The Christmas Table
There's still time to create a stunner of a Christmas table setting for the big day - here's a few fab ideas for inspiration.
Personalised place settings always go down well, so choose a bauble place card holder and add a card with an initial on it and a little wrapped present too. The pastel green tableware and lilac napkin is ramped up with a red felt place mat and crackers. debenhams.com
Special tableware at Christmas is a really nice idea, even if you just have side plates or bowls. These won't break the bank when you are spending a fortune on everything else. Start with a silver placemat, then pile up the china and add a wrapped present with a fresh sprig of foliage, preferably a fragrant one, like eucalyptus. 12 piece gold spot dinner set, £24.99 and 16 piece gold cutlery set, £14.99 studio.co.uk
Aren't these place mats gorgeous? and the china is lovely too. A simple setting with a fresh sprig (there's a theme here) Start with a sparkly tablecloth or piece of fabric and place a special decoration next to each place settings for guests to take home with them johnlewis.com
Another personalised idea but this one is a bit longer lasting, a ceramic star with the name painted on. Scatter table decorations for added sparkle notonthehighstreet.com
This one is a bit more rustic, with tartan tableware and contrasting teal side plates it looks really homely. Use a maple leaf decoration in each bowl, a sprig of holly and tie the cutlery with bakers twine. Add red candles and fir cones. A handmade written place setting strip looks really cute. george.com
Go a bit more glam with timeless silver, grey and white. Start with a silver placemat, alternate white and grey china. A white napkin has a piece of fir to decorate which is echoed in the little fern 'tree' sticking out of a round of wood. Little meringues add texture and a bird dec with an opulent feather tail is the finishing touch. A white reindeer with a fur collar looks haughty and use beaded garlands and diamond table decorations and tea light holders. george.com
I thought this was lovely and really easy to do. Plants with silvery leaves are ideal at Christmas and are available when most things aren't. Place a little plant in a glass tea light holder and place at each setting. Simple - and quick.
