Lay a top Yule table
MUM BETH JACKSON REVEALS HER TIPS AND TRICKS ON HOW TO PRESENT A FABULOUS FAMILY CHRISTMAS DINNER
THE table is at the very heart of my Christmas. It’s where my family will come together and spend hours eating, drinking and laughing so I like to make it look as good as possible.
This year there’ll be eight at the table, including my fiancé Sam and daughter Freya, four. It’s the first time my family has properly been together for years, so I want things to be special. That’s why I’m making a big effort to create extra atmosphere with my presentation.
I’ll lay down an everyday tablecloth I can use again and again after Christmas (wilko has a stylish faux linen one for £10). I then dress it up using a table runner to lay out the place settings (wilko has a luxe-looking one in midnight blue).
For the centrepiece, I bought a pretty wilko eucalyptus and berries garland and gold-finish stag ornaments – they look pretty posh, I have to say! For added glamour, I have some gold candle holders. Candlelight always feels so magical at Christmas, as the afternoon turns into evening and we’re still at the table, crying with laughter over silly Secret Santa gifts.
For tableware, I’m looking at gorgeous, good-value wilko pieces to make the table special. They include the 12-piece Indigo dinner set (which you can use any time of the year), gold charger plates, gold napkin rings, and gold-rimmed flutes, with colourful crackers rounding off my festive table layout.
Finally, it wouldn’t be Christmas without personal touches, so I’ll make some fancy place names for loved ones. I’ve bought some plain white ceramic star decorations from wilko and I’ll write names on them – then my guests can take them home to remember the special time we’ve spent together.