fairy lights will create a feeling of warmth and atmosphere at your table. Dotting a few candles around will bring your table to life, reflecting in the cutlery, glasses and metallic decorations - just be careful placing candles too close to the foliage! Running a string of battery powered LED lights throughout the foliage is a great option here. It'll take your centre piece to the next level, and also be a safer option, especially if you have kids at the dining table. We like yellow toned, warm white lights to accentuate the gold, but if you've gone for an icy theme, choose a cool white light to enhance the frosty look.
Brass String Lights 10M £24, NEOM Christmas Wish One Wick Scented Candle £32, Small Gold Pillar Candle £13
Don't Forget The Kids Table!
Okay, you've got the grown-ups sorted, now it's time to have a little fun. Our selection of novelty Christmas tableware is sure to make this year a memorable one for your little Christmas elves. Throw the colour-scheme out the window, the children's table is all about fun!
Meri Meri Christmas Tree Crackers £25, Meri Meri Festive Motif Paper Dinner Plates - Pack Of 8 £7.50, Meri Meri Pastel Deer Paper Napkins - Set Of 16 £5, Meri Meri Christmas Character Large Crackers £25
Phew! Now pull a cracker or two, pour a well-deserved glass of bubbles, and sit back and enjoy your show-stopping party table with the people you love.
Cheers!