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/ November 21, 2019

How to set an easy holiday table

It’s wild to think that the holidays are already here.  I swear we were just watching movies in the park as a family, and now in the blink of an eye, I’m getting our house ready to host the holidays.

This is the first big holiday in our new home and I’m so excited.  We’re hosting both sides of our family for dinner on Christmas, so it’s going to be a jam-packed house.  Total chaos I’m sure, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I have no idea what I’m doing for dinner (leave it to me to wait until the last minute ;).  But I’m getting my table done early this year.

I love doing an easy, neutral table, that I can have all winter and use for multiple events.  Not just Christmas or Thanksgiving, but all winter long.

This year I found so many new pieces (at all different price points) to create an easy, chic table setting and am so excited to share it with you how to set an easy holiday table.

But before I do, I want to share with you a few general guidelines I like to think about when I’m setting any table

Less is more.  Always.  While I am all about adding beautiful little touches around my house, I feel differently about a table.  I see all the time people inadvertently crowd a table, and your guests feel it.  They have no room to move things around or set a dish down.  You want blank space on a table,

Sightlines matter.  This sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed at how often I find myself at a table and I can’t see half the people I’m with.  When you’re setting things on your table, keep in mind that people are gathered around to be with each other (not look at your centerpiece), they want to be able to have great conversation.  You don’t want anything blocking their sightlines.  For the most part, I keep all of my centerpieces really low.

3 Make it feel abundant, but not chaotic.  When I’m plating a dish, or creating a table, I like for things to feel “abundant”. Full and hearty.  But not sloppy or busy. There’s a fine line.  For my table settings, I try and stick with one theme, and then repeat it.  So it feels “full”, but not messy.  Here I worked with all greens and candles and repeated it several places.  So it felt cohesive.

4. The only scents should be the food.  Another one that sounds obvious, but easy to overlook.  All candles and centerpieces should NOT have a scent to them.  It can be very overwhelming for guests (especially scented candles).  Just double-check that everything on your table is fragrance-free.

For this year’s table, I wanted to keep things really simple, and clean.  With lots of gold, white and green.

For the greens, I used mainly all faux wreaths, garland, and branches, and they turned out great!  You can hardly tell they’re not real.  I “spruced” it up with a few extra real pieces of eucalyptus and cypress on top.  (And on a side note, whenever I’m working with real greens, I always use Wilt Stop.  It makes such a difference and helps your greens last for weeks.)  I was honestly so happy with how real all of these faux greens looked.

Then I found some great pieces that weren’t’ expensive, and that I could use again for just about any occasion.  I’m not one to have things just for Christmas, of just for Thanksgiving.  If I’m going to find shelf space in my home for extra plates or napkins, they have to multi-functional.  I’m so happy with the ones I found this year.  And I think you will be too.

Here’s the full round-up of everything I used this year for my holiday table.  

No. 1

Crate & Barrel, Cypress wreath, $99 (now an additional 20% off)

No. 2

Crate & Barrel, Cypress stem, $19 (now an additional 20% off)

No. 3

Target, Hearth & Home, cypress garland, $19.99

I used this on our buffet table, as well as on our stairwell and it looks great.

No. 4

Target, magnolia stems, $4.99

No. 5

Target, Hearth & Home, 18″ cypress wreath, $24

I am so in love with this little $24 wreath.  I literally just set it on the table and then filled the center with white pillar candles.  It was so easy.  I wish I would have purchased more of these to use on the kid’s door with a white satin ribbon.  They look much nicer than you’d expect for $24!

No. 6

Crate & Barrel, myla gold linen napkins, $8.95 (now 20%off)

No. 7

Crate & Barrel, emmett brass candle holder, $22.95 (now with 20% off)

 

No. 8

Crate & Barrel, metallic table runner, $29 (now with 20% off)

No. 9

Crate & Barrel, hip wine glasses, $6.95 (now with 20% off)

No. 10

Crate & Barrel, lucia gold flatware, $69.95 (now with 20% off)

No. 11

H&M, gold plated porcelain plates, $12.99

No. 12

Crate & Barrel, Chilewich vinyl placemat, $14.50 (now an additional 20% off)

No. 13

H&M, cutlery, $17.99

For all of you hosting this holiday season, thank you.  There is something so special about opening your home and the people who so graciously welcome everyone in.   I hope all of your parties, dinners, and gatherings are filled with joy, grace and some gorgeously set tables.

For more entertaining inspiration, be sure to check out our post on “What I”ve learned over a decade of entertaining”

 

 

 

 

 

XO,

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