Turn your Christmas lunch into a really memorable celebration by dressing your table with festive fun. You've spent hours creating the perfect meal, so why not rise to the occasion and set the scene with a stunning table setting?

You don't need to spend a fortune to get great results. With a little imagination and a few of the decorations left over from the tree, you should be able to create a really magical meal. Keep your decorations relatively simple and make sure there's plenty of room for the food!

Sparkle and shine

Glitter and metallics are everywhere at the moment, so let the Christmas fairy add a little stardust to your festive table.

Get the look:

• For a simple but stunning Christmas table all you need to set the scene are some classic white dinner plates, some shining glassware and some sparkling silver accessories.
• To make a matching centrepiece, spray bare winter twigs with white paint and place them in a glass or silver vase. Now hang a selection of white, silver and opaque baubles in a variety of sizes.
• Roll up white napkins and tie silver ribbon around the middle in a bow and a few springs of rosemary to add the finishing touch.

Purple reign

Purple is the colour of the season. Used as an alternative to red, it will add a touch of luxury to your dinner table when used with gold, plum, bronze and cream.

Get the look:

• There are plenty of affordable bronze and pewter bowls in the shops now which could work as a centrepiece, filled to the brim with gold, cream, purple and plum baubles. Mix the sizes and shapes with different textures – shiny, matt and embellished with decorative glitter designs.
• Tie purple wired ribbon in a bow with pretty gold baubles hanging from the back of dining chairs.
• Place sprigs of mistletoe in purple or gold napkin rings with a white napkin.

Natural feeling

If you're all glittered-out and want something a bit simpler, go for a natural, rustic look with earthy colours and an ecru or taupe table linen.

• Choose chunky, ceramic serving dishes and earthenware jugs.
• Add focus with a fragrant centrepiece using thin taper candles and a mix of aromatic herbs and Christmas spices. Fix candles onto a small piece of wood in a chunky wooden bowl with blue tack and sprinkle the base with cloves, cinnamon, and thyme.
• Look out for wooden Shaker-style Christmas decorations and attach to bronze or pewter napkin rings with fine gold ribbon.

Enjoy your Christmas dinner celebrations in style and always remember to be careful when using candles.