40 Christmas Table Decorations For A Merrier Gathering

The tablecloth and runner you choose should be the foundation of your Christmas tablescape. While you can’t go wrong with classic white linen, we love the idea of using your tablecloth or runner as an opportunity to incorporate a bit of unexpected pattern into your Christmas table decor. Browse through Minted’s selection of artisan-made table linens to find one you love — then amp up the festive spirit with your other tabletop decor.

Flowing a river of greenery down the center of your table is a Christmas table decoration idea that will never go out of style. You can keep it simple by laying evergreen garland down the table and nestling in a few candles, or incorporate a bit more color and variation by tucking holly, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and even pomegranates into the greenery.

Another great way to add color to a garland table runner is to incorporate slices of dried citrus into your boughs of greenery. To get the look, thinly slice a mix of oranges, blood oranges, and lemons and bake them on low for a few hours to dehydrate them. Then, add them to your Christmas tablescape or string them onto a garland to hang around your home.

For a playful Christmas table, create a runner using tons of ornaments (we recommend using plastic ornaments to keep guests of all ages safe). The beautiful thing about this idea is that it can work with any Christmas aesthetic — you can go bright and bold by using ornaments in non-traditional colors like hot pink and mint, or you can keep things more neutral by decorating with baubles in white, brown, and sage greens.

For a greenery-filled table runner with an unexpected twist, go for this sophisticated (and easy to DIY) idea. Line the center of your table with fresh golden pears mixed into deep green eucalyptus branches, letting everything flow naturally down the middle. Tuck in small clusters of berries between the pears for extra texture and color. You can lay everything directly on a striped table runner or even right on your bare wood table. Place a single leaf on each plate as a simple place card to tie the whole look together. The best part? After dinner, the pears can be eaten, and the greenery can be repurposed in vases around your home.

Give your table a warm, festive glow by placing a few clusters of tall tapered candles in beautiful candle holders down the center of it. The colors of candles and types of candle holders you choose are totally up to your personal style. We love the idea of pairing cinnamon-colored candles with an architectural candle holder for a modern tablescape — or you could swap in gold candlesticks for a bit more of a glam look. For a twist on traditional Christmas village decor, nestle tea lights into house-shaped votives.

If you like the idea of lighting up your table with accent candles, but want to go even more festive, this is the perfect DIY. Simply fill a few tall hurricane jars with cranberries to serve as an anchor for a pillar candle. You can also achieve a similar look with tea lights, floating them on top of vessels filled with water and cranberries.

Don’t let your front door have all the fun! Wreaths can absolutely have a place at your Christmas table, as this sweet DIY project proves. Buy a table wreath or create one using evergreen clippings, mistletoe, holly, eucalyptus, and small battery-powered twinkling lights to surround a group of pillar candles in varying heights for a beautiful centerpiece.

Weaving a few thin strings of battery-operated fairy lights into your Christmas tablescape is a beautiful way to add a bit of extra glow to your space. It looks gorgeous paired with candles, but is also a great, kid-friendly way to mimic that warm, cozy feeling of candles if you need to skip them altogether.

Center your tablescape around an eye-catching accent piece. A cluster of taper candles shaped like Christmas trees is a sweet and classic option. Or, go for an accent piece you can repurpose throughout your home during the rest of the year, such as rope-like sculptures, and tie in your festive theme with greenery and Christmas-colored linens.

If you’re gathering your loved ones at a round table for Christmas dinner, a bold vase filled with seasonal florals like boughs of holly, poinsettias, or red and white roses makes for an ultra-chic centerpiece. Minted has a wide selection of unique vases made by artisans from around the world — pick one that matches the aesthetic of both your holiday decor to use on this year’s Christmas table, and one that you’ll be excited to display all year round.

If you don’t have room at your table for a large vase, opt for a few arrangements of festive florals in small bud vases. This is a great way to incorporate a bit of extra greenery and color into your tablescape while still leaving plenty of space for plates of turkey, stuffing, and bottles of wine.

Turn natural woven baskets into part of your table's gift-giving story. Fill rattan baskets with rolled napkins tied with red ribbon to look like presents, or create a "Santa's workshop" centerpiece by filling baskets with candy canes, wrapped chocolates, and small ornaments.

Transform wine glasses into individual decoration stations by turning them upside down and placing tea lights on top of the bases. Under each glass, arrange small ornaments, berries, or miniature figurines. This creates elevated votive holders while showcasing holiday miniatures beneath the glass dome.

Unique placemats are a great way to add a layer of texture to your table. Jute placemats bring natural, rustic charm perfect for farmhouse Christmas settings. Retro-inspired bright plaid cloth tablemats bring the perfect amount of holiday nostalgia, while doily-style felt placemats with cut-out patterns create a lacy, snowflake effect that's ideal for winter elegance.

