Copy These Christmas Table Setting + Decorating Ideas
Be the holiday host with the most and set the scene for an unforgettable get-together this year. Our 60 ideas will help you create Christmas table settings, centerpieces and holiday table decor with chic, seasonal style.

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Get Ready to Celebrate the Season
Whether your Christmas celebrations revolve around a hearty brunch, a cocktail party with friends or a formal dinner with a guest-impressing centerpiece, we have you covered with pro pointers that'll make hosting the holidays a bit easier this year. Keep reading for our best ideas for decking your Christmas table in seasonal style.
See More Photos: Crafty + Classic Christmas Table Setting
Rock Classic Christmas Colors
Timeless black-and-white buffalo check linens lend this holiday table a woodsy vibe, while red accents, mini Christmas trees and a sprinkling of ornaments make it an instant classic.
See More Photos: Cozy Up to This Buffalo Plaid Christmas Table Setting
Or, Rely on Your Favorite Happy Hue
There's no set rule that dictates what color to choose when setting a holiday table — so pick a shade that speaks to you. Pink your pick? Great! Carry the happy hue through on plates, napkins and table decorations, like vintage pink ornaments, mini porcelain trees and stacks of colorful macarons.
See More Photos: Colorful Christmas Table Setting Ideas That Go Beyond Red + Green
Craft an Edible Place Card Holder
This mini candy cane easel is perfect for place cards, and, bonus: guests can take them home as an edible favor. To make them: Leave the cellophane wrappers on three candy canes, hold them upside down, and position the cane ends into a tripod shape that will sit level on the table. Secure with a few dots of hot glue; finish with a festive red ribbon bow, and place one next to each place setting.
See More Photos: Merry + Bright Christmas Brunch Tablescape
Or, a Centerpiece You Can Eat
Get an assist from the kiddos to assemble this fanciful farmhouse that'll add a delicious scent and big dose of homespun charm to your Christmas table. Get crafting with our step-by-step instructions, below.
Get the How-To: How to Make a Charming Gingerbread Farmhouse
Make It Magical
When planning your Christmas table setting, don't just plan on only setting the table — set the scene. If your Christmas tree is in an underused room or you just can't see the tree from the table, get an assist to move your table near the Christmas tree.
See More Photos: Colorful Christmas Table Setting Ideas That Go Beyond Red + Green
Use the Good Dishes
This is a party, after all, so pull those vintage Christmas dishes out of the china cabinet and put them to work to give your table setting a timeless holiday touch. In production since 1908, Royal Copenhagen plates, seen here, are collected by many purely for decoration, but these blue, bas-relief porcelain plates are, in fact, intended to be used as regular dinnerware. Their sturdy construction and high-fired glaze mean that even inherited, decades-old plates can go in the dishwasher and are perfectly usable as a salad or dessert plate.
See More Photos: Cozy Up Your Christmas Decor With Vintage and Antique Finds
Silverware: What Goes Where?
Setting a guest-impressing place setting is a snap. Start with a charger (check your local dollar or craft store for inexpensive options), followed by the dinner plate. Top it with a smaller salad plate and the napkin. To the left, place the fork, to the right, the knife (blade turned in) and spoon. Voila, a pro-grade place setting, simplified.
See More Photos: Merry + Bright Christmas Brunch Tablescape
Repurpose Pretty Paper
For a pretty tablecloth that's just as easy on your budget as it is on the eyes, sub leftover gift wrap for fabric. Bonus: Spills aren't a worry; when the festivities are over, just toss the stained paper — or, if it's still in good shape, save it to use again later.
Or, Find a New Use for a Throw
Changing up your holiday party palette this year? No need to buy a new tablecloth. For a color-coordinated table cover that's just as easy on your budget as it is on the eyes, sub a pretty, patterned throw or small blanket for the more traditional table linen. Bonus: The woven throw's nubby texture will lend your holiday table an extra-cozy feel.
