*This post was originally shared in 2019 and features gifted products

It can be such a challenge to make your Christmas table dressing look special. I used to leave all of my Christmas table planning to the last minute and settled for those gold disposable table cloths and throwaway napkins while doing the Christmas shop.

That was before I discovered the sheer enjoyment that comes with styling a table for the family to come together and celebrate the special moments of the year…

christmas table dressing mistletoe sophie conran

Nowadays the Christmas table is the one thing I absolutely love planning and preparing for, hence why this post is appearing so early!

If you can’t go ‘all out’ when styling your table at Christmas, when can you, hey?

So today, I’m giving you a sneak peek of how the Christmas table will look in our house, giving you plenty of time to gather everything you need. From plates to candles, to the mistletoe…

I’m delighted to be sharing the beautiful Sophie Conran for Portmeirion Mistletoe collection with you too, which hit the shelves back in October last year and sold out fast!

sophie conran for portmeirion john lewis

If you are looking for ‘year-round’ tableware – that is, investing in table decor that you will, for the most part, get use from all year round, then look no further than mixing Sophie Conran for Portmeirion’s classic white, with the seasonal Mistletoe touches as I have done in my dining room.

I hope this inspires you, and helps you come up with plenty of table decoration ideas to put smiles on your family and friends faces on the big day <3

Fifi (& Neil) xoxo

Our Christmas table – 2020

Products I used:
*some contain affiliate links

// Linen look table cloth – online here
// Linen napkins – the beige ones online here
// Glitter table runner roll – Berts Homestore in Brighton, similar here
// Large white dinner plates – online here
// Mistletoe side plates – online here
// Mistletoe gravy boat – online here
// Mistletoe serving platter – online here
// Spoon – online here
// Antler candle holders – Home Sense last year but I spotted this which would suit any xmas table
// White Christmas tree – online here
// Candles – All different sizes in Cream, from Tiger

My theme for the Christmas table this year? ‘simple’.

A simple colour scheme, a simple set up (i.e not too crowded to make space for plenty of sharing dishes), and simple to style in minutes while the brussels are bubbling away on the hob.

I must admit that when I saw the brand new Sophie Conran for Portmeirion’s Mistletoe collection back in October, I fell head over heels for every piece and started planning for the Christmas table right away.

The collection epitomises everything I’ve been looking for for a smooth, special Christmas day. All the pieces are oven and dishwasher safe, they’re timeless in design, with practical sized sharing platters for all the veg and leftovers, and a giant, very pretty gravy boat and plate, that will comfortably get passed around the table minimising drips.

On an aesthetic level, the gentle ripple that runs through Sophie Conran’s designs for Portmeirion bring a hand-thrown feel to the collection which I’ve always adored (see my Sophie Conran for Portmeirion Colour Pop post where I styled my sister’s gender reveal with her pastel collection). When I hold the plates and tableware in my hands, you can feel the weight and quality, and every item is perfectly glazed.

Mixing timeless with festive

Some people I know have a plate set they use on Christmas Day and Boxing Day only. They’ll wrap it all up and keep it in their loft through the year, then dust it off for the special day. This is what I normally do. I keep my Christmas plates and sharing dishes all together in a box in the loft, and pull them out at the beginning of December to use through the season.

However this year I brought the Mistletoe collection down and used it all throughout Autumn…

I genuinely think the Sophie Conran for Portmeirion Mistletoe is tasteful enough to use through the year. Would you agree? Or do you think it should be used for Christmas only?

sophie conran for portmeirion mistletoe plates

For those who worry about justifying new Christmas plates that they can only use once, I recommend trying to choose a style that can be used for multiple occasions. Here are my tips for making year-round rather than one-off investments, and still have a Christmas table you are proud to host with…

Mix Christmas-design side plates with plain white dinner plates
Have you noticed my table uses predominantly non-seasonal items, yet it still looks Christmassy? One of the reasons for this is because I used the Sophie Conran for Portmeirion White Dinner plates underneath the Sophie Conran for Portmeirion Mistletoe side plates. Mixing year-round plates with festive plates like this, minimises your investment, keeping the classic white, grey or neutral plates as your staple all year round.
Invest in a good quality linen-look neutral table cloth
I picked up this cream table cloth from Amazon and chose a neutral colour as I will be using it again in spring, summer, autumn and winter. I thought the thin, pinstripe design that runs through the material would help to make our wooden table look that bit smarter. While it might look like linen, it’s actually made from 100% polyester, easy to wash and even easier to iron…. and that’s an even more important tip! Iron your table linen. All these years I could never be bothered, but it really does make a difference.

3. Pull out all the candles and fairy lights

When I initially set the room up it didn’t have any fairy lights. Neil came to take pics of it all for me, and we both felt that while it looked special, it lacked the ambience that twinkling lighting brings. So my advice if you want to create a magical table for your family this Christmas is to pull out all of your candles and fairy lights. Line candles as your centrepiece and decorate areas around your table, not just the table top itself.

4. Bring in seasonal foliage

This is a must in my book. Fresh foliage instantly makes a table feel seasonal at such an affordable cost. I can quite easily imagine this Christmas table being transformed to a spring table just by substituting the mistletoe for daffodils, tulips, baby’s breath and other spring blooms.

Those are just a few of my Christmas table decor tips and ideas to help you prepare if you’re hosting gatherings this year.

You know by now that I am such a huge fan of Portmeirion’s tableware, so if you’re looking for more inspiration pay them a visit and create magical moments this year.

Happy Christmas planning everyone, and thank you for reading!

Fifi (& Neil) xoxo