The Christmas dinner is at the heart of festive celebrations so it's important to set the scene with a showstopping seasonal display. Whether you're after a traditional look with classic greens and reds, a glamorous gold design that oozes luxury, or a bright, bold scheme with plenty of personality, you're bound to have an unforgettable meal with these spectacular Christmas table decorating ideas.
Be inspired by a snowy mountainscape with a timeless grey table cloth that evokes a chilly carpet of snow. Then layer up the surface with soft blue tones and icy silver for sparkle. Warm the frosty atmosphere with warming natural tones using pine cones and sliced tree trunk serving trays.
Give real greenery a lift with a traditional palette of festive red and gold. Look for crockery printed with pretty holly and then really bring the table to life with delightful wildlife decorations and country prints featuring seasonal characters such as winter mice, owls and robins
Add a luxurious look to a forest theme with rich colours you might find in a fairytale at twilight. Drape a silky emerald green runner over the table until it cascades to the floor on both sides. Layer up glamorous gold place settings and finish with iridescent wine glasses.
Channel the Nordic trend at this year's Christmas lunch with a paired back combination of pale wood and white accessories. They bring a minimalist edge to a table and are a simple and fresh alternative to more traditional looks. Keep the table cloth-free and choose wooden candle holders, then bring in pom-pom placemats and white baubles for just a touch of silver sparkle.
Frame your Christmas table with a hanging arrangement that creates instant wow-factor. Whether you suspend a branch wrapped in fairy lights from the ceiling or hang decorative baubles from a specially-made wooden frame, this showstopping festive alternative to the usual Christmas table centrepiece is sure to make jaws drop - and leave more room for food!
Enjoy a festive Christmas Eve buffet this year the Swedish way. Channel the Scandi-style tones of snowy white and forest greens with warming wood. Then up the comforting glow with white candlesticks, rustic lanterns. Continue the twinkle with LED star decorations and branches filled with fairy lights above.
Now here's one way to get your guests talking. Bring together a tantalising table of black, purple and gold tableware for a characterful take on Christmas dining that is fit for a king or queen. Extend the banquet to the rafters with a regal looking, suspended centrepiece bursting with feathers, dried grasses and glittery baubles.
Looking for a Christmas table idea that is utterly outrageous and full of pretty enchantment? Then this is the setting of your dreams! Delicate pinks and champagne golds combine to create a 'fantastical' theme. Combine marble printed tableware, gilded stem glassware and a centrepiece full of feathers and frosted trees.
Depending on how much time you have, it’s worth considering leaving a little surprise for each guest at their place setting. Whether shop-bought, an easy DIY Christmas gift or a simple home-baked biscuit, the attention to detail will be appreciated. Why not wrap up the pocket-sized presents and pop them into dinner bowls or leave a small stocking on each seat with sweets or nuts tucked inside?
Delight your guests with illustrative Christmas tableware decorated with woodland owls and other winter creatures. Layer up the warming look with gold chargers and coasters, then embellish with pine cones, gold leaf string lights and toadstool decorations.
Ideal for a dark wood table, amp up the warmth with a setting in luxurious tones of burnt orange, amber and gold. It's a stylish colour palette to offset a dark blue room, especially during candlelit dinner parties. Highlight the table with oversized paper decorations hanging from ribbons to enhance the impact.
A common sight in many homes all year round, fairy lights come into their own at Christmas. Use them liberally to jazz up a centrepiece on your Christmas dinner table or trail them around your place settings to add sparkle. If you fancy adding more stylish lighting to your scheme, you could even mount an illuminated festive star on the wall.
Take your decorations into another dimension with an overarching rail that clamps to the end of the table. These investment pieces can be used for all sorts of different events but really come into their own for a special Christmas meal. Wind festive greenery (whether real or fake) up and around one end, balancing the other side with paper decorations. A statement illuminated star provides the perfect centrepiece.
Why not bring an opulent yet kitsch party feel to your Christmas table this year? Start with a traditional red but layer with additional maroon tones from rich merlot to bright cranberry and pink. Offset with gold candles and finish with an eye-catching, tropical centrepiece filled with sprayed gold palm leaf steams and artificial laceleaf (anthurium) flowers for real wow factor.