See More Photos: Colorful Christmas Table Setting Ideas That Go Beyond Red + Green
Forage an Evergreen Runner
For a table runner that not only looks festive but smells amazing, head outdoors with a pair of clippers to gather two to three varieties of evergreen clippings. Line the center of the table with paper to eliminate any worry of sticky sap, then layer the clippings to create a woodsy runner. Mix in flameless candles, fresh pinecones and silver star ornaments for a centerpiece that only looks expensive.
See More Photos: How to Make Holiday Garland From Foraged Greenery
Or, Sub In a Winter Scarf
Got a plaid winter scarf that matches your table's color palette? Run it through the washer and dryer, then put it to work. Oversized scarves work best to provide a wide band of color and pattern to liven up the center of your table.
See More Photos: Colorful Christmas Table Setting Ideas That Go Beyond Red + Green
Sparkle With Silver Utensils
Perfect when paired with a black-and-white theme, vintage silver flatware really shines. If your silver is looking not-so-shiny, put science to work to vanquish tarnish, then set a rustic-meets-refined table with our inspiration, below.
See More Photos: Cozy Up to This Buffalo Plaid Christmas Table Setting
Or, Go for the Gold
Move over, stainless steel — it's gold's turn to shine. Gold has increasingly become designers' metal of choice for fancy flatware but, like anything that's trendy, new sets are pricey. Check estate sales, thrift stores and yard sales for vintage sets, many still in their original box, with the same golden gleam as new flatware but without the hefty price tag.
Add Sweet Surprises
The perfect combo of bite-sized and colorful, macarons are a pretty, petite treat to stack on a saucer near each place setting.
Top Each Plate With a Christmas Cracker
A treasured tradition in the UK and many former colonies, like Canada and Australia, pulling open a cracker to reveal a small favor and joke is as much a part of celebrating Christmas as the tree itself. London-based confectioner Tom Smith is credited with inventing the favors in the mid-1800s. Thanks to the novelty of the small bang created when both ends of the cracker are pulled and the cracker's relatively low cost, they quickly caught on and their popularity spread to holiday celebrations across the globe.
See More Photos: Cozy Up Your Christmas Decor With Vintage and Antique Finds
Or, Add a Vintage Ornament
For a sweet finishing touch, place an ornament on each place setting. These vintage, candy-striped, spun-satin ornaments from the '60s were a mass-produced, inexpensive option at the time, making them super easy to source today at estate sales, garage sales, thrift shops and online vintage sites. And, thanks to their foam-and-thread construction, they were also one of the first shatterproof ornaments, so many families stocked up on boxes in a wide range of colors to match that year's decor.
See More Photos: Cozy Up Your Christmas Decor With Vintage and Antique Finds
Give Kids a Space of Their Own
The kids' table isn't just a good idea for Thanksgiving; for many families, it's a time-honored Christmas tradition, too. Setting up a separate table for kids lets cousins and siblings make memories while adults catch up over coffee and dessert.
See More Photos: Christmas in Candy Land: A Kids’ Holiday Table
And, Get Their Help to Craft Cute Place Cards
Kids will love helping you assemble these sweet place cards using marshmallows, candy canes and edible decorations. Get all our tips for crafting these playful plate toppers that double as a take-home favor, below.
get the how-to: Sledding Marshmallow Snowman Holiday Place Card Holders
Cozy Up Benches
Ensure that guests linger over coffee and dessert by making seating comfortable. Cozy up hard surfaces, like long wood benches, with plump cushions or faux fur throws.
See More Photos: Rustic + Refined: Set a Stunning Fall or Winter Table Setting
And, Soften Seating With a Blanket
Soften hardback chairs with colorful throws or pillows. Choose patterns that fit your table's theme, like a traditional tartan or festive Fair Isle knit.
See More Photos: Crafty + Classic Christmas Table Setting
Or, Add a Faux-Fur Throw
Hardback chairs can be ... well ... hard. Make it comfy for guests to sit a spell by tossing a faux-fur throw over hard chair backs.
Stack a Centerpiece
Think beyond cakes and bundts and use a footed cake stand to add height to a Christmas centerpiece. Place an advent wreath on top or a small nativity scene, then surround with greenery, pinecones, seasonal fruit or nuts and candles.
