Donna Hay's ideas for setting a Christmas table

I like to keep the Christmas table setting simple - it's the small flourishes that help create a festive mood. Choose a simple theme or colour scheme and apply it to your table and tree - it could be traditional red and white, coastal blue and white or elegant silver. Or even a more rustic, recycled feel.

One of my favourite table settings includes a collection of flickering tea lights in votives down the length of the table and using vintage milk or juice bottles as vases holding little posies of white flowers. You can find old bottles at thrift stores. A really simple idea is to use shiny silver cupcake cases as tea light holders as the light reflects off the cases.

I think an individual place setting for each guest makes an instant impression. For a personal touch, wrap mini puddings in unbleached calico and tie on nametags with red ribbon or twine. You could include a little printed menu for each guest or handmade bon bons - use old paper towel rolls to make your own, wrap in plain or coloured fabric and attached a nametag. I also like using star-shaped cookie cutters as little decorative items. You can attach them to name tags with pretty ribbon and even hang them from the tree.

Little take-home treats such as handmade chocolates or cookies for each guest makes a nice touch too. Pop them into small boxes, wrap in off cuts of fabric and tie with ribbon.

Another option for the table is an edible centrepiece. Let your dessert course double as a table centrepiece. Pile store-bought meringues, marshmallows or biscotti high onto a cake stand.

Fore more festive tips, see the current Celebrate issue of donna hay magazine, $7.95 from newsagents. See donnahay.com for more entertaining and style tips.