Simple Tips for Styling a Christmas Table

When I’m planning a gathering that centres around my table, be it for Christmas or not, the first thing I think about doing is creating the right atmosphere for the get together. Christmas is my favourite time of year to do this, mainly because it provides the excuse to add an extra bit of subtle sparkle.

Keep it simple

For me, however big the gathering or how formal the meal, the food has to be kept simple, and preferably made ahead of time. Who wants to be stuck in the kitchen instead of relaxing with their guests over a glass of something chilled? A huge pan of curry or homemade soup with a baked camembert and bread are both crowd pleasers and can be easily prepped the morning or the night before. 

For an even less formal mid-afternoon affair, I like to do simple canapé style food that can be picked up, like these chicory leaf “boats” filled with crumbled feta (you could use goats cheese or any type of cheese that crumbles), topped with jewel-like pomegranate seeds and fronds of dill, drizzled with a wholegrain mustard dressing. You could add chopped walnuts in lieu of the pomegranate.

And, because I don’t have a whole load of time on my hands at this time of year, I’ll happily serve up shop-bought macarons decorated with edible winter pansy heads and some classic retro Mr Kipling cherry bakewells (a recently rediscovered fav in our house right now)

I’ll start by laying the table. Of the things that’s been slow to dawn on me, but that came to me very clearly when laying this Christmas table, is that the way I approach a table setting is to throw everything at it and then begin to take things away, one by one, until it looks perfect (to my mind anyway!).

I had started this table with some vases of mixed fresh and dried flowers down the centre, but found I much preferred the simple look once I took them away. I’ve used a table runner that I’ve appliquéd with some of the hexagons from one of my quilt designs and I felt they got lost amongst all the foliage of the flowers.

The main centrepiece is our new fluted pedestal bowl filled with gorgeous plump apricots, that mirror the pale pinky tangerine-coloured berries in the mini dried wreath decorations.

Prep as much as possible ahead of time

Whatever you’re planning, whether it’s the main event for Christmas day or a Christmassy afternoon tea with some girlfriends, prep as much as you can beforehand to take the pressure off. It should be about the gathering, and you getting to relax and catch up with friends and family, not standing sweating in the kitchen or fretting over lost napkins.

This year I’m getting my cloth napkin and tablecloth washed and ironed (if I can be bothered, but I’ll happily go with the crumpled look) on Christmas Eve morning, and I may well et the table in the evening so I don’t have an extra things to think about on the day. Remember that it always takes four times longer than you’d planned for to get this type of thing done (once you’ve factored in finding “lost” bits and all the faffery once everything’s on the table.

Make it special for your guests

Be aware of the things you know make people smile and feel relaxed and at home in your space. Take the time to sit where your guests will be and pay attention where their gaze will land while they’re seated. Put fluffy sheepskins and cushions on the chairs, and face them towards the Christmas tree or some twinkly lights and candles. Light some scented candles before they arrive and put on a playlist ahead of time so they feel the party atmosphere as soon as they walk through the door.

A personal touch on the table will always be welcome, whether it’s their name on a place setting, a small, beautifully wrapped gift - or a dried flower wreath makes a great little gift that people can take away with them.

Creating atmosphere with light

Lighting is key. It’s always dimly lit in our house (neither Charlie nor I can bear bright, overhead light so we have no ceiling lights in any of our rooms). Our ceilings are low and the windows aren’t all that big, so it tends to be darkish all year round, but I love the low, cool winter light that comes into our living room in the early afternoon at this time of year. 

And candlelight compliments it perfectly. Throughout the darkest months of year, there’ll be candles and fairy lights everywhere in my home. I really don’t believe you can have too many. As well as the candles on the tables, I like to dot tea lights in tiny bowls around the place and weave strings of fairy lights around the branches of plants. I’ll place some copper wire tiny fairy lights down the middle of dining table and cover the battery pack with some foliage.

Enjoy it!

Above all, I think the key thing to remember is to enjoy the creative process, which will be ruined by any kind of stress or time pressure. Give yourself some time to play - and to stand back and take in what you’ve created before your friends and family arrive (and give yourself a little inward nod of approval). If this year has taught me anything, it’s to take some time to revel in the small pleasures can that can bring a flutter of joy, no matter how small.