See More Photos: Cozy Up Your Christmas Decor With Vintage and Antique Finds
Or, Give Dessert Center Stage
This variation on the classic French Bûche de Noël combines a mouthwatering pumpkin roll with cream cheese frosting and birch-like chocolate bark. Decorated with edible mini mushrooms and resting on a bed of mossy-looking ground pistachios, it's a breathtaking (and supremely yummy!) edible centerpiece for your Christmas table.
Get the Recipe: Birch Bark Yule Log Recipe
And, Leave Space for the Feast
Christmas is the season for honoring traditions — and, for many families, a big sit-down feast is as much a tradition as decorating the tree or exchanging gifts. While filling your table with gorgeous floral arrangements and your best china, glassware and utensils is fun, be sure to leave plenty of room for the bird (or vegan alternative) and all the sides. Or, alternatively, set up a separate table with the meal, served buffet-style, to leave plenty of room for pretty on the dining table.
get the recipe: Roast Turkey With Lemon and Sage
Add Ambiance With Votive Candles
Perfect for casting a golden glow at each place setting, mercury-glass votives can be pricey. No worries, our tutorial, below, will show you how to give plain glass candleholders the timeworn, mirrored effect for less.
get the how-to: Easily Make Your Own Mercury Glass Votives
Or, Craft a DIY Candle Ring Centerpiece
Got a past-its-prime Bundt or tube-cake pan taking up space in your cabinet? In just a few steps, you can upcycle it into a cheery Christmas centerpiece to brighten up your holiday table all season long.
get the how-to: Upcycle an Old Cake Pan Into a Christmas Candle Ring Centerpiece
Cue the (Table)Cloth
A richly hued tablecloth, like this deep aubergine, is a foolproof way to disguise a past-its-prime dining table while creating a gorgeous backdrop that makes white dishes pop and gold flatware gleam.
Learn More: 14 Ways to Get Your Tablescape All Set For the Holidays
Or, Skip It
Honestly, if your table's surface is in good shape (and you aren't worried about potential water rings or stains), there's no need for a tablecloth — let the beauty of your table's rich wood surface shine.
See More Photos: Crafty + Classic Christmas Table Setting
Tempt Them With Chocolates
Add a bit more Christmassy color to your table with foil-wrapped chocolates. A sweet treat that's hard for anyone to resist, small chocolate bonbons are a two-bite delight that are available in a variety of colorful packaging so it's easy to find the confection in a color that'll fit your table's palette.
See More Photos: Colorful Christmas Table Setting Ideas That Go Beyond Red + Green
Or, Tie On a Candy Cane
Give each place setting a sweet finishing touch by knotting a candy cane and a bit of greenery around each napkin. A holiday treat that everyone loves, legend has it that candy canes were invented by a German choirmaster who bent sugar sticks into the shape of a shepherd's crook to reward his young singers. Reward your Christmas dinner guests with this timeless treat they can enjoy after the meal or take home as a pepperminty favor.
Go Foraging
Grab some clippers and head outside to gather evergreen branches for an easy and free arrangement. Borrow a few glass ornaments from the tree and — voila, a centerpiece in a snap.
Get the How-To: 5 Free Ways to Decorate With Christmas Tree Clippings
And, Use Every Branch
Repurpose leftover pine clippings to dress up dollar store candle holders or hurricanes. Just temporarily tack the greenery to the outside of the glass with hot glue and secure with colorful ribbon.
See More Photos: Merry + Bright Christmas Brunch Tablescape
Cue the Taper Candles
Few things give a meal a special-occasion feel quite like candlelight from tall tapers. And, as a bonus, inexpensive tapers are easy to find in a wide variety of sizes and colors at dollar stores and big-box retailers. So this year, really set your table aglow with a grouping of candles at the center of your table. Worried about the flames? No problem, just sub flameless, battery-operated tapers, as we have, for the real deal. For a festive finishing touch, learn how to craft our easy taper candle rings, below.
get the how-to: Quickly Craft These Christmasy Taper Candle Rings
And, Use Your Hand-Me-Down Candleholders
Nothing boosts your dining table's style cred like antique and vintage Christmas collectibles, especially when they're family hand-me-downs that add a sentimental touch. But, don't worry if you didn't inherit your grandmother's funky starburst candleholders. Many Christmas collectibles can be found for a steal at estate sales, flea markets, church bazaars and garage sales.
