In the Czech Republic, the main Christmas meal is served on Christmas Eve – the one table of the year where the whole family sits down together, and also the one most often laid at the last minute. Yet a Christmas table setting doesn't have to be complicated. Once you know what matters, you can do it in half an hour and it will look as though someone spent all afternoon on it.
Why wood works on a festive table
Christmas decorations tend towards shine. Gold tablecloths, glittery placemats, metallic napkins – and the result often looks more like a shop window than a home. Wood does the opposite: it softens, warms and gives the other elements room to shine.
A more practical reason is that wood goes with anything. Grandma's white porcelain, modern matte dinnerware, glasses of different ages – the natural tone acts as a common denominator. In households where the tableware comes from several sets, it's the easiest way to bring the table together.
And then there's durability. Paper table settings get thrown away after the holidays, while wooden coasters last for years and are used outside the season too. The investment spreads out into everyday household use.
🕯️ Preparing a festive table? Coasters, candle holders, napkin holders and serving boards made from Czech wood.
Browse coasters and placematsThe table, layer by layer
1. The base: tablecloth or bare wood?
The first decision. A white or linen tablecloth is a classic and works as a clean base on which wooden elements stand out. A bare solid-wood tabletop with individual placemats, on the other hand, feels more modern and relaxed.
The compromise that works best: a narrow runner along the centre of the table, with the rest of the top left bare. That gives you space for decoration while the table itself stays visible. With a wooden top you'll also need coasters, otherwise glass rings will remain after the holidays.
2. The centre: one line, not ten islands
The most common mistake is scattering decorations all over the table. The result looks fragmented, and there's no room left for serving dishes. It's better to create one continuous line along the centre – fir branches, a few pine cones, dried orange slices, with candle holders in between.
A line has the advantage that it can be widened or narrowed at any time, depending on how much space is left for food. And when the table fills up during the evening, the decoration simply shifts without the composition falling apart.
Place it on a narrow tray or runner. It makes tidying up easier and stops pine needles spreading across the whole table.
3. Light: low and warm
A Christmas Eve table shouldn't be lit by the ceiling light at full brightness. Dim it and let the candles do the work – ideally three to five low candle holders placed along the line in the centre.
Height is key. Either below fifteen centimetres, or well above eye level. The worst is a medium height right at eye level, where the flame dazzles and people can't see each other's faces across it.
If you have small children or pets at home, consider combining real candles on the sideboard with LED versions on the table itself. With dimmed lighting you'll barely notice the difference.
4. Place cards: a small detail with the biggest effect
Place cards by the plates are a detail that takes a few minutes but looks as if someone devoted an hour to the table. They also settle the practical question of who sits where – which, with a larger gathering, saves some awkward shuffling around.
A small wooden tag, a decoration with string and a card, or simply a name card tucked under the rim of the plate. With children it works well if they make their own place cards – then they have a share in the table.
5. Colours: two are enough
The simplest rule for not spoiling a festive table: one main colour, one accent colour, plus the natural tone of wood and greenery. White and green, natural and red, or grey and gold.
The more colours on the table, the more cluttered it looks – even if each one is lovely on its own. If your tableware is colourful, keep the decoration as subdued as possible.
Practical questions that come up every year
How much space per person
Allow roughly sixty centimetres of width for each person seated. Less means people bump elbows, which becomes annoying over a dinner lasting several hours. If you don't all fit at the table, it's better to add an extension leaf or put a smaller table alongside than to squeeze everyone together.
Include the decoration in your calculations too. A line of fir branches in the centre takes up fifteen to twenty centimetres of depth that you then can't use for dishes.
Where to seat the children
A children's end of the table works better than seating them among the adults. Children have their own space, can leave earlier and don't need watching in case they reach a candle. That's exactly why it makes sense to have an LED version instead of a flame on the children's side.
It also helps to give children one task – laying out the place cards, bringing the bread, lighting the candles under supervision. That way they have a share in the table and the wait for dinner passes more quickly.
What to do with the decoration after the meal
After dinner the table is usually cleared, but the decoration can stay. If you've placed it on a tray beforehand, you can lift it off in one go and wipe the table without moving pine cones one by one.
Czech customs that belong at the table
The Czech Christmas Eve table comes with more rules than any other table of the year – and some are still followed today, even though nobody remembers why.
A classic is an even number of people at the table. According to an old belief, an odd number foretold misfortune, so many families still lay one extra plate – for an unexpected guest, for an absent family member or for someone who is no longer with us. It's a custom that still has a lovely meaning today.
Traditionally, nobody got up from the table during dinner, carp scales were placed under the plates (fried carp is the traditional Czech Christmas dish) and a little grain or money was put under the table. Today most families pick only what suits them – and that's fine. Tradition isn't a list of obligations.