Gold is still a huge interiors trend and it makes a glamorous choice for Christmas. Layered with white and creamy shades, the table glistens with frosted sparkle while remaining sophisticated and soft. Add depth to the scene with tall candles and vases.
Be inspired by wintery woodland walks with a Christmas table decorated with rich greens and rust-brown leaves. Keep the look paired back by forgoing a tablecloth but bring the outdoors in with natural details such as pine cones and ferns. For contrast, add an amber coloured berry and glitter garland.
Give your Christmas table a fairytale ending with a pretty colour scheme of blush pink. Silver, powdery pink and amethyst place settings evoke a serene feel, while glittering, jewel-encrusted tree ornaments make a charming centrepiece or side-piece with real wow-factor. Gold candles, fluffy throws inject cosy elegance to the decadent theme – champagne, please!
The classics have stood the test of time for a reason. Keep it traditional with smart touches, be it tablecloth, runner or matching napkins. Carry the red and green theme through your tableware with conifer tree motifs on crackers, crockery and candles and finish with a charming stag for fun.
A neutral décor scheme can have just as much impact as a bright palette if you know how to dress it. The key is to introduce plenty of texture, from soft fabric dining chairs to faux fur throws and placemats edged in pom-poms, plus a tactile centrepiece of hydrangeas and silvery foliage. Finish the setting with plenty of candlelight to fill the room with an intimate and welcoming glow.
For a fresh take on green décor this year, experiment with the whole spectrum of shades, from moody forest to soft moss and vibrant neon green. To create contrast, bring in gold festive baubles and mini gold trees, as well as quirky decorations that are sure to be conversation starters. Finish the dramatic display with black tableware to make the green colour palette pop.
Reds and greens are a classic Christmas combo, but if you want to shake things up while still keeping your scheme traditional, why not introduce a botanical twist? Draw inspiration from poinsettias, everyone's favourite festive foliage. The vibrant red plant makes the ideal centrepiece, while fabric poinsettia flower heads and embroidered napkins on each place setting add a unique touch. Mix in holly and berry prints to complement the horticultural theme.
Embrace the best of the natural world this year with a dining table decorated in organic materials. Here, hessian and eucalyptus add a rustic touch to chair backs, while a linen table runner offers a tactile backdrop for the big meal. For a wow-factor finishing touch, suspend an au naturel centrepiece of wood, foliage and simple metal decorations from the ceiling.
Up the festive fun this year and go all out with a theme. Stick to a single bold pattern to keep things coherent or it could end up too chaotic – this simple holly print used across placemats, napkins, crackers and crockery is the perfect choice. Soften the look with wooden serving boards and garlands of fresh foliage.
This bold and beautiful colour forms the basis for a luxury Christmas setting that's sure to delight. Begin by laying a special tablecloth, such as this one with a seasonal poinsettia print, and then build the colour with accents of pink, vibrant red and lashings of gold. Old-school crystal glasses are making a comeback and add the perfect level of sparkle. Remember to put enough glasses out for water, wine and of course champagne.
Christmas just wouldn't be the same without crackers, but if you’re looking for something a little more grown-up than the normal cylinders then these sophisticated gold and green bauble designs will be just what you're looking for. With their geometric style they certainly raise the bar for festive place settings but don't worry, they still have a joke, hat and gift inside.
Combine traditionally festive hues of berry and green on a farmhouse-style table for a homely country look. Start with a vintage berry-print table runner and decorate with natural foliage and glass lanterns. Then balance out with plain napkins and crockery, finishing with a simple sprig of foliage on each plate.
Dare to turn your Christmas table into a sugary disco with tons of shimmer in ice-cream shades. One for fearless decorators, start by covering the table with pink sequins and bring in peppermint green napkins, baby blue candlesticks and iridescent glassware filled with glittery baubles. For a hassle-free style shortcut, create a wow-factor centrepiece by filling glass jars and vases with your favourite retro sweets.