See More Photos: Crafty + Classic Christmas Table Setting
Viva la Vintage in Red
The hottest (and most budget-friendly) trend in table settings is using mismatched pieces. Luckily, vintage dishware and glasses in red shades, particularly jewel tones, are relatively easy to find. In part, thanks to red being one half of Christmas's traditional palette and also due to the consistent popularity of wine-red hues over the decades.
See More Photos: Love Wins: Wow Guests With a Rainbow-Themed Vintage Table Setting
Or, Go for the Green
Like red plates, thanks to the proliferation of Christmas's traditional colors, vintage green dishware isn't difficult to find. Ditto for the glassware: the two patterns shown here are 'Moon and Stars' (bottom right) and 'Park Lane' by Colony Glass (upper left) and they're both available in a variety of other pretty hues, too.
See More Photos: Love Wins: Wow Guests With a Rainbow-Themed Vintage Table Setting
Send 'Em Home With a Flowery Favor
In just a few steps, you can turn dollar-store, shatterproof ornaments into mini vases to brighten up your holiday table. Add a handwritten tag so the arrangements also serve as place cards, then send them home with guests as a blooming favor.
Get the How-To: Christmas Craft: Make Easy Upcycled Ornament Vases
Or, a Homemade Treat
Before guests head off into the night, be sure they've grabbed a sweet treat, like our irresistible bourbon balls. After all, what could be more festive than a take-home favor to ensure the good times will continue at home.
Get the Recipe: Chirstmas Classic: Pecan Bourbon Balls Recipe
Or, Even Beautifully Wrapped Chocolate
Oversized chocolate bars, wrapped in gold paper, make a sweet party favor that's sure to delight any holiday guest — but slide on a vintage pin in a coordinating color and the festive favors double as table decor.
See More Photos: 80 DIY Christmas Gift Wrap Ideas
Pull Out All the Bells + Whistles
A formally set table, with all the glassware and utensils for each course, is a thing of beauty — but knowing where to place each element can be confusing. No worries: our guide, below, will walk you through it step by step.
See More Photos: How to Set the Table
Or, Simplify Hosting With a Buffet Instead
What’s a get-together without lots of tasty nibbles? For our spread, we turned grocery-store staples into easy-to-munch snacks. Providing handheld snacks that are just a bite or two eliminates the need for utensils and makes it easy for guests to try one of everything without feeling stuffed.
See More Photos: Host Happy: Throw a Festive Friendsmas Party
But, Don't Forget the Centerpiece
Even when serving buffet style, your table still needs a centerpiece ... but, flowers aren’t required. For ours, we filled a copper tray with fresh-cut evergreens, seeded eucalyptus, aromatic eucalyptus, pomegranates, an antique Moravian star and a trio of glass topiaries.
See More Photos: Host Happy: Throw a Festive Friendsmas Party
Put Vintage Finds to Work
Vintage Thermos-style containers are easy to source at thrift stores or yard sales and make festive containers for backyard clippings and colorful hypericum berries.
See More Photos: 70 Merry + Bright Christmas Centerpiece Ideas
And, Incorporate Antiques
Both practical and pretty, antique metal matchstick holders were designed with a small hole near the top so they could easily be tacked to a fireplace surround or adjacent wall to keep long wooden matches handy. You can still use them for this same purpose today or follow our lead and loop ribbon through the nail hole to turn the metal cone into a faux greenery-filled chair swag.
See More Photos: Cozy Up Your Christmas Decor With Vintage and Antique Finds
Napkins, Take Notice
More take-home favor than something you want to wipe your mouth with, our free template and how-to tips, below, will help you cross-stitch your way to table decor that's certainly a stitch above the rest.
Get the How-To: How to Cross Stitch a Poinsettia Design on Napkins
And, Have Fun With Silverware
To really wow your family or guests, continue your table's theme into the silverware. This woodsy trio sees the standard set of Christmas-specific china and raises it with deer-donned cutlery.
