How To Set A Table For Christmas Dinner

By: Shawna Williams

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Knowing how to set a table for Christmas dinner can be very valuable not just for Christmas dinner, but for any occasion. If your Christmas dinner is just going to have soup, salad, bread, a main course and a beverage, then a casual place setting is best. Using an overly formal place setting can make a table look cluttered and may confuse your guests if there are utensils set in front of them that they will not need.

To set a table for Christmas dinner, you will need:

Dinner plates
Soup bowls
Salad plates
Bread plates
Salad forks
Dinner forks
Dinner knife
Spoon
Butter knife
Dessert forks and/or spoons
Water glasses
Red wine glasses (Optional)
White wine glasses (Optional)
Champagne flutes (Optional)
Napkins
Place mats
Place cards (Optional)

If you will be using place mats, center each one in front of each place.
The dinner plate should be placed two inches from the table's edge and center it in front of the chair.
Place the soup bowl on top of the dinner plate.
Put the salad plate above the forks, to the left side of the dinner plate.
The bread plate should be positioned above the salad plate, closer to the dessert fork.
Flatware should be positioned in the order in which your guests will use their utensils.
On the left side of the plate, place the dinner fork closest to the dinner plate.
Just to the left of the dinner for, place the salad fork.
Just right of the dinner plate, place the dinner knife, with the blade facing in towards the plate.
To the right of the dinner knife, place the spoon.
The butter knife should be placed horizontally across the bread plate, with the cutting edge facing down towards the dinner plate.
The dessert utensils will be placed horizontally directly above the dinner plate.
Water glasses are positioned above the dinner knife.
Wine glasses and champagne flutes are staggered above the water glass.
Placement of napkins can vary. They may be placed to the left of the dinner plate, inside the water glass or in the center of the dinner plate.
If you choose to use place cards, they are centered above the dinner plate, placed above the dessert utensil.