What’s the one time you pull out all the stops and cover your dining room table with the best of everything? Christmas of course, when you have friends and family around and eat, drink and be merry. But what are the secrets to a successful Christmas dinner? How can you wow? We asked the team for their hints and tips on creating the perfect Christmas table.
Arthur Price Chairman Simon Price said: “I enjoy creating the wow factor but don’t forget it’s not about the using the right knife or fork – it’s the three F’s: family, friendship and fun. There is no better place than to celebrate all of this than having everyone around a big dinner table and seeing smiling faces, glasses raised and loud laughter.
“With my wife Lesley we always pull out all the stops. I love a pristine table. All shiny cutlery offering the promise of food and fun. I’m a creature of habit…I always prepare the table at home on Christmas Eve. I polish the cutlery, the glassware. I then close the dining room door leaving the place ready for Christmas morning.”
CEO James Price has two young boys with his wife Jodie. Every Christmas Eve they wear new matching pyjamas, exchange Christmas tree presents and put out food for Santa and his reindeer. James said, “When the boys have gone to bed, Jodie and I set the dinner table for Christmas Day and yes, in our pyjamas!”
Factory Shop Manager Bev Sheppard said, “For the first time in over 40 years I am not cooking this year. My youngest son and his fiancé and hosting everyone. I can’t wait, all the family will be there and my son is a very good cook and of course he uses Arthur Price.”
Husband and wife Dan and Penny Monk work in the warehouse and production. They love everything about the festive season. Dan said, “When it comes to our meal on the 25th, we prepare everything on Christmas Eve early, then sit back and relax so we can get up early, normally about 5am, on the big day with our 10 year old daughter.”
All agree that the dinner table should be the central point to enjoying friends and family and have a few simple rules when laying your cutlery and glassware:
1. Dinner plates should sit in the centre of the place setting. Place your cutlery on the table in the order of use, starting from the outside and working inwards with each course.
2. Forks should be set to the left of the plate, with knives placed to the right, blade edges facing inwards. Soup spoons should be placed on the right of the knives.
3. Place the dessert fork and dessert spoon above the plate with the fork prongs facing right and the spoon bowl facing left.
4. Side plates always go on the left of the dinner plate.
5. Glassware should be set above and to the right of the dinner plate and depending upon what you are eating include a red wine glass, a white wine glass and a water glass. The water glass should be nearest to the top of the knives. Then the white wine glass, finally on the outside the red. That’s of course if you are having different courses.
Simon Price said: “I know some people talk about table planning being intimidating. You must use the right cutlery and glassware, position of the forks and the glasses in exactly the correct position. Do you work inwards or outwards and do you use the big glass for red or white wine? I say, don’t worry about it. Nobody is going to test you and remember your guests might not know their salad fork from their soup spoon. I get asked a lot about etiquette. I think manners is far more important!
James Price said, “The most important thing is that whether you get it right, or wrong, it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. Because the most important thing is spending time with your nearest and dearest. So, grab some baubles, get your favourite food in, dress your table with fun and laughter and get festive feasting!”
With all the chaos at Christmas, here are our five top tips to help deliver the best Christmas table…
1. Don’t leave it to the last minute.
It’s best to dress the table the night before Christmas. This gives you plenty of time to hunt down missing cutlery and crockery, to check glasses are free of watermarks, and means you won’t be thrown off if your guests arrive early.
2. Give the table a theme
Having a definitive colour scheme or theme makes the table look extra special and refined. Start with a simple base – a plain table cloth or runner is best. Then work with a handful of tones. The trends this year include earthy tones like olive and mocha, or crisp and bright including mint green and ice blue. Or you could simply stick with the traditional festive colours red, gold and green.
3. Get your place settings right
Firstly, work out how many courses you are serving. Put the plate for the main course at the centre of the setting. Then stack the starter plate and soup bowl on top. Cutlery should be placed either side of the dishes, arranged in the order in which it will be used – first course on the outside working inward with knives and spoons on the right and forks on the left. Where your napkin sits will depend on how intricately you plan to fold it. If it’s just a simple arrangement, place it to the left, ideally on a side plate that you can also use for bread. If you plan on some serious napkin origami, pop your effort in the middle of the place setting.
4. Create an eye-catching centrepiece
Every table needs a focal point and there’s so much you could try – a glass bowl filled with candles or baubles, a beautiful silver candelabra, a mini Christmas tree or a festive floral display (just make sure it’s not too tall to block anyone’s view when seated!).
5. Make it personal
Make sure everyone is welcomed to the table with a place setting. Place cards can be tucked into a fancy folded napkin or resting on the edge of a wine glass, and you could even add a present or a few sprigs of rosemary to add to the theme and the aroma.
And one final thing, enjoy.
Merry Christmas from Simon, James, Bev, Dan and Penny and everyone at Arthur Price