How to lay a Christmas table

• How to lay a Christmas table
• Christmas table decorations

Christmas decorations are key to a festive table. But before you get carried away with fairy lights and baubles, make sure you've covered the basics.

Think about table size
Make sure there's space for everyone and allow enough elbow space on each side. If your dining room isn't long enough for an extended table, moving it to a long hallway could be the answer. Or use the living room, with the tree and presents on display, as a festive and informal place to eat.

Extend your table
Create an extension with a garden table placed at one end. Picnic and trestle tables are also good makeshift extensions. Really stuck? Use a sheet of MDF placed on top of a smaller table, with batons screwed onto the bottom to stop it from sliding.

Seat everyone in comfort
Comfortable seating during Christmas dinner is a must, so make sure you've got enough suitable chairs. If you need more, folding garden chairs, such as the Parc chair, £39 from Habitat, are great. If it's a squeeze, benches or stools take up less space.

Organise the seating plan
Think about the table plan in advance. Lunch can last for several hours, so you could suggest that a few guests move places after the main course so everyone has the chance to talk to someone different at pudding. Hand-written place cards add a personal touch.

Protect your table
Most tables need protecting from hot dishes and spills. Rubberised protectors, such as the Table Guardian, from £16.85 per m, Grimeford Mill can be slipped under the tablecloth. If you aren't using a tablecloth, place heatproof mats along the table for hot serving dishes.

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