How to Set an Elegant Christmas Table

During the Christmas season, if you're hosting dinner for your friends and family, create a festive and inviting place for them to gather and dine. An elegant Christmas table setting not only adds ambiance to the dinner itself but to the entire room. Whether your taste is traditional or modern, with creativity and decorative accessories, you can create an elegant table setting that will dazzle your guests. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Traditional

1

Cover the table with a linen tablecloth. A red or green tablecloth is suited for a traditional look.

2

Set a pine wreath in the center of the table, and place a glass hurricane vase in the center of it. Place a green or red pillar candle in the center of the hurricane vase.

3

Arrange clusters of pine cones and red berries on top of the wreath.

4

Set gold candlesticks along the center of the table. Place red or green pillar candles in the candlesticks; use taper candles that are opposite the color of the pillar candle in the hurricane vase; red taper candles with a green pillar candle and green taper candles with a red pillar candle.

5

Place a gold charger at each place setting. Top the chargers with dishes that feature a Christmas image, such as a tree or a wreath.

6

Put linen napkins in gold napkin rings, and lay them on the table above the plates. Use napkins that are opposite the color of the tablecloth; red napkins with a green tablecloth and vice versa.

Modern

7

Place a runner down the center of the table. Choose a runner in a nontraditional Christmas color to create an unexpected yet eye-catching look, such as hot pink or turquoise blue.

8

Fill a large glass bowl or vase with decorative Christmas ornaments that complement the color of the table runner. Place the vase in the center of the table runner.

9

Lay ornaments along the length of the runner on both sides of the ornament-filled bowl or vase. Set tea lights between the ornaments.

10

Display place mats that match or complement the color of the table runner. For instance, use pale pink place mats with a hot pink runner or teal place mats with a turquoise runner.

11

Set clear glass plates or white plates with silver edges on top of the place mats. Write the name of each guest on an ornament and set them on top of the plates as place cards.