How To Decorate Your Christmas Table
Pre-Christmas dinners, Christmas parties and family get-togethers are a common occurrence during this time. While decorating your entryways and living room is important, at the end of the day everybody will end up at the dining table. All Christmas gatherings are about your friends and family spending hours around the table enjoying delicious food with good conversations. So, it is only fair that your table is well-dressed for the occasion.
Christmas decorations are not just limited to the tree. All the rooms that are accessible to your guests are normally decorated as well. Along with the great food you’re providing, it is important to make sure that your table is decorated perfectly to represent the festive spirit. There is a lot you can do when it comes to decorating your table. So, stick around for some Christmas table decoration ideas.
Colour and Theme
Decorating your dining table depends on how the rest of your house has been decorated. If you have a running theme going for this year’s Christmas, then stay with the same theme for the dining table as well. However, if you don’t have a theme in mind, try matching the colours of your dining table decorations to the colours of your living room furniture. Matching the colour scheme gives a sense of uniformity to the whole house.
Once you have made a decision on the colour scheme, choosing a theme would be easy. Themes are not very rigid, so you can use different kinds of Christmas decorations to match your theme. Here are some themes and colour schemes you can choose for your Christmas gatherings-
1. A Pastel Brunch
Brunch may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Christmas, but who doesn’t like brunch? A pastel colour scheme is all about natural lighting, simple decorations and a few statement pieces of decoration. Mix and match your pastels and layer your table cloth with a runner, then top it with a metallic centrepiece.
2. Traditional Christmas
Make use of all the leftover pieces of decorations that you couldn’t hang on your tree or use in different rooms. From bells and baubles to wreaths and garlands, splash the Christmas spirit on your dining table. Compliment the red and green Christmas decorations with some brown and gold. We recommend using different shades of red and green to add some depth to the decorations as well.
3. Rustic Christmas Table
Christmas decorations often include some sort of foliage and fruits. A dinner table that is adorned with fresh pinecones, eucalyptus, fruits and spices is perfect for all those who love a more rustic setting. This setting uses the colours brown and green to the best of its abilities. Moreover, rustic Christmas decorations are pleasing for all your senses. The autumnal colour scheme mixed in with the scents of oranges, apples, cranberries, cinnamon and cloves, is a delight to the eyes and the nose.
4. White Christmas
This is a very common theme in Christmas decorations. However, this theme is even more helpful during the hot summery Christmas we have in Australia. The white and blue colour scheme really evokes the chilly feeling of a snowy Christmas morning. This Christmas table setting requires all the magical decorations you can find. From glittery white baubles to silver utensils and serving dishes, a white Christmas table setting is for anyone who enjoys a chilled Christmas.
5. Dark & Opulent
If you want your guests to be transported into a new world this Christmas, a dark and opulent theme for your Christmas table is the way to go. The colour scheme that goes best with this theme is black and gold. Cover the table with gold faux garlands, gold napkins and wine glasses placed on a black tablecloth and more. Bring it all together with some golden fairy lights in the room and you have the perfect table setting.
Use The Right Tablecloth
Whatever the theme of your Christmas table may be, the right table cloth can change everything. Match the colour of the tablecloth to your theme as it is the base for all your Christmas decorations. We recommend using a plain table cloth instead of one with any prints on it. Since you will be decorating the table with multiple things, you don’t want the prints clashing with your Christmas decorations placed on the table. However, plaid tablecloths are always a Christmas favourite. Just keep in mind that if you are using a plaid tablecloth, don’t go overboard with your Christmas table decorations.
The Centre of Attention
While the centrepiece on a table makes all the difference, it does not mean that just a single piece of decoration is counted as a centrepiece. You can adorn your table with multiple decorations in the centre. There is so much you can do for the centrepiece of your table, so choose wisely.
1. Wooden Pieces
Set up your table with natural decorations such as leaves, flowers and wood decorations. Decoration pieces such as a wooden log stand or a wooden slice are ideal. These serve as perfect bases for candles, bouquets or even food.
