Convention for the Christmas table decoration

The Christmas holidays are emotional and nervous days, for both hosts and guests. For this reason, knowing how to dress the table, or how to use the glasses and cutlery properly, will boost our confidence and help us face this unique gathering more calmly. Take care of the details to enjoy it to the full!

We have prepared an attractive video in which we show, step by step, how to place the Christmas table decoration, crockery, cutlery and cotton napkins!

Tips for the Christmas table decoration

Before going into details, we go through some previous considerations:

• Think about the atmosphere you want to create: classical, modern, light-hearted… and what are going to be the leading shades. According to this you can choose the style and colour of the crockery, the cotton napkins, the cutlery, the decorative elements… All the elements must be in harmony.
• Less is more. We must be aware of the space we have, do not overload it and prioritise the comfort of the table (we are going to spend a few hours there seated).
• The Christmas table decoration should be formal, indeed, but the occasion also allows for a little free licence.
• The convention is not only placing the cutlery and glassware correctly. It is about creating a complete and memorable experience, something more than a simple succession of dishes.

Placemats and napkins on the Christmas table

Regarding the most suitable collections and patterns for the decoration of Christmas tables, we spoke in a previous article: Christmas napkins for a modern and welcoming table.

Below we review how we should use placemats and cotton napkins in the decoration of the Christmas table:

• The most classical convention says that the tablecloth should cover the table to the floor, but we have a more modern and just as elegant suggestion for you. If you have a pretty table, of rustic wood for example, you can show it off and place the individual Christmas placemats directly on the table. You will create a different space, yet warm and balanced (in the image, the Christmas Jumper collection). If you are looking for something more formal (or you prefer to hide/protect the table) you can use a large tablecloth, white as a base, and place the individual placemats over it for each diner (in the image, Golden Splash!).
• To give this special touch to the Christmas table decoration, we recommend you use Christmas napkins of different sizes. All of them, with the same pattern or, if you dare, combining a couple of plain shades. The cotton napkins of 11×11 cm are perfect for the bread plate, you can place those of 20 x 20 cm below the knives and spoon, and the largest of 32 x 32 cm will be between the charger and the soup dish.
• It is important to use pretty, absorbent cotton napkins and with an impeccable appearance. You can present them with a simple fold, in the form of a fir tree or as an elegant cutlery holder. In this article (How to fold napkins for the Christmas table decoration) we explain with a video all the steps to achieve it easily and quickly.
• For guests, the napkin is unfolded and placed on our lap. We should use it every time we are going to take a sip of a drink.

The crockery and cutlery on the Christmas table

As we said, quantity is not always synonymous with quality. For the decoration of the Christmas table (and other formal events) we should not make the mistake of loading the table with all the plates, cutlery and glasses we have in the cupboard. If they are really not necessary, we shouldn’t lay them. As good hosts, we must ensure our guests enjoy the meal and do not impede the movements on the table.

Below we detail how to place the decorative elements on the Christmas table:

• We should never present a soup dish directly on the tablecloth. As a minimum, with a flat plate below.

• There is no problem in simplifying and using only two glasses: one for water (on the upper right of the plate) and the wine glass (to its right a little lower). The champagne glass can be there at the beginning on the table (behind the water and wine glasses) or we can bring it out when it is time to make a toast.
• It may be a good idea to ask, at the beginning of the meal, who is going to drink water or wine and remove the glasses that will not be used.
• As regards the cutlery: the fork to the left of the plate, the knives and spoon to the right. In the case of repeating knives and forks, the first ones to be used are placed on the outside.

• The dessert cutlery is placed on the upper part of the plate, following the same guidelines as the main cutlery: the spoon and knife with the handle to the right and the fork with the handle towards the left.

If you have any doubts, we recommend you check out: How to place the cutlery and crockery in the Christmas table decoration.