Holidays · Party/Tablescapes

A Fun & Festive Casual Christmas Table

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On Christmas Day I always prepare a formal dinner with china, silver, and crystal in the dining room. However, on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, our immediate family celebrates around the kitchen table. This is always a fun table to decorate because, since it’s a more Casual Christmas Table, I can afford to play around with different inexpensive dishes and accessories.

As usual, the color scheme of my Christmas decor is red, red, and more red. And since the decor in my family room and kitchen consists of a good deal of black, each year my Casual Christmas Table includes a lot of red and black elements. 

A casual Christmas table that features graphic red and black elements for a fun festive look.

Place Setting

Red, white and black color scheme make a statement on a casual Christmas table.

While on the prowl for red or black holiday dishware early in the season, I saw these vibrant Nordic Woodland salad plates from Pier 1. I am glad I snapped them up when I did because, as of this posting, they are sold out. However, if you are interested in duplicating this look, the “Yuletide Accent Plates” from Ballard Designs have a similar feel.
Place setting for a festive red and black Casual Christmas Table.
Black chargers, Black Queens Rooster plates, black buffalo plaid napkins and the red Woodland plates make up the place setting.
reindeer votive holder on a Casual Christmas Table.
These primitive black deer votive holders seemed to coordinate well with thefolk design on the plates. 
A Casual Christmas Table lit by candle light.

Centerpiece

Red and black Casual Christmas Table

I began my centerpiece by dressing the middle of the table with a red and black plaid runner. The candle hurricanes usually live on the table so I left them there and just added some small red ornaments to coordinate with the rest of my Casual Christmas Table
Stylized red cardboard tree makes a striking centerpiece for a Casual Christmas Table

I felt that the Woodland plates and the reindeer votives had a graphic sensibility, so I wanted to create a bold architectural looking centerpiece.
Red and black simple centerpiece on a Casual Christmas Table
Several years ago, I purchased this unusual cardboard tree from an Etsy artist. Originally, it was brown, but of course, I painted it red. Since the branches reminded me of the votive reindeer antlers, I knew it would be the perfect centerpiece for my Casual Christmas Table. However, because it’s red, I wanted it to stand out from the red table runner. I set it apart from the runner by placing it on a large black and white graphic platter. And then, because I can’t leave well enough alone, I added more red Christmas balls. It’s a super simple centerpiece, but it packs a punch. 

Casual Christmas Table

Fun and festive Casual Christmas Table
I have a thing about always having flowers on my table. I don’t know why. It just seems like candles and flowers are necessary for a gracious presentation of a celebratory meal.  However, because of the graphic nature of this tablescape, I kind of like it without flowers. I toyed with the idea of adding some small vases of densly packed red and white carnations, but decided to leave well enough alone. What do you think, should I add flowers or not?

Red and black elements make this fun and festive casual Christmas table sparkle.
Festive Casual Christmas Table
Light the candles and your ready to celebrate Christmas Eve around this fun and festive Casual Christmas Table.

While I am more or less locked into a holiday color scheme that includes black and red because of my home decor, that doesn’t mean I have to set the same table every year. A Casual Christmas Table offers an excellent opportunity to play with different dishes and styles. So, try something new this year and have a very Merry Christmas around your table!

How to play with color and design to create a stylish graphic Casual Christmas Table that will put your guests in the mood to celebrate #Christmastable, #Christmastablescpe, #Christmascenterpiece, #Christmasdecorating, #Christmasdecor

For more holiday kitchen table inspiration, you may be interested in:

A Modern Italian Christmas Eve Fish Dinner
Pancakes & Plaid: A Christmas Breakfast Table

Sharing this post with these terrific link parties:

The Scoop Tablescape Thursday Wow Us Wednesday, Feathered Nest Friday, Best Of The Weekend

15 thoughts on “A Fun & Festive Casual Christmas Table”

  1. Merry Christmas, Lisa! Your casual Christmas tablescape speaks my language, the language of always beautiful, glorious, delightful RED. Your eye lends the perfect balance of design, color and fun! Thank you for sharing your table and your other Christmas posts that have quickened my heart even more in this happy season.

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind comment. I really appreciate it and am so glad you have enjoyed my Christmas posts. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

      Reply

  2. I like it without flowers, too. Put some on your sideboard, if you must. I love that cardboard tree; it’s evocative of those folded tissue paper centerpieces we used to have for holidays when we were little (which I loved), but more modern and classy. 🙂 Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  3. Wow–you have such a great eye! I particularly love the tiny reindeer– festive w/o being overly kitschy. Happy holidays!

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for commenting and for your input. It’s nice to have your instincts validated. Have a very Merry Christmas!

      Reply

    1. Thanks, Franki. Black and white and red all over definitely describes my house at Christmas to a T. Have a very Merry Christmas!

      Reply

  7. HI LISA IT’S A BEAUTIFUL TABLE AND YOUR CASUAL WOULD BE SOMEONES FORMAL! I REMEMBER SHOPPING WITH CATHY AT THE LENOX WAREHOUSE FOR THE CHINA FOR YOUR GRANDMOTHERS TABLE! I LOVE YOUR BLOG AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE MODERN FARMHOUSE DECOR AND INSPIRATION—THEY ALSO HAVE GOOD IDEAS AND MEMBERS ARE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. BETTER THAN A MAGAZINE THAT HAS SO MANY ADS. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Barb. I am so glad you are enjoying my blog. I love getting inspiration from all kinds of sources. You never know where you are going to get a great idea. Merry Christmas!

      Reply

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