How to Arrange Plates for Christmas Dinner

As a good hostess, you'll want to make sure everything looks perfect for your Christmas dinner. Although food's an important consideration, the way you set the table can also make an impression on guests. Take the time to arrange the plates in a beautiful manner for your Christmas dinner.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Pick a festive pattern for the dinner plates. If you own holiday dinnerware, use these settings to serve guests. Silver or gold place settings also work well for a Christmas dinner.

2. Separate the plates into each course. You should have enough plates for the salad, main entrée and dessert courses. Set out the exact number of plates for the number of guests you expect.

3. Set out the dinner plates and salad plates at each place setting.

4. Place the soup bowl on top of the salad plate, if you're serving soup. Remember to remove the bowls before serving dinner.

5. Pass out the dessert plates after you remove the other plates following the meal.

6. Change it up for a buffet dinner. If you're having an informal buffet Christmas dinner, then forgo the fine china. You don't want to chance it getting ruined and guests don't expect formal place settings for a buffet.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also choose to set out each plate during the specific course. Once the course ends, remove the plate and replace it with the next course's dish.
• Remember to arrange the silverware and wineglasses correctly around your plates after you set them out. You'll want to make a cohesive place setting for Christmas dinner.