Whether you bring the family together with a traditional roast lunch or a more Aussie contemporary lunch of ham and seafood, nothing sets the scene for Christmas Day dining like a festive table setting.

Festive table setting themes set the mood and make a statement, from a subtle spread with a touch of Christmas, to a more polished affair with lashings of trimmings and the best china. If you’re hosting family and friends this Christmas create a theme that reflects your style and personality.

Get inspired and make your Christmas table shine with these four festive decorating ideas and create a warm and inviting space for your family and friends to relax and celebrate.

Coastal Contemporary

Use neutral tones and rustic finishes to create a cool coastal contemporary theme to your Christmas table. Introduce rustic textures like rope and wicker to centre-pieces, as well as pieces of coral, timber and greenery from the garden. Make simple place-cards with sprigs of greenery tied with string. Create mini driftwood tress and adorn them with shells to decorate sideboards, and window sills.

Coastal blues and beach tones all add to a coastal contemporary vibe. Golden hues in crockery, cutlery and glassware add an instant touch of elegance. Easy for outside dining, and even better at night under candlelight.

Eclectic Charm

A combination of your favourite pieces that mix and match old and new, traditional and modern to create a fun alternative theme to your festive table setting. Any colour and texture goes to create a warm and inviting space your guests will want to linger in for hours. Blend homemade pom-poms with store-bought tinsel to your table, and scour your favourite antique stores for crockery to pair with crystal glassware.

For a touch of fun pin an assortment of brooches to your tablecloth, and napkins. Rewrite the rule book and craft a bespoke table your guests will explore and delight in.

Classic Traditional

Roll-out the red and gold, and add layers of fabric to create a traditional classic look to your Christmas table. Think pine garlands decorated with tartan ribbon, poinsettia flowers and pine cones stretch grandly across your table. Mirrored trays paired with candles and shiny beads or glittered baubles. The glow from candles warms the room and creates an inviting ambience.

Deep red roses in a few small vases spread across the sideboard sets the tone to a more polished affair. Matching glassware, white china and polished cutlery for each course. First impressions count, and there’s no doubt your guests will be impressed with a classic Christmas feast.

Scandinavian

Casually simple with an intimate atmosphere. White tones, silver hues and pale natural textures. Introduce faux fur, sticks of rosemary and geometrical shapes to create a Scandi inspired Christmas table. Use twigs of rosemary to create napkin rings, and place white candles in an assortment of glass jars. String large white beads and asymmetrical shapes together and deck your walls to bring a Scandi vibe to your room, or grab a stick from the garden and string white, silver and gold baubles from it and hang it over the dining table to create a floating centrepiece.

Bring forest greenery in, it’s the easiest way to make a room smell like Christmas. Clean lines, white china and bone handled cutlery complete this oh so lovely and calming look.

Find more ways to deck your dining room with boughs of holly on our Festive Inspiration board on Pinterest.