Christmas Table Settings & Decorating Ideas
Decorating Your Table for Christmas Dinner
Christmas dinner is the main attraction. But, like any good movie, the experience is enhanced with a well-dressed table. Think of Christmas table decorating as an art that you can use to express your style to your family and friends. Start by choosing a theme or color for your Christmas table settings. Carry that theme through with a tablecloth, napkins and napkin rings that complement each other.
Accent Ideas
Think of place settings as Christmas table decorations that accent the centerpiece, which is the focal point of your holiday table decorations. Messages can be hand-written on slips of cardstock and placed atop silverware, or, can be hand-painted onto napkin rings for a unique, creative touch.
If you have a beautiful wooden table with grain and color that you want to show off, choose a runner that complements your room's color as well as the place setting and napkin colors you've chosen. Add fresh flowers like single stem roses, hydrangeas or evergreen twigs to spruce up your settings and bring a little of the outdoors into your Christmas table decorations.
Centerpiece Tips
The most important thing to remember in selecting your centerpiece is to choose one that ties your theme together, as the focal point, without crowding your table. Make sure you leave plenty of room for all the cherished dishes and fixings.
Keep the height of your centerpiece low enough so that it does not block guests from easily making eye contact with each other. Votive candles floating in glass basins shrouded by pine garlands and rich, silky ribbon can make a stunning visual display. Small pine cones and holly berries bring the festivity of the season to your Christmas table setting in a discrete and elegant way.
If your table is smaller, don't overpower it with a huge floral centerpiece or tall pillar candles. Instead, choose one sentimental Christmas figurine surrounded by a few evergreen twigs to add style and grace to your holiday celebration.