I'm Dreaming of a Blue and White Christmas

One of the things I loved, growing up, was laying the table for Sunday lunch. We children were responsible for doing this, whilst my parents cooked lunch (a roast, of course) and I used to love selecting the table cloth, laying out the plates, cutlery and glasses and setting the tureens out to be filled with food. . Christmas was always rather like an extra special Sunday and required an extra special table setting. The pattern on our plates was a blue and white willow pattern, and the flatware was Kings pattern. We always had a red table cloth and then, of course, a cracker at every place setting! I'm nostalgic about these childhood Christmases as my parents are no longer with us and all us children now have families of our own and haven't spent a Christmas Day, all together, in over 12 years. So this year, when I thought about what I wanted my festive table to look like, I knew I wanted to capture some of that childhood Christmas I remembered.

 The main elements I kept were the Willow pattern plates and Kings pattern cutlery. I simplified the colour scheme by using a White monogrammed tablecloth and napkins, but brought in some contrasting colour with the vibrant roses and festive foliage. I like the sparkle that is added by the mix and match stem-ware and the silver sauce boat and chaffing dish.

I used a little left over foliage and rose to make a chair back decoration, tied with coordinating navy ribbon.

Glittered baubles add some sparkle to the table and are a quick and simple addition for extra impact.

A centrepiece of roses and foliage is easy to make with an oasis wreath form and a pillar candle, a few roses from the supermarket and trimmings from the tree or garden. The roses should stay fresh for a week at least if you keep the oasis moist.

Sometimes a formal table can feel stuffy or intimidating, but I think really people should just have fun with it. It doesn't really matter which fork you use for what course, it matters more that everyone at the table is enjoying good food and each others company. Christmas is the perfect time to do this and taking a little bit of time to lay a beautiful table helps show you are excited to share this meal with friends and loved ones. Laying the table the night before, on Christmas Eve, will give you more time on Christmas morning to enjoy some champagne while you open presents and start cooking the Turkey. Or better yet, why not get the children to lay the table and give them some memories to cherish in the future?

Coco Blue