Show Them Their Seat
Place cards may feel fancy but crafting them doesn't have to be. For this woodsy style, just head outdoors to clip a slim branch, then cut it to create two twigs of similar size. Hot-glue them together to create a base, then insert a printed or hand-lettered place card and an evergreen sprig as a freshly scented support.
See More Photos: Cozy Up to This Buffalo Plaid Christmas Table Setting
And, Put Gift Tags to Work
Card stock gift tags make great place cards. Just add your guests' names, loop through some raffia or baker's twine and tie around the napkin topping each plate. Just before guests arrive, slide in a fresh-cut rosemary sprig, bloom or bit of pine for an aromatic final touch.
See More Photos: Host a Beautiful + Budget-Friendly Friendsgiving
Or, Write On the Runner
Skip the place cards and make more room for festive food and spiked cocoa with a chalkboard paper runner. This inky paper runner creates a casual-yet-polished base for white hand-lettered names and a forest of snowy ceramic and bottle-brush trees. Need a little help with your hand-lettering? Check out our handy tips, below.
Pile On the Poinsettias
Easily one of the season's favorite flowers, poinsettia plants in full bloom are inexpensive and easy to source around the holidays. To lend more texture to this easy-to-craft centerpiece, just fill in around the blooms with backyard clippings. You could even add a few ornaments for a bit of sparkle.
Get the How-To: How to Make a Gorgeous + Easy Poinsettia Centerpiece for the Holidays
Or, Create a Living Centerpiece
Proud of your green thumb? Show it off by repurposing some of your prettiest plants as a living centerpiece. Here, we mixed potted anthurium and a pair of 'Fluffy Ruffle' ferns with small flower-filled vases to fill the center of the table with color and foliage.
See More Photos: Colorful Christmas Table Setting Ideas That Go Beyond Red + Green
Or Even Try a Flower-Free Centerpiece
A beautiful centerpiece is the perfect finishing touch to any dining table — but flowers aren't required. For a quick and easy fix, line the center of the table with pillar candles and something colorful to coordinate with the party's palette or theme, like confetti, glass ornaments, fresh fruit or foil-wrapped chocolates.
Craft Culinary Napkin Rings
A sprig of fresh-cut rosemary, twisted into the shape of a flavorful and fragrant mini wreath, adds a culinary twist to this place setting and could even double as a natural napkin ring.
Get the How-To: How to Make a Rosemary Wreath Napkin Ring
Or, Simplify With Craft Store Buys
Hit the scrapbook aisle in your local craft store to find small embellishments, like this paper poinsettia, that you can hot-glue to your existing napkin rings (or just a loop of ribbon) to easily lend a special occasion feel.
Weather Permitting: Take the Party Outside
If you live in a warm clime, take advantage of a clear winter day and head to a local park or your own backyard to host the holidays in the great outdoors. Get more tips for an alfresco winter fête, below.
See More Photos: Host a Wintertime Picnic in the Park
Cue the Copper
Copper tape, that is. Can you believe these gorgeous, expensive-looking votives are just inexpensive glass cylinders wrapped in bands of copper tape? To complete this stunning setting, the editors at HGTV Magazine surrounded the candles with a lush spread of seeded eucalyptus, topped by gilded acorns and assorted fruits and veggies.
Learn More: 14 Ways to Get Your Tablescape All Set For the Holidays
And, Rely on the Beauty of Birch
Rustic, natural elements continue to be a popular choice for setting your table setting apart from the pack. Shop online for birch bark sheets to use as a charger and cut birch rounds to top plates — or scavenge your own backyard to see what freebies Mother Nature is offering up.
See More Photos: Host a Wintertime Picnic in the Park
Dress Up Chair Backs
Add fresh or faux pine wreaths to easily fancy up straightback dining chairs. Just loop ribbon thru the chair's top rail to give your everyday chair a holiday refresh.
See More Photos: 110 Farmhouse Christmas Decorating Ideas
And, Deck the Chandelier
Don't stop at decking the halls, deck the area around your dining table, too. Here, designer Kim Stoegbauer fills the Scandi-style chandelier above her holiday table with faux greenery to keep the festive fun going.