Plates
Use a placemat, preferably contrasting or matching the tablecloth. For Christmas, you can choose refined materials or ones with a decorative touch (but without going overboard).
The dinner plate goes on top of the placemat; if there are soup bowls, they go in place of the second plates.
The bread plate should be placed at the top left of the placemat; if you want to personalise it, you can decorate it with a small Christmas place card (remember, don't go overboard with colours and decorations).
Cutlery
To the left of the plate: forks, starting from the outside and moving inwards in order of use (starter, main course). If you are serving fish, place the fish fork and knife in the correct order.
To the right of the plate, place the soup spoon (if applicable), main course knife (and fish knife if needed).
Above the plate: dessert/fruit cutlery – the fork should be placed horizontally with the handle facing right. The same rule applies to the dessert spoon. If you are serving fruit for dessert, you will need to set the table with a small fork and fruit knife: in this case, the handles should be placed in the same way as the cutlery for the main course, i.e. the handle of the fork facing to the right and that of the knife to the left. Remember that if you have left-handed guests, the direction of the handles should be reversed.
Butter cutlery (if individual) on the bread plate.
Glasses
These should be placed at the top right, above the knives and spoons.
For Christmas, you can also treat yourself to a Champagne or dessert glass, but water, white wine and red wine glasses are a must.
Please note: if the tablecloth or theme is decorative, choose simple but elegant glasses so as not to overload the table setting.
Tablecloth and napkin
For a formal Christmas dinner, you need a well-ironed, good-quality tablecloth. If you wish, you can lay a central runner lengthwise or several runners that connect the place settings along the short side of the table, but only if they do not hinder the serving of dishes or comfort, and above all if they do not ‘break’ the elegance and colour harmony.
The napkin should be placed to the left of the place setting, beyond the forks, with the edges open towards the outside. If you wish, you can personalise it with a ribbon, a sprig of rosemary or a small Christmas decoration.
Details
The place card can be placed between the bread plate and the fruit/dessert cutlery.
For Christmas, you can add a small gift for each guest (a sprig of holly, a chocolate, a greeting card), but without interfering with the functionality and consistency of colours and theme.
Do not forget to light the candles, which must be lit before the guests sit down, and warm lights; the temperature of the room, which must be pleasant; and the seating arrangement: these are all elements that contribute to the atmosphere more than a thousand accessories.
The three golden rules for the Christmas table
Decorations are fine, but don't overdo it: a festive touch is a must, but the table setting should not become a visual battlefield. Elegance comes from moderation.
Follow a theme or colour scheme to maintain consistency and elegance: choose a palette (e.g. cream and gold, forest green and silver, red and white) and apply it to tablecloths, accessories and place cards.
Functionality at the service of aesthetics: do not sacrifice comfort and usability for aesthetics. Every piece of cutlery must be useful, every glass must have a purpose and every decoration must not hinder interaction at the table.
Trends for the Christmas table in 2025
Natural colours and sustainable materials
This year's Christmas design favours authentic, natural materials (cedar, pine, eucalyptus) over single-use plastic decorations.
For the table, this means raw linen table runners, cotton or linen napkins, decorations with dry branches, pine cones or real holly, and simple but elegant glass or porcelain glasses and plates.
Rich heritage and deep colours
The ‘heritage’ trend is making a comeback: tartan, velvet, forest green, burgundy, brass accents.
On the table: plates or placemats with gold or brass rims, burgundy velvet napkins, tartan place cards or velvet bows, and lamps and candles with a warm finish.
Quiet luxury and refined table settings
After years of overloaded decorations, 2025 sees a trend towards elegant simplicity: clean lines, few but high-quality elements, warm lighting.
For the table, choose a few central objects (e.g. a sculptural candle or a vase with a few branches), white or neutral plates with simple cutlery, and let the quality of the materials speak for itself.
