Recently we asked our Houzz audience whether they plan to decorate their homes before 1st December? The answer was a fairly resounding no (with 60 votes suggesting they’ll wait until December is upon us and only 9 saying they’ll decorate earlier). Whilst you may not decorate your home for Christmas just yet, it’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas – after all, Christmas is a big operation!
One of the many things to think about when preparing for Christmas Day (it’s 29 days and counting!) is setting the dinner table. Whilst it must be, above all, functional, many of us wish to add a little festive sparkle to our table setting.
The Perfect Base
Of course, the first step is ensuring you’ve got a rustic dining table which works for you and your family. If you don’t, now is a great time to make amendments! Perhaps it’s your first-year hosting family Christmas and you’re lacking in comfortable dining chairs for each of your guests? If this is the case, additional upholstered dining chairs may be the answer. Or maybe you just don’t have enough space around the table? Opting for an extendable dining table or dining table with bench combination (perfect for squeezing lots of guests, perhaps all the grandchildren, along one side of your dining table) may be just the ticket.
The Perfect Setting
We thought we’d share a few of our favourite table settings we’ve found to perhaps give you some inspiration for your Christmas dinner this year. 
We love the traditional colours of this table setting. The classic gold table mat with holly themed china creates a quaint country cottage feel and the handmade merry Christmas tag with a piece of the Christmas tree adds a lovely little touch.
If you like this look, this red padded tablemat with patterned china is another alternative which may provide inspiration. The ‘believe’ tag is something you could easily recreate and is just a little different than writing your guests’ names or Merry Christmas.
For those that love classic elegance in the dining room (think velvet dining chairs in rich colours), the opulence of this gold and white scheme is great. We particularly loved the subtle nod to Christmas provided by the rustic bauble placed on the dinner setting and the fresh feel of the white roses which are scattered along the table.
If you’re looking for a simple scheme to match your reclaimed wood dining table which you’re planning to leave bare without a tablecloth to display the beauty of the wood, this understated setting is stunning. The plain white china and napkins with a touch of greenery and white candles through the centre makes for a cosy yet clean finish – perhaps for modern homes where you don’t want to compromise on heart.
The Perfect Frosting
In another blog we spoke about how you could use the upcoming Christmas Card Day on 9th December to make special Christmas cards for family and friends which are far more personal than the shop bought kind (and may even help you to rethink whether you need to send quite so many cards). However, you could also use the day to make decorative cards to place on the dinner table.
It is a great activity to do with your children or grandchildren (or even for keeping the little ones occupied on Christmas Eve whilst you run last minute errands) and will add a really personal touch to your Christmas lunch. Write names of your guests, write each guest a special message which will make them smile or even just write Merry Christmas – the options are endless.
Let us know which of the dinner settings is your favourite. How will you decorate your dinner table this year?