Setting a Simple Holiday Table

Setting a Holiday table is often a work of art. In fact, we often gaze longingly at the beautiful table settings in magazines. Fine China. Sparkling crystal. Sterling silver polished to a high gleam. The centerpiece is perfection, and the touch of greenery stretching across the center from end to end just adds that glamorous touch. 

And as you picture your own table looking that perfect, your mind’s eye catches that priceless crystal as it tilts over from an elbow and shatters. Uncle Dan tells his wild stories with a big sweep of his hands, which catches on the greenery and pulls it off the table. And Grandma’s shaky hand drops mashed potatoes all over the centerpiece. And that doesn’t count the food stains on the pristine white tablecloth. You wonder if you even have enough stain remover on hand to get them all out.

Rather than be faced with a bigger than normal clean up, use what you have on hand and your own personality to create the best holiday table settings. Your meals may just be even more fun, and you won’t be picking glass shards out of the food.

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Setting a Holiday table is often a work of art. In fact, we often gaze longingly at the beautiful table settings in magazines. Fine China. Sparkling crystal. Sterling silver polished to a high gleam. The centerpiece is perfection, and the touch of greenery stretching across the center from end to end just adds that glamorous touch. 

And as you picture your own table looking that perfect, your mind’s eye catches that priceless crystal as it tilts over from an elbow and shatters. Uncle Dan tells his wild stories with a big sweep of his hands, which catches on the greenery and pulls it off the table. And Grandma’s shaky hand drops mashed potatoes all over the centerpiece. And that doesn’t count the food stains on the pristine white tablecloth. You wonder if you even have enough stain remover on hand to get them all out.

I love those magazine table settings. I really do. For some, it’s what they love to do – and I certainly applaud their talent and tables. But around our house, with everyone reaching, telling stories, and the inevitable spills, I long ago figured out I wasn’t up to trying to pick pieces of crystal shards out of the dressing, much less polishing all that silverware, or handwashing the fine China. 

Instead, I love nothing more than a simple setting for a holiday table. I do use cloth napkins and placemats, but that is about as far as I go. 

In reality, it isn’t about how stylish your table is. It’s about the love, family, and conversation that takes place around it. Extremely elegant table settings are truly lovely, but in some cases, it lends an air of formality to the meal. It can also stifle the conversation, as some people feel uncomfortable in such a setting. 

Instead, you want your holiday meal to be relaxed, enjoyable, and memorable. You want to sample delicious food, and you want your guest to be comfortable. You definitely want the gathering to be fun for everyone. And to create that atmosphere, it begins with setting a simple holiday table. 

There is as much of an art to setting a holiday table in a simple fashion as there is trying to recreate a magazine image. But instead of using double layers of dishes, polishing silver, and spending a fortune on centerpieces and garland, your time is spent planning and designing around things you already have. 

Let’s start at the beginning. 

The first thing you need to determine is a color scheme.  If you already have holiday-specific China or dishes you want to use, then your color scheme will be pre-determined. 

For me, I have white dishes. I chose this because no matter the occasion, I have a wider range of color schemes and decorating themes I can choose from. If we decide to host a dinner party that consists of a pot of Crawfish Etouffee, French Bread and a salad, I set my table with red place mats, red and white checked napkins wrapped in wooden Crawfish napkin rings. 

My red placemats also work well for an Italian meal. A pan of Cannelloni, garlic bread and a green salad is offset (and looks even more delicious) with black napkins and white ceramic rings. 

The only time I use different dishes is on Thanksgiving and Christmas. For those two days, I have special dishes – but I still coordinate them with placemats and napkins. 

Once you have determined the color scheme of the dishes you use, then it’s time to think outside the box.

Since I love vintage, along with my white dishes, I frequently use pieces of my enamelware collection. It may be in the form of a baking dish, a serving bowl, or even a creamer (which I use for salad dressings). And other times, I use Mason Jars for drinking glasses, a vintage-colored glass plate for butter, or a 1950’s style pitcher filled with iced tea. 

