Christmas is a time to reconnect with family and friends, lamenting at the passing of yet another year but looking forward to the coming year with joy. Essentially, it means eating together whether that is a formal sit-down meal, or a party complete with a delicious buffet.
And there is a saying, we eat with our eyes first and our stomach second. This means creating a table setting that delights. With this in mind, these are five must-haves for your table this Christmas…
1 Placemats
Each diner should have their area of the table clearly marked out and this starts with the placemat. A practical addition, it not only protects the table beneath from hot plates, but can also add colour to the table.
Like other trends, colours and materials for dining rooms come and go. But there are still placemats and similar accessories that are elegant and timeless in appeal. For a natural feel, choose the moodiness of slate or the warmth of wood. But we think that adding sparkle is essential for the Christmas, so we opt for metallic finish charger plates.
2 Plates and Glasses
Secondly, adding plates and glasses to the table are the essential components any dinner party needs.
- Glasses– you will need a water glass (usually a tumbler), a flute for champagne or sparkly drinks and a wine glass. There is a fad for coloured glasses or for a classic look, opt for the traditional appeal of clear glass.
- Plates– from side plates to dinner plates and dessert bowls, there is no denying that for a classic Christmas table, white crockery is essential. Choose one with a minimal but classic design if you want more detail, such as a delicate gold rim or bands.
3 Traditional Cutlery
Nest, you need to add cutlery and again, for a formal dinner party you will need starter cutlery – either a smaller knife and fork or a soup spoon, depending on your menu – main course and dessert knife and spoon. You will need a butter knife per person too if you are serving bread rolls with the meal.
When it comes to choosing the right set, there is no doubt that the weightiness of traditional cutlery works best. Balancing in the hand perfectly, it allows for a meal to be eaten in comfort, making food easier to cut and eat.
4 Napkins
As well as placements and charger plates adding colour to the table, using napkins is also a way of adding colour, as well as an essential practical tool for diners to use.
Napkins are made from fabric, whereas serviettes are made from paper. There is a vast range of napkins colours and patterns…
- Festive napkins– choose traditional festive colours such as dark reds or those with patterned holly and similar on them. Match it with the table runner to pull the whole look together.
- Plain colours– block colours work well especially when you have a theme colour in the table centrepiece and table runner. To show off colours as their best, opt for a pristine white tablecloth.
- White– there is no denying the beauty and elegance of pristine white napkins either. They work well with metallic charger plates or similar.
5 Oven to Tableware
And finally, you don’t want to make all this effort with laying the perfect festive table settings only to spoil the effect with chipped oven to tableware. Again, there are many options from classic white to earthenware dishes that complement any table.
The festive season is about enjoying good food and glorious wine. Create the perfect table setting with these five must-haves – oh, and don’t forget the crackers!