How to Set Up a Dining Table for Christmas

A festive table helps set the mood.

The holiday table design can be as different as the many menu items people include to feast upon. Depending upon the atmosphere you are trying to create---whether relaxed and casual or elegant and formal---you can reflect the mood through seating arrangements, lighting, food service items, dinnerware and centerpieces. The key to success is consistency with theme and materials.

Things You'll Need

• Table
• Chairs
• Red/green tartan plaid tablecloth or white tablecloth with tartan place mats
• Dinner plates
• Dinner forks
• Dinner knives
• Teaspoons
• Napkins (paper or cloth)
• Water glasses
• Wine glasses (optional)
• Evergreen clippings (boxwood, pine, hemlock)
• Pine cones
• Sprigs of artificial red berries
• Spool of green craft/florist wire
• 2 small wooden bowls or plates
• Bag of fresh cranberries
• 1 large red pillar candle
• 2 small jar candles (red, green or white)
• Formal Setting Extras
• Cloth table cloth
• Cloth napkins
• silver or glass napkin rings
• sprigs of artificial gold leaves and berries
• Salad forks
• Dessert forks
• Soup spoons
• Cocktail forks
• Salad plates
• Bread/butter plates
• Red wine glasses
• White wine glasses
• Place Cards (per number of guests)
• Gold pen
• Floral arrangement
• 2 Silver or glass candle holders
• 2 six inch tapers (red)
• Red, silver and gold ornaments

Instructions

The Casual Holiday Table

1. 

   Casual holiday table

   Extend the table as necessary for the number of guests. Plan on 24 inches of width of elbow room per guest. Add 2 inches for armed chairs.

2. Place chairs around the table, making certain the height is correct and there is enough room for comfort.

3. Place a tablecloth on the table, centering it so that it falls at equal lengths around the table. If using place mats, set those at each setting.

4. Place a dinner plate at each chair 2 inches from the table's edge.

5. Fold the napkins into triangles and set to the left of the plates, point out.

6. Place the dinner fork between the napkin and the plate.

7. Place the knife to the right of the plate, sharp side in.

8. Place the teaspoon to the right of the knife.

9. Position the water glass above the knife and spoon.

10. Twist together a bunch of greenery with craft wire, accenting with berries and pine cones.

11. Center the pillar candle on top of the evergreen bunches in the center of the table.

12. Place jar candles in wooden bowls or plates.

13. 

    Cranberries make colorful decorating additions.

    Fill the wooden bowls or plates with cranberries, surrounding the jarred candles.

14. Place the bowls/plates on either end of the centered greenery.

The Formal Holiday Table

1. 

   Formal table settings

   Slide rolled napkins into the napkin rings.

2. Using the craft wire, wrap and attach gold berries and leaves to the napkin rings, sliding the ends through the ring and twisting.

3. Place the napkin rings diagonally across the dinner plate or to the left of the forks.

4. 

   Formal dinner fork placement

   Place the forks from left to right: salad fork, dinner fork, dessert fork.

5. Place the soup spoon to the right of the teaspoon, followed by the cocktail fork.

6. Position the salad plate above the forks to the upper left side of the dinner plate.

7. Place the bread/butter plate to the upper right of the salad plate, above the dessert fork.

8. Set the red wine glass above the teaspoon.

9. Place the water glass above and to the left of the red wine glass.

10. 

    Wine glass settings

    Position the white wine glass above and to the right of the red wine glass.

11. Print each place card with each guest's name.

12. Place each card directly above the dinner plate and centered.

13. Center the floral arrangement on the table.

14. Place candlesticks 4 to 6 inches from either side of the floral arrangement.

15. Scatter glass ornaments between the candlesticks and the centerpiece.

Tips & Warnings

• If space is a concern, set up a separate children's table. Carry the same theme on a smaller scale and with less fragile items. Instead of real candles, consider battery operated window candles for their table.

• Make sure candles do not pose a danger. Keep away from dried arrangements and place on a stable surface.

References

• Buckingham Interiors Furniture Standards: Table Seating Specifications

Resources

• Read this Article in Portuguese
• Delish Entertaining Ideas: Christmas Table Settings & Centerpieces
• How to Set Your Table-For Dummies