Elegant Christmas Dinner Party

Elegant Christmas Party

This elegant Christmas dinner has a dressy but approachable atmosphere featuring a neutral palette of golds, silvers, and creams and emphasizing texture. "I wanted the soiree to feel organic yet luxurious—sophisticated without putting on airs," says Lynn Easton of Easton Events.

The juxtaposition of earthy elements, such as cedar logs and bare tigerwood branches nestled in the chandelier, with more lavish touches, such as mother-of-pearl napkin rings and gold-edged china, makes for a fancy gathering with a cozy undertone. In the corner, a graceful Christmas tree continues the effect. Lynn kept the look minimal and organic by forgoing clunky ornaments and decorating the Fraser fir with burlap ribbon and paper cones filled with balsa wood flowers.

Menu Card

The menu card features a silver emblem reminiscent of a pineapple, a symbol of Southern hospitality.

Elegant Table Setting

Lynn crafted chic place mats with inexpensive wallpaper, pairing them with gold-edged china and simple flatware.

• More Holiday Table Settings

Earthy Centerpiece

A hollowed-out log is filled with roses, hydrangeas, and Leyland cyprus for a luxurious yet earthy look.

• Showstopping Christmas Centerpieces

Mix Mirrors & Candlelight

An antique mirror maximizes the light cast from votives nestled in birch candleholders and puts a fresh spin on the common centerpiece combo. To replicate the mirror's patina, ask your local glass shop to distress a new one by applying boric acid to the surface.

Add a Touch of Couture

The lustrous mother-of-pearl napkin rings (fashioned from taffeta ribbon looped through vintage belt buckles) offer a sleek counterpoint to the room's cedar logs, birch wood votives, and distressed mirrors. Varying the size and shape of the napkin rings keeps the effect from feeling too stuffy.

Reimagine Household Objects

Repurposed drawer knobs make eye-catching place card holders. (To secure the cards better, replace stock washers with wider ones.) Balancing the heft of the knobs, the cards themselves are inscribed in a light, casual hand.

Showcase Heirloom Decorations

The informal hutch is decked with tonal, vintage pieces such as the glass-bead wreath, reindeer figurine, and mercury-glass candlesticks that call to mind past generations and gatherings.

Serve a Signature Beverage

To finish on a comfy note, Lynn offers a spicy after-dinner eggnog garnished with whipped cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg and served with cookies on a silver tray.

• Recipe: Spiced Eggnog

More Christmas Party Ideas

Find more ideas for your Christmas party:

• Vintage Christmas Brunch
• "Naughty or Nice: Cocktail Party
• Open House Cocktail Party