Christmas, without the spend
Between presents, food and everything else, it's easy to get carried away at Christmas, and the costs soon add up. So for part two of our Set the Scene series, Leanne of Brooklyn Interiors and I set ourselves a challenge: a table that looks truly special, repurposing what we already owned wherever we could, and shopping the rest from the high street without spending a fortune.
How we built the table
We started with a simple linen runner down the centre of the table. Then came the centrepiece: a little wooden sleigh, surrounded by trees in gold, green and frosted snow, the last of which lights up. We wound ivy along the runner and threaded battery twinkle lights through it, then added white ceramic trees and cream poinsettias for softness.
For each place setting, we layered a gold charger with a silver leaf coaster on top, then green and white decorative plates. A jacquard napkin in ivory and gold, finished with a red bell, completed each place, followed by crackers (last year’s leftovers, so nothing new to buy) and my own cutlery.
Last of all came the candlelight - our London Townhouse candles along the table and the Frankincense & Myrrh triple wick at its heart.
Shop the look
Everything is listed in the order we placed it. Where something was already ours, we have linked a similar option for you. Prices were correct when we bought them and may vary.
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ITEM |
WHERE TO FIND IT |
PRICE |
|
THE CENTREPIECE |
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|
Linen table runner |
Varies |
|
|
Wooden sleigh |
£5.99 |
|
|
Gold bottle brush tree, 25 cm (Leanne’s own) |
£13.39 |
|
|
Green fir tree, 30 cm (Leanne’s own) |
£15.09 |
|
|
Light-up snowy fir tree |
£7.99 |
|
|
Ivy (Leanne’s own) |
Varies |
|
|
Battery twinkle lights (Leanne’s own) |
Varies |
|
|
White ceramic trees, about 20 cm |
£6.99 each |
|
|
Cream poinsettias |
£5.99 each |
|
|
THE PLACE SETTING |
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|
Gold beaded charger plates, 13 inch (Leanne’s own) |
£13.99 for 6 |
|
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Silver leaf coaster, on top of the gold charger (Leanne’s own) |
£15.00 for 4 |
|
|
Georgina porcelain dinner set: 4 dinner plates, 4 side plates, 4 bowls |
£50 |
|
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Ivory and gold jacquard napkins, 45 x 45 cm |
£17.70 for 6 |
|
|
Red bells |
£2.99 each |
|
|
Crackers (last year’s leftovers) |
£25 |
|
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Cutlery (my own cutlery) |
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THE CANDLELIGHT |
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London Townhouse candles |
£75 |
|
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Frankincense & Myrrh triple wick candle |
£55 |
|
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Frankincense & Myrrh Fragrance Melt, flame-free |
£10 |
|
Finish with candlelight
No Christmas table is complete without candlelight. Ours featured two London Townhouse candles - these are the vessels we are using at our Christmas masterclasses, with our Frankincense & Myrrh triple wick candle at the heart of the table. At £55, it gives 30 to 35 hours of burn time, so it will see you through Christmas Day and well beyond.
Pair them with a fragrance melter that suits your table; we love this one from Next, in white.
Our top tip: light your scented candles about an hour before your guests arrive, so the scent greets them at the door.
Make your own
Would you love to make your own London Townhouse candle for the table, or as a gift? Join us at one of our Christmas Candle Masterclasses on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 November in the Flitch Room at the Saracens Head Hotel, Great Dunmow. Morning, afternoon and evening sessions are available, and you will take home two luxury candles you have made yourself.
Book your masterclass or get in touch with any questions.