How to Set Your Holiday Table With Ease

No matter what you're celebrating, having a beautifully decorated table always lifts the occasion and makes guests feel special. Parties can be stressful, though, and being creative in high-pressure situations is always difficult—so we've put together a quick guide to help you showcase your best decorating instincts, especially during the holidays.

Lay the Foundation

Setting a strong base for your creation is essential, therefore you should weigh up a tablecloth against a table runner. A tablecloth can provide a clean, blank canvas to build your theme on, while table runners offer more versatility in terms of style. We recommend a table runner, because you can even use it in combination with a tablecloth.

Consider these two factors when choosing and displaying a table runner:

1. Color: Choose the right color by considering whether you want the table runner to act as a neutral base or demand attention as a statement piece.
2. Placement: Make sure to place the table runner along the center of the table to create balance.

» Need more table decorating inspiration? Explore Beija Flor's variety of table runners and settings

Bring Out the Fancy Dinnerware

Life's too short not to use fancy dinnerware! When you bring out silver, brass, gold-plated, or copper items for a holiday celebration, their shine and value take the table up a notch in just a few seconds. But don't worry if you don't have enough matching dinnerware. The holiday season is all about mixing and matching, so you can easily combine different colored dinnerware to create a pattern that carries over the whole table.

» Still lost when it comes to dinnerware? Let Beija Flor inspire you with their range of placemats and trivets

Add Some Holiday Decorations

Because Thanksgiving and Christmas happen in such quick succession, you may feel tempted to use the same table decorations for both occasions. However, creating unique styles for each is easier than you think:

• Christmas: Consider adding candlesticks and pinecones to your table. Place them in multiples of three to create the most eye-pleasing effect. You can also play with mistletoe to strengthen the holiday theme.
• Thanksgiving: Add pumpkins to your table to bid farewell to autumn and to create a warm atmosphere. Just make sure they're not too large, otherwise, they take up too much table space.

In both cases, you can continue with the theme throughout your house for a lasting effect.

Finally, a centerpiece can pull your entire table together. Refrain from making it too heavy and big, because it can detract from dinner-table conversation and make eating awkward. Rather keep it minimalistic and elegant.

» Unsure how to pull your table together? Find the missing piece in Beija Flor's tableware collections

Conclusion

Elevate the occasion and add a sense of luxury and ceremony to your holiday celebration with these guidelines. Wow your guests with your unique style, then let your holiday atmosphere lead you into a memorable night.