A set of special napkins can go a long way to elevating a simpler tablescape. When it comes to Christmas table decor, we recommend selecting a set of napkins that complement the color palette of the rest of your decorations — the bow linen napkins shown here are a great way to add richness to classic white and evergreen tablescapes.

Further incorporate your napkins into your Christmas tablescape by sliding them through architectural napkin rings and setting them on top of each guest's plate.

Whether you choose to use napkin rings or are going to simply fold your linens, amp up the festive magic by placing a sprig of pine, rosemary, or mistletoe onto your napkins as a finishing touch. This idea also works well with dried citrus, cinnamon sticks, and even candy canes.

Show off the dishes you’ve been carefully planning — and make your guests feel like they’re at a gourmet restaurant — by incorporating a menu card into each place setting or at your buffet area. Minted offers a huge selection of menu designs that you can customize to match the theme of your Christmas dinner perfectly.

Make each guest feel special with place cards that coordinate with your menu cards for a cohesive look. Place cards not only help guests find their seats but also serve as keepsakes from your celebration. Set them on top of each plate, tuck them into napkin rings, or prop them against wine glasses for an elegant touch. For a personal twist, add a handwritten holiday wish or memory on the back of each card that relates to that specific guest.

“Snow”-dipped pinecones are a sweet way to incorporate more of the sights of the season into your Christmas tablescape. Get the look by gathering up a selection of small pinecones and roughly spraying the bottom of each one with white spray paint. Then, attach a small name card to the top of each and set them alongside each place setting.

Add a special touch to each place setting with decorative place card holders. These small pieces — like metallic knots, tiny wooden houses, or colorful shapes — work as both holders and table decorations. Put a place card with each guest's name in them, or use a photo for a more personal touch. The holders add height to your table and keep things looking neat and pulled together.

Set up festive cocktail napkins at your bar area for drinks and appetizers. These smaller 5x5-inch napkins work perfectly during cocktail hour and mingling. Choose ones with holiday phrases or winter motifs like snowflakes and trees. Stack different patterns together for a collected, festive look that adds personality to your beverage station.

While we love to get creative with our Christmas table decorations, we all know that the food is really the star of the show! Incorporate a family-style feast into your tablescape by displaying hot dishes on pretty trivets.

Complete a family- or buffet-style Christmas dinner tablescape with special serveware. Minted has a wide selection of serving utensils and dishes, like salad and pasta bowls, hand-crafted by artisans from around the world. Pick out a few from the same artisan for a cohesive look, or go eclectic by mixing and matching serveware of different styles.

Swap traditional napkins for colorful tea towels at each place setting. Choose patterns featuring holly, reindeer, or Christmas plaids. These larger linens are perfect for those deliciously messy holiday feasts. They're also great laid out in the kitchen where guests serve themselves, catching drips and spills while adding festive color to your buffet area..

Setting out a beautiful wooden cutting board piled with charcuterie is always a good idea when you’re hosting your friends and family. For a Christmas-inspired twist on the charcuterie board, incorporate festive treats like dried cranberries, a small bowl of cranberry sauce, red wine-infused cheese, and roasted chestnuts.

Save the plastic cups for your summer parties! Indulge a bit at Christmas by bringing out special drinkware like etched crystal water glasses, a selection of wine glasses to pair with every type of wine, and champagne coupes to break out for after-dinner bubbly.

Turn mismatched Christmas mugs into charming table decorations by using them as individual dessert servers, soup bowls, or vessels for hot cocoa bars. Fill unused mugs with candy canes, small ornaments, or fresh cranberries to create a collection of mini centerpieces that guests can admire and use throughout the evening.

Use coupe cocktail glasses to serve individual Christmas desserts or create edible winter gardens with layers of crushed cookies for "snow," mint sprigs for "trees," and berries for color. The wide bowls of cocktail glasses make perfect vessels for showcasing layered holiday treats or decorative displays.

Every detail is an opportunity for a bit of festive flair — and matches are no exception! For Christmas dinner, swap out your usual lighter for a set of long matches displayed on a credenza or console table in a pretty brass dish.

You can’t go wrong with layering small gift boxes and ornaments into your Christmas table decorations. You could use either as place settings — simply tie a name card to the gift or ornament using a pretty ribbon and place them on top of each plate. We also love the idea of adding color to your Christmas tablescape by arranging small boxes covered in artist-designed wrapping paper down the center of your table (bonus points if you mix and match a few different wrapping paper patterns within your Christmas color palette!).

Repurpose your favorite small catch-all trays as Christmas decor by filling them with small arrangements of evergreen clippings, holiday candies, ornaments, holly, or mistletoe.