If you want a centerpiece, find an unusual piece that fits with your theme. I once used a silver trophy bowl to float a beautiful Magnolia blossom. One of the best conversation pieces was a small enamelware chamber pot that I filled with Daisies, red Geraniums and Black-eyed Susans.  Considering one couple was new to the group, it made for a great conversation starter and a lot of laughter, right from the start!

Setting a holiday table is a way to express my personality. I pick and choose the things I love and find a way to make them work for my table. Take the time to examine your favorite pieces and collectables and see how they will work for setting a holiday table. 

You may love the idea of using cloth napkins and napkin rings, but you also may not have any that will work. The least of your problems should be napkins. Cloth napkins are one of the quickest and easiest things to make. It takes only a couple of hours to create four of them, and spending an afternoon with your sewing machine can easily find you with a stack of 8 to 12 – depending on how detailed and fancy you want to get. 

Making your own napkins also means you can add a bit of lagniappe (that little bit of extra) by using decorative trim or adding a bit of embroidery to the corners or edges. The only limitations you will have is your own creativity! If you’ve never made cloth napkins before, just check the show notes for a link to the directions. I promise – they really are simple to make. 

But if you don’t want to use napkins, again you can think outside the box. Any time I have a meal that includes barbecue, Etouffee, or Gumbo, I often use blue and red bandanas. You can also make oversized napkins by using dishtowels. And if barbecue is on the menu, add an extra small bowl filled with warm water at the place setting. Use white washcloths for napkins, and let your guests know that the bowl of water is to dip their napkin in it to get all that delicious sauce off their hands.

We all love a fun centerpiece. But what I have discovered by using them is sometimes they aren’t sized appropriately, and the height constricts the flow of conversation. No one wants to be looking through or around a huge container of flowers, just to visit with someone across the table. 

There are two ways to handle centerpieces. The most convenient one is to not have one at all. If you have a large group of people, set the food up buffet style. This prevents the table from being overcrowded with dishes and may prevent spills when trying to pass or reach for the salt and pepper. Have folks fill their plate, then have a seat. 

If you do want to have a centerpiece, keep it low – no more than 12” high, and preferably lower. When you add a centerpiece, do your best to use something that may act as a conversation starter. For Thanksgiving, consider an arrangement of fall leaves that are lined up in the center of the table. Accent it with pumpkins, gourds, or even ceramic turkeys or other Thanksgiving focused decorations. You can also hollow out small pumpkins and place candles in them. For Christmas, think greenery, berries, ornaments, or even jingle bells. And, of course, you can add candles for this setting as well. 

Another thing you may want to consider is using place cards. These can be used with or without names. Putting names on the place cards will not only allow people to find their seats quickly but may also help you as the hostess prevent two family members who are known for their constant feuding to be placed at opposite ends of the table. Or if you have someone new to the table, placing them between one person they know and someone else who may share a common interest is a great way to help them feel more comfortable. 

Using place cards without names is a fun way to get the conversation rolling.   Print out different quotes, and have each person read theirs. As each one is read, ask the others at the table if they agree/disagree with the quote (and why); if they have had any similar experiences; or, depending on the quote, if it is something they would want to do. Another idea is to write out questions, such as ‘What is the most fun vacation you have ever been on?’; ‘What historical person would you enjoy having dinner with?’; or go really crazy with questions such as ‘Have You Ever Encountered a Skunk?’                           

The key to a fun holiday table is to add your own flair. When the holidays roll around, or you are having friends over for dinner, don’t just toss plates on the table. Instead, let your imagination and creativity flow. Find those special touches that share your awesome personality with friends and family. Then add them to your table setting and let the conversation flow.

But just be forewarned. If your holiday table is this much fun, you may end up being voted the person who gets to host the holidays every year!

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