5 Christmas Dinner Table Ideas to Bring the Festive Cheer
Nibbling on a cheeky pre-dinner mince pie, smelling the cinnamon in the air, and swaying along to the soothing sound of Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ – that’s right, it’s Christmas time!
Christmas is all about gathering loved ones around the dining table to share in a meal, some laughter, and maybe a sneaky sherry or two. And since the magic of these festivities only come around once a year, why not go all out with your Christmas dining table décor?
From prepping your dining room to decorating your table, we’ve got five Christmas dinner table ideas to make it one to remember.
1. Clean the clutter
As the epicentre of the festive cheer, your dining table will need to be hosting-ready with lots of room to lay out those all-important Christmas dinner trimmings.
Of course, you could just divvy out the dinner in the kitchen, but how else do you show off all your lovely serving crockery - or let the dog sneak an extra roastie? So, creating space and sprucing up your table is our first dinner table idea for Christmas. Remove any current décor bits and bobs, as well as ad hoc items like school books and mugs, and give your table a good old clean.
Alternatively, if yours is looking a bit shabby, you could always gift yourself a brand new table this festive season! Extendable tables are great space savers and the ideal Christmas dinner table idea for smaller rooms, while oak dinner tables create a homely, rustic feeling for your festive set up.
2. Choose a colour scheme
With your table clean and clear, we can now look at some Christmas dining table décor to begin piecing together that festive cosy spirit – and it all starts with the colour scheme.
We all know the classic festive shades of Christmas tree green and Santa suit red, which you can definitely pepper throughout your Christmas dinner table arrangements. But what about sprinkling in the likes of starlight gold and crisp snow white for a real winter wonderland effect?
And there’s no need to stick to traditional colours if that’s not really your jam. You can create a stunning Christmas wonderland with a range of different colours - simply pair a beautiful jewel tone, like navy, burgundy or plum, with some glittering silvers, golds, or whites, and you’ll be amazed at how festive your space is looking!
We suggest you choose three colours for your Christmas dining table décor colours. You could go with a green, red, and white scheme for that quintessential Christmas look, but for a more modern take, try a white, gold, and silver trio.
3. Set up your centrepiece
Christmas is the best time to go big, bold, and beautiful, so up next for our Christmas dinner table ideas is to lay an eye-catching centrepiece
For a maximalist Christmas dinner table idea, why not grab a mini Christmas tree (or three) for your centrepiece? You can decorate this with smaller pieces from your Christmas tree decoration box, or even get the kids involved with some arts and crafts to make your own!
As well as Christmas trees, great themes for Christmas dinner decor include snowflakes, reindeer, wrapped gifts, snowmen, and polar animals like penguins and polar bears. You could also go rustic with wood slices, candles, pine cones, frosted berries and foliage like holly or ivy. Looking for inspiration? Try searching for ideas on Pinterest, or check out the holiday decorations in your local home decor store!
If you prefer a subtle look, then your centrepiece can be eye-catching without being too loud. Something as simple as a festive flower arrangement will create a bold and beautiful table design. Pop some flowers that suit your colour scheme in a lovely vase and add in a few festive additions, such as pine cones and mistletoe with berries.
4. Lay the table
Let’s be honest, everyone’s favourite part of Christmas day is gathering around the table to tuck into that tasty Christmas dinner. So, you’ll need to get the table suited and booted!
Of course, the essentials are plates and cutlery, but there are extras to bring the festivities to your dinner table setting for Christmas. Tablecloths are perfect here, as they both decorate and protect your table. You could go for a shimmery silver tablecloth to emulate glistening snow, or you could opt for a block colour from your festive colour palette. Other fun ideas to add to your Christmas table settings include napkins, placemats and coasters, Christmas crackers, festive serving platters, fancy glassware and even name cards for your guests!
You can even spruce up your cutlery by lovingly dressing them in napkins with a little bow wrapped around to keep them all together. Lay one of these next to each placemat, and don’t forget to pop a festive little Christmas cracker alongside them as well!
5. Light it all up
It’s time to put the finishing touches to your Christmas dinner table arrangement - and what better way than to add the twinkle of lights?
You can go for a string of fairy lights draped along the middle of your table, creating the look of little twinkling stars scattered across your dinner table. But for a quirky take on this yuletide decoration, you can grab some mistletoe and wrap your fairy lights around them.
If you prefer a modern touch for your Christmas dining table décor, then go for some candles to bathe your table in a lovely warm glow! What’s more, if you use festive candle stands, you’ve got the perfect modern finishing touch for your Christmas dinner table.
With your dinner table setting for Christmas all sorted, you might be looking for ways to keep your dining room looking lovely all year round. That’s why you should browse our dining room furniture collection, which include tables, chairs, and dining room sets.
Alternatively, for style tips on creating everything from a stylish coastal chic to an atmospheric western gothic, head over to our inspiration page.
