The tree was first.
It's been proudly decorated, twinkling since December 1. The wreath adorns the front door, presents are (mostly) wrapped, and the stockings have been hung...
But what about the Christmas table?
Our founder, Tessa shares her guide - with top tips and tricks to styling an easy festive table setting at home these holidays.
Choose Your Theme
Deciding on a theme and colour palette is a great place to start. Maybe it’s minimal and Scandinavian, rustic and coastal or a more sophisticated traditional northern hemisphere style - the choice is yours!
One of the great things about a Kiwi Christmas is having the choice to host either indoors or out (weather depending) - so this is also something to consider, along with the style of the furniture and serve ware you'll be using.
Start In The Middle
Select the star of the show and work out from there. We've chosen a show-stopping Strawberry Tart from Butter as the main attraction. You could also use a Christmas wreath or floral arrangement, depending on the look you're going for.
Whatever you choose, make sure there’s enough room for all your tableware, serving dishes and glasses. Lastly, make sure that you can still see your guests across the table, or position your guests to the side of your centrepiece. Or maybe there’s a mother in law you're trying to hide from…could be a tactical move perhaps?
Want to create this stunning Strawberry Tart at home? You can find the recipe HERE. Otherwise get an order in with Butter, and let Corentin do the hard work for you.
Add Some Greenery
You’d be surprised at what you might have readily available in your garden or local neighbourhood. We foraged all of our greenery from the Christchurch Red Zone and didn’t have to walk more than 5 minutes from the car to find it all! Part of the fun starts with hunting for the right cuttings so enjoy this part.
The centrepiece we created was driven entirely by what we could find but is made up of Cypress, Bottlebrush and some other goodies even Google couldn't identify.
You could opt for a more traditional pine display, otherwise our native Pōhutukawa works great for a more coastal vibe (and for allergy sufferers). Alternatively, you could try something a little more Mediterranean with olive and lemon branches paired with vibrant fresh fruit.
Homemade wreaths and other fresh florals are another welcome addition to your greenery, along with fresh herbs like rosemary and oregano - which will leave your table smelling incredible too.
Layer Your Look
We had limited serve ware on hand for our styling session, but with a few more resources you can make your table really pop with the use of layering.
Using placemats topped with stacked dinner and side plates and finished with linen napkins is always a winning combination. We opted to tie our napkins with cream cotton ribbon completed with a sprig of greenery. Twine also works great for this to achieve a more rustic look and this is also a great opportunity to use any ribbon offcuts from your Christmas wrapping!
The Finishing Touches
The devil’s always in the details!
Complete your Christmas table with some candlelight (this is where we come in). For large table settings, pillar candles create lovely height and visual interest or if like us, you're a little stretched for space, a selection of lower scented candles is great for seeing your guests across the table while providing your favourite festive fragrance to enjoy. We’ve opted for Nevé Medium Candles in the fragrance Summer Pōhutukawa.
Depending on how much space you have available to work with, you can pop some extras into your greenery such as Christmas baubles and other decorations, pinecones, dried oranges, or seed lights.
No matter what you decide, have fun with it and let your creative juices flow! It needn't be fussy or complicated - sometimes the simplest of ideas are the most effective.
It's the small and simple details that will really wow your guests. A personalised Christmas cracker at each table setting, breaking out your great-grandmother's finest silverware, or using Butter's recipe to create your own impressive dessert.
Be resourceful - use or reuse what you have, and forage what you can!
Featured Products
Candles - Medium Summer Pōhutukawa Candle from Nevé
Tart - Strawberry Tart from Butter (this is a seasonal item and not always available)
Water Glasses - Broste Limfjord Glasses in Clear from Loft
Cake Stand - Poets Dream Cake Stand from A&C Homestore
Florals - Foraged from the Christchurch Red Zone (just off Eveleyn Couzins Ave)
Still looking for the perfect pressie for that hard-to-buy-someone? Why not check out our Christmas Gift Guide.