For a minimal yet classic take on Christmas table decor, fill your favorite artisan-made bowl or vessel with raw walnuts and place it at the center of your table. Or, use it to add a bit of festive flair to a coffee table or console table in areas of your home where your guests will be gathering before or after dinner.

A mainstay of Christmas table decor in the United Kingdom, Christmas crackers are a great way to add a bit of color and festive fun to your tablescape. Place one at the head of each place setting or on top of each plate, and once your guests are seated, instruct them to take the end of a cracker and pull (the entire table can participate at once by having everyone cross their arms to grab ahold of one end of the cracker on each side of them and pull). Inside, they’ll find a small gift, a paper crown, or a few sweet treats.

Get the whole family involved in the Christmas dinner prep by spending an afternoon making a forest of cute origami Christmas trees in varying shades of green and white. You can slice small notches in the top of a few of them to use as stands for place cards, or run them down the center of your table to provide a sweet accent to Christmas dinner served family style.

Protect your pretty table linens by stocking up on a set of fun coasters for Christmas dinner. While you can’t go wrong with classic white napkins, this is an area where you can easily inject a bit of whimsy and personality into your Christmas table decorations. Go for a set featuring artfully-drawn illustrations of your favorite ingredients, including lemons, avocados, and the always-cute bear honey bottle. You can also opt for fancy coasters to decorate the dinner table.

Celebrate abundance with whimsical beeswax candles shaped like holiday feast favorites — cheese wheels for the appetizer course, vegetables for harvest gratitude, or fruit shapes representing prosperity. These playful pieces in warm honey tones add humor and warmth.

Add special touches to your beverage service with decorative cocktail picks, swizzle sticks, and drink stirrers featuring seasonal motifs like snowflakes, stars, or miniature trees. Display them in a beautiful vessel on the table so guests can garnish their own drinks while adding to the festive atmosphere.

Elevate your Christmas gathering with decorative party signs that set the mood. Display signs with playful holiday phrases like "Jingle & Mingle" or "Merry & Bright" around your dining space. Use chalkboard signs for rustic charm or letter boards for modern appeal. Add a "Hot Cocoa Bar" sign at your drink station or fun directional signs pointing to different party zones. These signs add personality and whimsy while helping guests navigate your celebration.

Group decorations in sets of 3, 5, or 7 for the most visually appealing arrangements. This applies to candles, vases, and ornament clusters.

Create visual interest with three levels: table level (coasters, place cards), medium height (6-8 inches for vases), and tall accents (12+ inch candles or branches).

Use this classic designer formula to balance colors without overwhelming your table:

• 60% - Dominant color (usually neutral: white, cream, wood tones)
• 30% - Secondary color (traditional: red or green)
• 10% - Accent color (metallic: gold, silver, or copper)

Combine a maximum of 3 patterns: one large-scale (tablecloth), one medium (napkins), and one small-scale (coasters or place cards).

You can set the foundation (tablecloth, chargers, candles, non-perishable decorations) up to 2 days before. Add fresh greenery and flowers the day before, and save food displays and final touches for the day of your gathering.

Keep centerpieces under 12 inches tall or above 18 inches (with a narrow base) so guests can see each other across the table. Test by sitting down and checking sightlines before your event.

There's no strict limit, but ensure candles are at least 6 inches away from other decorations and never directly under hanging elements. For safety, use a mix of real candles and battery-operated ones, especially near greenery..

Yes! The key is choosing one dominant metal (about 60%) and using others as accents. Mixing metals actually creates a more collected, sophisticated look than matching everything perfectly.

Focus on vertical elements and multi-functional pieces. Use tiered serving stands, hang decorations above the table, choose narrow runners instead of full tablecloths, and opt for decorations that can be easily moved when serving food.

Spray fresh greenery with water daily to prevent drying. Lay a thin table runner under garland to catch needles, or choose high-quality artificial greenery for mess-free decorating.

Not necessarily! Mixing patterns and styles can create a more interesting, collected-over-time look. Just maintain one unifying element - like all white dishes, same metal finish for flatware, or matching napkins.

Focus on winter themes rather than specifically Christmas ones - use blue and silver color schemes, snowflakes, stars, and candles. Avoid overtly Christmas-specific symbols and incorporate elements meaningful to all celebrations being honored.

Skip real candles in favor of battery-operated ones, avoid glass ornaments, secure runners so they can't be pulled, use plastic drinkware for kids, and create a separate children's table with fun, safe decorations they can touch.

Use dripless candles, place glass or metal plates under candlesticks, or embrace the rustic look with candle wreaths that catch drips naturally. Freezing candles for 2 hours before use also reduces dripping.

Absolutely! Simply swap red elements for metallic golds and silvers, replace Santa motifs with stars and champagne themes, and add clock decorations or year numbers while keeping your foundational pieces.