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Christmas is a special time to gather around the table and enjoy the little moments. Thoughtful decoration, warm lighting and a few details chosen with care can turn any meal into an unforgettable get-together. Here are some ideas for dressing your Christmas table and creating a cosy, beautiful and charming atmosphere.
If you are still choosing the tablecloth, our guide to Christmas tablecloths has ideas on sizes and colours for the festive table. Here we focus on everything that goes on top of it: the centrepiece, the light, each place setting and those details that make it special.
what you’ll take from this guide
- 1A simple way to give your whole Christmas table decoration a shared style.
- 2Christmas centrepiece ideas with branches, fruit and pieces you already have at home.
- 3How to lay the table on Christmas Eve, place by place.
- 4Details for your guests, a table for the children and a cosy end to the meal.
one idea for the whole table
A good starting point is to think about the atmosphere you would like to create: a winter forest, a country house, a starry night or a Mediterranean table with seasonal fruit. That idea will help you choose each piece and make everything go together naturally.
If the forest inspires you, fir branches, pine cones and wood work beautifully. If you prefer a country-house feel, your everyday tableware, checked tea towels and an earthenware bowl of tangerines make a very welcoming table. For a modern Christmas table decoration, a few well-chosen pieces with space between them, so each one can shine, work really well.
christmas centrepiece ideas
The centrepiece is the first thing you see when you sit down. Low centrepieces, around 30 centimetres at most, are the most comfortable: guests can see each other and the conversation flows from one side of the table to the other.
On a long table it looks lovely to split the centrepiece into small groups along its length, with gaps between them for the serving dishes. The table looks full and there is always room to serve.
Branches and fresh herbs
A few sprigs of fir, olive or eucalyptus on the table, with rosemary or thyme tucked in between. They add colour and a lovely scent throughout dinner.
Seasonal fruit
Tangerines, pomegranates or quinces in a bowl or scattered across the table. It is one of the simplest and most cheerful ideas.
Pine cones and wood
Pine cones, walnuts and a wooden piece or two, with low candles in between. They go with almost any tablecloth and can be kept for next year.
Pieces with a story
Decorations the children made, an heirloom figure or an old photo. A centrepiece full of family memories always gets people talking.
warm light for dinner
Light completely changes the feel of a table. For Christmas dinner, soft, close light feels very welcoming: you can dim the ceiling lamp and add other, warmer sources of light around the room.
Low candles among the centrepiece
A warm lamp or a string of lights on the sideboard
The tree lights on throughout dinner
Combining these three lights wraps the table in a warm, pleasant atmosphere. Unscented candles are the best choice for the table, as they leave the food in the spotlight. And to enjoy them with peace of mind, it is a good idea to place them away from dry branches.
how to lay the table on christmas eve
Knowing where each piece goes makes dinner more comfortable: every guest has what they need to hand, in the order they will use it. This is the most common layout.
| Item | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Plate | In the centre of the place setting, about two fingers from the edge of the table. |
| Forks | To the left of the plate, from the outside in, following the order of the courses. |
| Knives and spoon | To the right, with the knife blade facing the plate. |
| Dessert cutlery | Above the plate, horizontally. |
| Glasses | Top right: the water glass above the knife and the others to its right. |
| Napkin | On the plate or to the left of the forks. |
| Bread | On a side plate, top left. |
Around 60 centimetres per person keeps everyone comfortable, and a little free space near whoever is serving is very handy for setting down dishes. At tables with lots of guests, you can save the side plate for another occasion and gain a bit more room between chairs.
a detail for every guest
A small detail at each place makes the table feel very personal and lets every guest know they have been thought of.
Napkins with a special touch
A very simple idea is to tie each napkin with string and a sprig of rosemary, or pair it with a hand-written name card. For a more relaxed meal, tea towels with fir trees or gnomes can double as large napkins and keep brightening up the kitchen all winter.
Everyone’s place
Thinking about where each guest sits is another way of looking after the evening: bringing together people who haven’t seen each other in a while, seating grandparents where they can hear well, or keeping the hosts close to the kitchen. With a name card, everyone finds their place straight away.
A keepsake to take home
A tangerine with its leaf, a homemade biscuit wrapped in paper or a little bag of turrón next to the glass. It is a simple gesture that guests really appreciate at the end of the night.
the children’s table
If there are children at home, a corner of the table of their own, or a small table just for them, usually makes them very excited. They feel part of the celebration and enjoy it in their own way.
You can prepare something to keep them busy while they wait: a name card to colour in, a small centrepiece of pine cones and tangerines they can touch, or a simple game under each plate. A cushion on the chair helps them reach the table comfortably, and the candles are best kept on the grown-ups’ table.
a long, cosy after-dinner
At Christmas, lingering at the table is almost as important as the dinner itself. Out come the coffee, the sweets and the usual family stories, and you want the moment to last.
A few cushions on the chairs or the sofa make it all much more comfortable. With covers like Pinline or Twinline, the feel of the table carries on into the rest of the living room. A throw folded over the back of the sofa is perfect for when it gets chilly, and candles left burning until the end keep that lovely dinner light.
textiles for the festive table
We design every print in our studio in Cocentaina, and our textiles are printed and made up in workshops in Spain. We print the design directly onto the fabric, without screens, which lets us reproduce designs with many colours, gradients and fine details.
In our Christmas collection you’ll find tablecloths such as the Sapin tablecloth, tea towels and cushion covers to dress the table and living room in the same style.
Made in Spaina christmas table to enjoy together
Decorating the Christmas table is a way of preparing a place where everyone wants to be. One idea that gives the whole table its style, a low centrepiece with natural elements, warm light and a small detail for each guest are all it takes to create a welcoming table full of charm.
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