How to Set a Holiday Table

Tips and tricks on how to set a holiday table to impress your guests and make it look like you know proper etiquette. (wink)

When I was 8 years old, my mom put me in etiquette school…True story.

I can still remember going. Dressed up in these fluffy, itchy Easter dresses (bonnets, white gloves and all). It was über fancy…you know…in the back of the customer service area of a department store. Seriously…

We learned the utmost important things like how to properly sit with our legs crossed to one side, and how to walk with stacks of books on our heads…ha!

Well, to tell you the truth my posture today is atrocious, and I rarely cross my legs, but one thing I actually took away from that class…

Was how to properly set a table.

You know…Just in case the Queen decides to stop in for lunch 😉

Last year I showed you a fun and casual way to decorate your table for Thanksgiving. This year, I thought ehhh what the heck…let’s get all fancy.

So here’s a few tidbits and tips that I’ve learned on how to create a beautiful, more formal type table setting.

TIP #1: Layers, Layers, and more Layers

Whether you use a table cloth and linen napkins, or in my case two, yes TWO place mats and chargers layered on top one another. Using layers to create the formal feel while mixing textures and color really makes your table settings come alive.

Why the two place mats, you ask? Just using one looks like this…

By adding the additional place mat underneath going vertically, I now have enough surface area to place everything on a mat.

TIP #2 Use the finger trick:

Now unless you’re having a ridiculously fancy, black tie event that requires 20 pieces of flatware per person, the basics that pretty much everyone owns are a knife, salad fork, dinner fork, soup spoon, dessert spoon. With me?

Now how do you know which side of the plate to put what…Easy…The finger trick.

First your left hand. How many letters are in the word “left?” 1-2-3-4.

Now how many letters are in the word “fork?” 1-2-3-4.

FORK= LEFT SIDE OF THE PLATE

I know. I know. Oh wait…it gets better 😉

Now lift up your right hand. How many letters are in the word “right?” 1-2-3-4-5.

Spoon. 1-2-3-4-5

Knife. 1-2-3-4-5

Glass. 1-2-3-4-5

How cool is that? I love that little trick!

TIP #3: Outside-Inside:

Once you know which side to put things on, it’s important to remember the pattern of which you use things.

Salad forks and soup spoons are usually used first so those are placed on the outside. Dinner fork and knife (facing the plate) are used next, and the easiest way to remember where to put them is imaging them hugging your dinner plate. The dessert or coffee spoon goes on the left side of your soup spoon. Don’t ask me why…

Regardless of how you set your table this holiday season, what really matters is who you spend it with. Family and friends are what’s important in the whole scheme of things, and if they love you they won’t care about spoon and fork placements. ;o}

Sometimes you just want to feel fancy though, and why not? Use your good china every once in a while! It doesn’t do anyone good just sitting in your china cabinet.

I hope you found these little tricks and tips helpful. I’d love to hear how you’re planning to set you holiday table this year either by leaving a comment below or here on my Facebook page!

Talk to you soon friends, take care!