One thing is worth keeping, though: an extra candle on the table. Whether as part of the empty-plate custom or just on its own. It's the quietest way to remember someone who is missing at the festive table.
A tip that will save your Christmas Eve: Lay the base layer a day in advance – runner, coasters, candle holders, centre decoration. On 24 December all that's left is to add plates, cutlery and fresh greenery. The difference between a calm and a hectic afternoon almost always comes down to this one decision. And if you're expecting visitors over the holidays, prepare a second set of place cards in advance too.
Tables for gatherings of different sizes
Two to four people. A smaller table can take less decoration than you'd think. One arrangement in the centre, two low candle holders and coasters are enough. A long line across the full length would take up most of the surface on a table for two.
Six to eight people. The classic situation, where a continuous line along the centre and three to five candle holders work well. Split the side dishes into two sets at either end of the table so bowls don't have to be passed along its whole length.
Ten or more. Here it pays to move serving off the table – to a sideboard or side table where people help themselves. The dining table then stays free for plates, glasses and decoration and doesn't look overcrowded.
With large gatherings it's also worth unifying the place settings. Mismatched plates go unnoticed with four people but start to show with twelve – and this is where a wooden coaster at each place helps, because it creates a repeating element that ties the table together.
Overview: what goes where
| Layer | Element | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Tablecloth or runner | White and linen let the wood stand out |
| At each place | Placemat and coaster | Protects the top from rings and heat |
| Centre | One line of decoration | Not islands all over the table |
| Light | 3 to 5 low candle holders | Under 15 cm, otherwise they block the view |
| Detail | Place cards and holders | Biggest effect for the least work |
| Serving | Boards and bowls | Move some to the sideboard if space is tight |
Watch out for candles and hot dishes. A festive table combines open flames, dry fir branches, paper napkins and people reaching across the table – that's more risk than it seems. Leave free space around the flame, use candles in cups and replace ones that are burning down in good time. Put hot bowls and roasting tins on a mat, not directly on a wooden top or on a board just taken out of the cold – sudden temperature changes are not good for wood.
What can be prepared in advance
Laying the festive table can be split into three waves, just like all your Christmas decorating. Wave one, a week ahead if you like: check what you have at home, top up missing coasters or candles and wash the tablecloth. Discovering that the tablecloth is still stained from last year is an unpleasant surprise on the morning of 24 December.
Wave two, one or two days ahead: set out the base layer – runner, coasters, candle holders, the dry part of the decoration. None of it will spoil, and in the meantime the table looks festive even for ordinary dinners.
Wave three, on the day itself: fresh greenery, plates, cutlery, glasses and place cards. It's twenty minutes' work if the rest is done.
Anyone laying a table for lots of people will appreciate one more small thing – take a photo of the finished table. Next year you won't need to come up with anything new, and you'll know exactly how much of everything you needed.
What suits the table
Frequently asked questions
How many colours should a Christmas table setting have?
One main colour and one accent colour work best, plus the natural tone of wood and greenery. Classic combinations are white and green, or natural and red. The more colours on the table, the more cluttered it looks.
How tall should candles be on the Christmas Eve table?
Either low, under fifteen centimetres, or noticeably tall, well above eye level. The worst is a medium height right at eye level, where the flame dazzles and people can't see past it. Low candle holders in a row along the centre of the table are the safest choice.
When should I lay the Christmas table?
Prepare the base layer – placemats, coasters, candle holders and decoration – in the morning or even the day before. On the afternoon of 24 December all that remains is to add plates, cutlery and fresh greenery.
What if the table is small and there's lots of food?
Move some of the serving off the table – to a sideboard, a serving trolley or a side table. Leave only what is being eaten on the dining table. Another option is to replace large bowls with smaller ones and top them up from the kitchen during the evening.
Why is an extra plate laid?
According to an old Czech belief, an odd number of people at the table foretold misfortune, so it was evened out with one extra plate. Today the custom is kept for a different reason – the empty place belongs to an unexpected guest or to someone who is missing from the table.
Which AMADEA products suit a Christmas table?
Above all coasters and placemats, Christmas candle holders, napkin holders, serving boards and small decorations that can serve as place cards. You'll find our full Christmas range in the Christmas section.
🌳 A table where the whole family gathers. Placemats, candle holders and accessories made from Czech wood – handmade in a sheltered workshop.
Go to Christmas decorationsAuthor: Martin Portych – specialist in wooden products, gift advice and shop content
Editorial policy: Our content is based on the day-to-day practice of the AMADEA shop, the real needs of our customers and a commitment to clear, useful and trustworthy information.