Can you hear those sleigh bells ringing and jing-ting-tingaling too? Christmas is right around the corner, and we couldn’t be more excited! As the long dark nights draw in and the temperatures drop, we need something to look forward to, right? With that in mind, don’t let anyone tell you that it’s too early to get into the Christmas spirit. All Scrooges exit to the left, please.
Plus, with so much to consider, such as what gifts to buy, the best decorations to dress your home in, and what tasty food you’ll serve, preparing as early as possible is best and will save a lot of stress when the big day finally arrives. Let’s tick off one vital box nice and early…
Styling the Christmas table! Here are our top tips to ensure you WOW family and guests.
1) Tablecloth
To tablecloth, or not to tablecloth? That is the question. For many, a themed tablecloth is the staple of a good Christmas table, but more and more people are opting to ditch the fabric in favour of a simple runner, or even go with nothing at all.
There’s a practical element to tablecloths that shouldn’t be ignored; they protect your table from scratches and stains. If you have kids that get super excited (aka hyper) and an auntie who tends to have one too many glasses of wine at dinner, spillages can occur. So, it might be in everyone’s best interest to keep the tablecloth present this year.
You don’t have to opt for the traditional green and red colours. If you fancy something new this year, choose a neutral colour such as beige or grey. Not only does this give you a great foundation to build on with more eccentric accessories and centrepieces, but it also means you can repurpose the cloth for other occasions. Sustainability is key, especially at Christmas time.
2) Tableware
Keep those plain plates and cutlery in your cupboards and use this as an opportunity to get creative with your tableware! We only get one day a year when we can go completely overboard and pull out all the stops and it’s acceptable, so purchasing new tableware reserved only for Christmas Day is a great way to style your table.
Think patterned mugs in lovely bright colours, holly and berry side plates, bowls with stars on; you could really push the boat out by purchasing crystal champagne flutes and wine glasses, too. It’s completely up to you whether you choose to match all your tableware elements or not. Matching would create a more consistent, uniformed look, whereas different designs and styles could add excitement and achieve visual variety.
3) Personalisation
Styling the Christmas table is a fantastic opportunity to play around with personalisation. Firstly, it’ll contribute to the overall look, and secondly, these little thoughtful details will fill your family and guests with a sense of pride and importance.
If you opt to use place cards, you could keep things simple by nicely writing their names on a piece of card or choose a more complex, crafty idea such as using a bauble to display their name or picture.
The latter – or something similar – could double up as a gift which is always lovely! Personalised presents are a simple way to give loved ones something meaningful and memorable, and they’ll be able to take away a piece of your dinner celebration with them once the event is over.
4) Accessories
The accessories are what’s going to really pull your Christmas table together and make it look magical! Once the tablecloth (if you’ve opted for one) is laid down with the tableware on top and personalised gifts directing guests where to sit, you can begin to fill in the gaps with your festive accessories.
Begin by deciding on the centrepiece – the real star of the table show. You can’t get more Christmassy than a Christmas wreath, so you could pop that in the centre of the table alongside some tealights and brass candle holders.
If there’s space (remember, you don’t want your table to look too crowded) and you want to take things to the next level, you could add some mini-Christmas ornaments, such as trees, reindeer, snowflakes, and wrapped presents. Oh, and don’t forget your Christmas crackers! Is it really Christmas if we don’t share those classic jokes cheesier than a cheese board?
5) Lighting
Illuminate all your efforts with some fantastic lighting choices and help set the Christmas scene even further. If you like getting creative and crafty, why not make your own LED wine bottles? This unique type of lighting can be achieved by adding the appropriate fairy lights to an empty, clean bottle of wine.
In addition to something special, you can play around with different styles including lanterns, candles, and fairy lights to create the ultimate winter wonderland atmosphere.
Eat, drink, and be merry
Christmas dinner is arguably the best part about Christmas Day (besides the presents from Santa, of course), so, don’t underestimate the power of a table that’s laid beautifully. Use the above guide to create a stylish setting where you can eat, drink, and be merry with those closest to you. These memories are going to last a lifetime, so make sure they count!