Christmas

The one time of the year you’ll want to spruce up your dining table is Christmas Day. Luckily the shops have been full of table ornaments, Christmas Crackers, tablecloths and decorations for weeks now. From traditional themes in hues of red, gold and green to the icy whites and sparkling silvers that can create a winter wonderland in your home. For some innovative ways to dress up your Christmas table read on, and let your table do the talking.

LAYING THE BASICS

It is the little touches made to your table presentation that’ll get you into the Christmas spirit. Starting with the basics, tablecloths are a must but don’t have to be the norm, a great alternative is to use three table runners across widthways to give a festive look with a difference, else you may want to opt for novelty PVC tablecloths. They are the perfect answer to Christmas Day spills and thrills and purse friendly as well.

ORGANISE YOUR TABLE SPACE

Whether you’re serving up Christmas dinner on the plate, or you’re bringing all the food to the table, either way you will need to think about how your table space is organised. Drinks, condiments, Christmas Crackers and decorations will all be jostling for space alongside platters and dishes of food, so give a little bit of thought to how the space available is organised.

Think about dressing the centre of the table lengthways, and whether you’ll be decorating with natural branches of Nordic spruce, and mistletoe, with candles and Christmas plants such as Poinsettias or Cyclamen, or tinsel and crystals. For a truly modern approach, why not light up your table in Marquee letters? These low voltage lights are the perfect centrepiece as they run on batteries, making it easier to stand down the middle of the table.

Image: Home Bargains

TAKE YOUR SEATS

The Christmas meal is probably the most important meal of the year, and bespoke place settings are really important to make guests feel extra special, it’s the little individual touches they’ll remember most of all. Why not make personalised place settings, use novelty glasses and festive straws and napkins that make a statement? Whether you go for a modern style full-on Christmas party or for an opulent and traditional look, it is the detail that will be remembered.

Images: Poundworld

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If you really want to push the gravy boat out, then ditch your usual crockery and add a little sparkle by transforming your table with practical ovenware and stunning tableware. Look for elegant white porcelain with speckles of silver and gold to give a sophisticated and fabulously festive look. The wonderful thing about white porcelain with metallic sparkles is that it can be combined with almost any colour scheme – looking great alongside white, silver, or even red for a pop of Christmassy colour. If you don’t already have something like this then you can buy some gorgeous and great value 12 piece sets in the stores now.

Images: Wilko

A TOAST TO THE HOST

Now armed with a few simple rules you’ll be able to surprise and impress all your guests. In the words of Elsie De Wolfe actress and interior decorator, when asked about what makes a good hostess, she replied “Be pretty if you can. Be Witty if you must. But be gracious if it kills you”!

If your table could talk, would it say the same?

When it comes to Christmas, the festive jumper is its sartorial hallmark. But it needn’t be a vulgarity contest and you needn’t conjure up knit nightmares – far from it. Aside from the fact that the Christmas Jumper is the only seasonal garment that truly levels the playing field between the sexes, there are plenty of designs out there to make you rethink and embrace it. So if you’re ready to don a Christmas jumper and not be heckled for it, then read on.

Primark

Whether you prefer a traditional Fair Isle or a glitzy number, you’ll find styles on the high street that are wacky, tacky, stylish, chic and fun. From flashing baubles and ninja gingerbread men, to Star Wars and snow-scene inspired knits, Crimbo jumpers for video game and football fans, and traditional winter animals, sassy slogans and silly snowmen, wear yours with cheer on Christmas Jumper Day (15th December), and make it the perfect solution for your ‘what to wear on Christmas Day’ dilemma.

SCANDI STYLE

If you still want a nod to the festive season without going full on novelty, then Fair Isle is the style for you. The Scandi inspired style adds just enough festive cheer without making you feel as decorated as the tree. Look for cool creams and oatmeal hues to keep an air of sophistication, or stick to monochrome and add an animal intarsia, a snowflake or some lurex and beading for a hint of Christmas cheer. When else can you wear a polar bear across your chest? Look in-store at M&S, Primark and New Look for some sophisticated Scandi style.

M&S, Primark, New Look

SPARKLE CHIC

Sequins can be chic if they are embellished onto a marl grey background and kept minimal. Look for chic slogans, gingerbread men and Christmas dogs and bunnies with a less is more attitude to style. We love the selection in-store at M&S, H&M and Topshop, they have styles that will help you retain your street cred.

NOVELTY BUT NICE

Less tacky than a full on novelty jumper is one with just a hint of Christmas. Style out your Reindeer, Christmas Pudding, Robins and Christmas Tree in embellished sequins on a plain knit. Novelty but nice, we have discovered that Dorothy Perkins has the largest selection of embellished novelty knits without the tacky factor.

AND FOR HIM…

From novelty to Nordic, let’s face it, men can get away with the most ridiculous of Christmas jumpers but that doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice on style.

H&M, M&S, Burton

Look at Burton, M&S, H&M for a stylish twist on the classic novelty Christmas knit. You could almost call these jumpers pieces of art!

Burton

BEST FOR KIDS

Look in-store at Peacocks, Next, George at Asda, M&S, River Island, H&M and Tesco for a collection of cutesy Christmas Jumpers the kids will love.

Marks & Spencer. Next, H&M

From novelty knits that countdown the days until Santa arrives from George at Asda, to traditional zig-zag patterns with slogans on the chest from River Island and M&S, or cute Lapland Bus appliqué knits from Next to light up pom poms on Rudolph from Tesco and Gangsta Santa from Peacocks, the selection on the high street for kids is bang on trend and great for mini fashionistas.

Tesco, Next, Peacocks

George at Asda, River Island

Merry Christmas