At large family gatherings why not lay a Christmas table for the kids with a bright and colourful rainbow theme? A white PVC tablecloth creates an easy-to-clean canvas that you can layer up with mix-and-match plates, fun pom-pom garlands and plenty of shiny baubles. For the final festive nod, opt for tall battery-operated candles.
Bring in a beautifully patterned tablecloth to frame your place settings without giving up any precious tabletop space. Keep tableware crisp and white so you can add hits of gold without the whole thing becoming garish. Instead of uncomfortable hard wooden chairs, lay faux fur and cushions on benches for a cosy Nordic-inspired dining spot.
A cherished staple of the Christmas dining table, everyone loves a festive cracker. Instead of buying ready-made designs filled with useless plastic presents destined for the bin, make an eco-friendly swap this Christmas and make your own recyclable crackers with card and brown paper and fill them with little personalised surprises or handmade sweets.
Trees aren't just for the living room and hallway. Why not include miniature versions on your Christmas table? Go for glamourous slim gold versions rather than evergreen firs so they don't crowd out the space. Reflect their metallic hues across the rest of your tableware for a cohesive feel.
It’s such a small detail, but individualised place settings can add a thoughtful touch that guests will value. Practice your best calligraphy on little pieces of cardboard or thick paper, then use a hole punch to make a hole at the side. Carefully feed through a festive branch, a ribbon and a bauble or the stem of a small frosted pine cone – it's a great way to deck the halls on a budget.
Even if you're tight on space you can still squeeze in an eating space for that special festive meal. This little setup of a small table and a pair of chairs is ideal for two. Work your look around a signature candelabra – perhaps go for different coloured candles that'll pull in the rest of the décor – and snake a ribbon around the place settings. If you need a bit of extra surface space, just roll up a drinks trolley.
When the weather outside is frightful, there's no better tonic than this delightful Christmas table display. Build a charming snowy scene with a white tablecloth and miniature frosted pine trees dotted around a whimsical hamlet of house-shaped lanterns. Complement the endearing tableau with etched glassware that recreates the appearance of snowfall.
Delight your guests with illustrative Christmas tableware decorated with polar bears and other Arctic creatures. Layer up the playful look with dark grey runners and coasters, then embellish with mistletoe and green foliage.
Create a glittering display with gold-hued table settings. Set against earthy dinner plates and a black tablecloth, these glistening leaf-shaped dishes are the ultimate seasonal statement, while luxurious gold-effect cutlery ties the scheme together. Balance out the extravagant tableware with a simple centrepiece, like this train of delicate fairy lights.
Both eco-friendly and enduring in design, classic wooden ornaments are a great way to bring a touch of magic to your Christmas table. Add traditional charm with festive favourites, from reindeer and Christmas trees to snow-topped houses. Continue the old-school feel with small brown gift boxes tied with fabric ribbon.
If you love opulence and glamour, look no further than this spectacular table setting. Think jewel tones, moody hues, a sprinkling of gold and a dramatic focal point. Sumptuous deep purple is beautifully balanced by this extravagant hanging centrepiece with bursts of green foliage and wispy pink pampas grass. Simple white column candles that pop against the dark backdrop are the perfect finishing touch.
Keep your festive table light and bright this year by creating your very own winter wonderland. Channel the iridescent tones of sparkling snow and glittering icicles with snow-capped tree ornaments and frosted foliage garlands. Opt for smoked blue shimmering glassware for an icy touch, then up the comfort factor with a soft light grey tablecloth, plush white pillows and faux fur throws.
Give your Christmas table a fairytale ending with a pretty colour scheme of blush pink. Silver and peach place settings evoke a romantic feel, while a trio of glittering, jewel-encrusted tree ornaments make a charming centrepiece with real wow-factor. Rose gold cutlery and vintage-style glassware impart elegance to the decadent theme – champagne, please!
Look to the woods for an au naturel take on a traditional festive table. Create a simple centrepiece with a vase of woodland branches and lay bundles of foliage on top of rustic linen napkins. Dark amber hues across the accessories and lanterns evoke the colours of a forest floor – for a cohesive scheme in an open-plan space, carry the same shades across your Christmas tree décor.
Love festive decor? Take a look at more seasonal decorating inspiration