2. Glass Decoration
Glass vases are a common centrepiece used for dining tables. You can create your own Christmas potpourri bowl or you can use cylindrical glass vases filled with fruits and nuts for the table. Additionally, make use of any old wine bottles by placing them in the centre either as candle holders or with fairy lights stuffed inside them.
3. Foliage
Adorn the centre of the table with garlands and flowers. You can also add a pop of colour to your green garlands and wreaths with cranberries, oranges or apples. If not greens, go for flowers. White or autumnal colours are popular Christmas table decorations. So, find some colourful flowers and lay them down in the centre of the table along with some candles.
4. Very Christmassy Decor
The centre of the table has to be attention-grabbing and what’s better than a Christmas tree for a Christmas table decoration. Not a huge tree, just a mini tree decorated with some lights and maybe even gingerbread decorations. If not a Christmas tree, use your Christmas tree decorations on the table. Just place the decorations down the centre line of the table, place a few lights or candles around them and voila! You’ve got a super Christmassy centrepiece.
5. Candlelight
Everyone enjoys a beautiful candlelit dinner. However, a candlelight dinner is slightly difficult when there are a lot of people involved. This calls for candle holders or candelabras that allows you to place multiple candles in the centre at once. Moreover, candles and wreaths are a great combination; they add a touch of romance to the dinner table.
Decorating the table and the room
Christmas table decoration does not mean that the decoration is limited to the table. Everything around the table also needs to be done up to make it all look cohesive. Furthermore, there are so many things apart from the centrepiece that you can place on your table.
1. Make it yourself
DIY Christmas decorations are a fun way to include the rest of the family in the decoration process. Homemade gingerbread can be a great way to decorate the table. Just bake the cookies and let your kids have fun with the icing. Once the cookies are decorated, place them on the table as name-card holders, napkin holders or any way you want it.
2. Christmas Party Essentials
When it comes to Christmas decorations there is so much out there that you can hang on your tree, your walls and on your table. Party poppers and crackers are a great way to add some more items to the table. They are colourful and go perfectly well with any kind of Christmas decoration. Additionally, you can also have a few mini gift boxes lying around the table. These can either be empty or filled with a mystery item.
3. Don’t forget your chairs
Your dining chairs are as important as the table. The decoration for the dining chairs doesn’t have to be too elaborate. You can just hang a small wreath or ribbon on them. Just make sure whichever piece of decoration you choose for your chairs sit well with the rest of the table’s theme.
4. Light the way
Lights are an essential Christmas decoration no matter what you are decorating. Along with the general lighting in the room, you can use string or fairy lights for the table. You can also just use these lights instead of the general room lighting. Chandeliers or a platform suspended right above the table where you can place your lights is a very popular Christmas decoration trend. Hanging string lights or LED lights are a great way to add to the decorations.
Cutlery and Serving Dishes
The kind of cutlery and serving dishes you use also contribute to the decoration of your table for a Christmas lunch or dinner. You should select the utensils for the table based on your Christmas theme. Ceramic serving dishes are popular during Christmas time since they can be placed on the table straight from the oven. Moreover, ceramic dishes also come in various colours. So, if you have a red ceramic baking dish, then you should definitely use it as a serving dish this Christmas.
This is the time to get that fancy china dinner set out of the cupboards. Also, if you have gilded plates, you can use them as a base for your salad plate. Layering your plates gives it a very sophisticated look and we are all about sophistication during Christmas. Additionally, cutlery is available in various colours and materials in the market. Bronze, copper, silver, gold or even black coloured cutlery would look great on the table. Lastly, wine is an important part of any Christmas meal. You can either use traditional wine glasses or be a little more bougie and use crystal wine glasses. If none of these options is your style, then you also have the option of using gold wine glasses.
The Dining Room
As mentioned before, Christmas decorations should not be limited to the dining table. Decorate the entire room with some beautiful garlands, wreaths, wooden signs, lights, tinsel or anything else that goes with your aesthetic. Decorate your dining room and table with your family. This makes the process more fun and also takes the pressure off of you. Enjoy this year’s Christmas with friends, family and a beautifully decorated table.
