If you’re cooking for family and friends this Christmas, you’ll want to make your table look as delicious as the food.
Here are some tips to help you create an elegant festive table that will wow your guests.
Decide on your theme or colour scheme
If you have a young family, you may choose a fun theme such as a winter wonderland. This is easy to create with a crisp white tablecloth as a snowy backdrop decorated with tiny snowmen and forest animal ornaments.
For a more sophisticated snowy theme, use silver-painted pinecones, silver and blue baubles on a white backdrop with silver and blue crackers.
If you love the traditional Christmas colours of red, green and gold, try decorating the table with holly and pine sprigs tied with red ribbons. A gold candle centrepiece can be surrounded by a green garland.
Choose coordinated tablecloth, runners, and napkins
Once you’ve chosen your colour scheme or theme, you can decide on your tablecloth or runner. Tablecloths and runners are great for protecting the table – they also give you the opportunity to devise a colour scheme.
As mentioned, a crisp white tablecloth makes a snowy background. You could contrast this with a dark red runner, placemats, and matching napkins. This will give your table a formal look. If you have white dishes, dark red makes a striking contrast.
Alternatively, if you have an elegant wooden table, you may prefer to show off the character of the timber. Greenery such as holly, pine sprigs and pinecones work well against a rustic wood background.
Deep red or green runners and napkins are ideal for a traditional Christmas table, as you can accessorise with gold ornaments and a gold centrepiece.
Create an eye-catching centrepiece
A Christmas table should always have a centrepiece. Traditionally, this would be a large candle or a candlestick holder for several candles.
Tall, thin candles add height and a contemporary feel, while large round candles usually form a more traditional display. Tealights are fun way to highlight an ornamental centrepiece such as a nativity or winter scene.
The advantage of candles is that you can opt for a scented variety to give a warm Christmas fragrance of cinnamon or mulled wine.
You may prefer a vase of cut flowers as a centrepiece as this will bring height to the table. Seasonal flowers can be arranged with the addition of a few Christmas elements, such as a sprig of red berries.
Arrange drinking glasses correctly
Positioning your wine and water glasses in the correct place will make the occasion feel extra special.
Red wine glasses should be to the top-right side of the place setting with champagne flutes or white wine glass to the left of the red wine glass. A water glass should sit in front of the two wine glasses.
Your wine glasses should also hold the correct volume for the type of wine you’re serving.
For example, our delicate champagne flutes have a long, slender shape that’s ideal for allowing the bubbles to rise to the surface.
Red wine glasses should be larger to give the wine room to breathe. As red wine is served at room temperature, a spacious round glass allows you to swirl the wine and appreciate its aroma before you take a sip.
White wine glasses don’t need to be rounded and can be smaller in size than red wine glasses. As white wine is served chilled, a smaller glass helps it to remain at a chilled temperature.
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