How to dress your table for Christmas
How to Dress Your Dining Table for Christmas
By Katrina Lander
My favorite time of year, and for so many reasons. It goes without saying that I decorate every room in my house (even if that means just adding some fairy lights in the bedrooms to make them feel cozy).
My dining table is always the first to be decorated, and I look forward to it every year. There’s something special about knowing my family and friends will be over within the festive period, sitting around my dining table, all enjoying the season together.
My goal is always to make the room look cozy and inviting, and by choosing festive colors, adding candles, and a touch of Christmas décor it’s easier than you think.
Here are some of my top tips on how to dress your dining table for Christmas.
Start with Your Color Scheme
Picking a color scheme will make shopping for decorations a lot easier; let’s be honest, it can become a little overwhelming as there are so many options to choose from, which more than often results in you ending up buying numerous decorations to later find out they don’t quite go together.
If you prefer to go classic and traditional, choose red, green, and gold – these are my personal favorites and what I tend to stick to.
Choose black, white, and metallics for a modern look and white, silver, and blue for a frosty winter look.
The ‘in season’ colors change each year, so it’s always worth keeping an eye on these and deciding if you want to incorporate these into your tablescape. My favorite colors that are in season for winter 2024 are deep burgundy, chocolate brown, and olive green – the only difficulty with incorporating the on-trend colors is trying to get hold of them before they go out of stock.
Make Use of What You Have
Leftover Christmas candles, already have a garland you can reuse? Look at your existing decorations for inspiration and where to start (Christmas is expensive enough without having to buy all your decorations from scratch). I use my garland year on year and have a bag of red baubles that I no longer use to decorate my tree, they’ve now become the perfect accessory to add to my table.
Foraging / Artificial Foliage and Flowers
Foraging is a fantastic way to decorate your table, and, of course, it’s free.
Holly, mistletoe, ivy, ivy berries, pinecones, and acorns are just some of the decorations you can pick up for free to help create a beautiful design.
Pinecones and acorns can be used to scatter over your table, the mistletoe could be used for a name card (gold pen works great on the green).
If you (or anyone you know) buys a real Christmas tree there are always branches that need to be removed, these are perfect to be used as a table garland or to bulk out your existing table garland – I use fishing wire to secure the branches and to secure other table decorations.
Start with Your Centerpiece
Now you’ve decided on a color scheme, and you’ve chosen some decorations you want to use, it’s time to make a start on putting it all together. The best place to begin is with your largest item first, whether this is a garland down the center of the table (like I’ve gone for) or a large wreath candle holder, these will be the focal points of your table. Once you’ve positioned these it’s easier to start building.
Candles are great to add, not only do they look lovely lit up they also add height variation to your display.
I like to mirror both sides of my table, it’s easier to decorate and gives the display a flow.
Ensure your decorations are in the center of the table and you’ve left enough room for place settings and glasses.
Personal Touches
It’s always the small thoughtful things that mean the most, right? Homemade Christmas crackers, mini candy canes, name cards with a Christmas drawing – they will all make an impression.
Add a Touch of Elegance
It goes without saying that salt and pepper will always be on any dining table, so why not elevate your table design with some elegant and luxury salt and pepper mills?
I have chosen the Hoxton silver-plated mill set, made from high-quality metal alloy. They stand proud on my dining room table and complement my Christmas design.
When incorporating your mills into your table décor, you want to allow them to stand out and make a statement. I would recommend using an alternative color next to the mills i.e. I have surrounded my red baubles and beautiful silver mills with green foliage which really allows the colors to complement each other.
