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I don’t celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. But that doesn’t stop me from going ever so slightly over the top with decor, and that includes Christmas place settings. The key to making it work without looking tacky is sticking to a color palette—which for me this year is lots of deep greens—and then layering in patterns, textures, and finishes. This approach works for a Christmas dinner table, too, especially when you add in pops of snow white and shimmery mixed metals.
Whether you’re starting from scratch with Christmas dishes and linens, or you just need a little something to add to your table this holiday season (hello, plaid napkins!), here’s everything you need for festive, modern Christmas place settings in 2021.
Colorful Christmas Napkins
If you’re only going to change one thing on your table for the holidays, make it the napkins. While I tend to avoid tabletop items that can only be used for a single season or occasion, linens are an exception. They’re relatively inexpensive, they don’t take up too much storage space, and the perfect napkin will complete your Christmas place setting—even if you’re still using your everyday dishes and flatware. I’m all about plaid this year, but embellished solids feel festive too.
White Plates with Gold Trim
I’m so over all-white everything, but on a busy Christmas table, a snow-white plate really pops when paired with deep greens and lots of plaid. These porcelain dinner plates with gold trim are glitzy enough to feel festive, but versatile enough to work as everyday dishes should you decide to use them beyond the holidays.
Shiny Flatware
Unless you’re going for a formal look, there’s no need to be all matchy-matchy when it comes to metallic finishes on your Christmas dinner table (or anywhere, really). As long as it’s shiny and festive, anything goes. And if you’ve been looking for a reason to replace your scuffed, lackluster utensils, this is it!
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Plaid Placemats
If you’re going with a solid napkin, consider pairing it with a plaid placemat. That said, there’s a time to overdo plaid, and it’s definitely Christmas. For a layered look, try mixing two styles (think a green plaid napkin with a black-and-white buffalo checkered placemat).
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Versatile Wine Glasses
When it comes to wine glasses, you’ll never go wrong with handblown clear stemware. If you want something that feels a little more festive but is still versatile enough to use beyond the holidays, go with a mixed or a matching set of vintage goblets.
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Glitzy Napkin Rings
If you’re taking a “more is more” approach to holiday table decor, display your festive napkins in equally festive napkin rings. Short on sparkle? Go with something shiny. Otherwise, white will pop when paired with plaid or jewel tones.
Place Card Holders
I never host a holiday dinner without place cards. While this is a purely selfish move to help me maintain my cool around certain family members, place cards can also make any meal feel like an occasion. There’s just something special about sitting down in a spot that was set just for you, you know? If place cards will help keep the peace or add some much-needed whimsy to your Christmas place settings, consider one of these adorable options.
Water Glasses
Water glasses are boring but nonnegotiable, which is why they’re the last thing I add to any place setting. With everything else happening on this year’s holiday table, go with clear glass so it just kind of disappears into the decor. (Like flatware, you can even use this as an excuse to upgrade your everyday drinking glasses.)
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