Stylist’s ideas for a festive table

My professional life as a stylist means that well before the silly season, I’ve usually cooked multiple celebratory feasts and dressed plenty of tables and trees

When Christmas finally does roll around I’m usually at the point where I’d love to tell Santa to sod off.

However, as a mum to three kids, I can’t afford to be a grinch.

Creating a table setting to kick off another year of family memories is top of my to-do list at home. I do tend to harp on about Mother Nature’s design finesse, and I use found and foraged, usually cost-free, natural elements in my styling a lot.

With all the spending that comes with the holiday season, anywhere I can save a few bucks for an extra bottle of Champagne is a bonus.

Here’s some seasonal ideas to get you started: themed tablescape, a pretty box of wrapped Italian Amaretti biscuits can go a long way.

Place one or two at each place setting and co-ordinate pink and red flowers to match the wonderfully decorated tin.

The joy of little battery-operated seed lights (which are found at most department stores) is they can be placed anywhere, without a cumbersome lead.

I have laid these under a shear table cloth for an ethereal look.