LookFor a formal Christmas Eve dinner, put a charger under the first-course plate, set forks on the left and knives and spoons on the right in the order they are used, stand the glasses above the knives and place the bread plate above the forks.
How do you set a formal Christmas Eve place setting?
The Emily Post Institute's formal setting starts with a charger, a decorative base that holds the first-course plates. Forks go on the left and knives and spoons on the right, arranged so guests work from the outside in, with knife blades facing the plate. The bread plate sits above the forks, the glasses stand above the knives and the napkin rests on the charger.
Set no more than three of any utensil. If the menu needs more, bring the extra flatware out with its course.
- Charger in the center, first-course plate on top.
- Forks on the left; knives and spoons on the right, used from the outside in.
- Knife blades toward the plate.
- Bread plate above the forks; glasses above the knives.
- No more than three of any utensil.
When do charger plates come off the table?
Sources disagree. The Emily Post Institute removes chargers when the main course is served. Lenox says they usually come off after the entrée, and Wikipedia notes that North American hosts sometimes remove them as guests sit down or leave them for the whole meal.
At a family dinner, the simplest choice is to clear the chargers with the first-course plates so the main course has room. Whichever you choose, food never goes directly on a charger.
Make this personal: compare a plan against your budget and start with the pieces you need.
How long should a formal Christmas tablecloth hang?
Sur La Table suggests a 10- to 15-inch drop for a formal table. To size a cloth, add twice the drop to the table's length and width: a 40-by-96-inch table with a 15-inch drop needs a 70 × 126-inch cloth.
How do you light a Christmas Eve table safely?
The U.S. Fire Administration advises keeping candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn. On a table dressed with garland, ribbon and linen, flameless LED pillars give a similar glow without an open flame near the greenery.
The Burgundy Christmas Eve plan uses flameless ivory pillar candles, the same listing as LookBundle's Thanksgiving and Christmas plans.
What can you keep from your Thanksgiving table for Christmas Eve?
LookBundle's Thanksgiving and Christmas plans share seven product lines: white plates, woven placemats, ribbed goblets, gold-tone flatware, an ivory runner, napkin rings and flameless candles. Keep those and change the napkins and centerpiece. The Christmas table-setting calculator puts the Evergreen Evening foundation for six at $185 before you subtract what you own.
The burgundy napkins, cedar garland and gold bells in the Burgundy Christmas Eve plan are open searches, so you can match their color to your own dishes.
| Piece | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Charger | Center of the setting, under the first-course plate |
| Forks | Left of the plate, in the order used from the outside in |
| Knives | Right of the plate, blades facing the plate |
| Spoons | Right of the knives |
| Bread plate | Above the forks |
| Glasses | Above the knives, in the order used |
| Napkin | On the charger |
| Table | Cloth size |
|---|---|
| 60-inch round | 90 |
| 72-inch round | 102 |
| 36 × 72-inch table | 66 × 102 |
| 40 × 96-inch table | 70 × 126 |
Plan it with free LookBundle tools
- Christmas table-setting calculator ↗
The same guest-count calculator for the Evergreen Evening plan: subtract what you own and see the packs you still need.
- Seating chart maker ↗
Add your guests, set up round or long tables with the seats each one has, then tap a name and a seat. Print matching fold-over place cards when the plan is done. It saves in your browser, with no sign-in.
- Find my bundle ↗
Answer three questions about your project, your budget and whether you want essentials or the full look, then compare a matched plan you can edit.
Pieces shared with the Thanksgiving and Christmas plans
The same listings appear in Evergreen Evening and Burgundy Christmas Eve, so one purchase serves both holidays.
White dinner plates
Amazon Basics · White porcelain dinner plates, 10.5 in, pack of 6
View this listing on Amazon ↗
Natural woven placemats
HaxHut · Natural golden water-hyacinth woven placemats, 13.5 in, pack of 6
View this listing on Amazon ↗
Clear ribbed goblets
Ciaell · Clear plastic ribbed square stemmed cups, 10 oz, pack of 12
View this listing on Amazon ↗
Gold-tone flatware
PHILIPALA · Polished gold, 20-piece stainless-steel set, service for 4
View this listing on Amazon ↗
Ivory gauze table runner
Socomi · Ivory cotton cheesecloth runner, 35 × 120 in, 1 piece
View this listing on Amazon ↗
Gold-tone napkin rings
Jofefe · Gold spiral-coil metal napkin rings with ball terminals, 1.8 in diameter × 1.2 in height, set of 6
View this listing on Amazon ↗
Flameless ivory pillar candles
Homemory · Ivory plastic flameless LED pillars, 3 in diameter, heights 4/5/6 in, set of 3
View this listing on Amazon ↗
Christmas accents with exact listings
From the Evergreen Evening plan: hunter-green napkins, a cedar-style garland of about 6 feet and champagne-colored ornaments.
Hunter-green cloth napkins
Utopia Home · hunter green · 12 polyester napkins · 20 × 20 in
View this listing on Amazon ↗Cedar-style greenery garland
Zilithra · artificial greenery · approximately 6 ft
View this listing on Amazon ↗Champagne decorative ornaments
30 ornaments · approximately 2.36 in / 60 mm
View this listing on Amazon ↗
A QUICK PLANNING CHECK
Is your Christmas Eve table formal enough?
Where do the glasses go in a formal setting?
Common questions
Where does the bread plate go in a formal place setting?
Above the forks, on the left side of the setting. The glasses stand above the knives on the right.
When should charger plates be removed?
The Emily Post Institute removes them when the main course is served, and Lenox says usually after the entrée. Food never goes directly on a charger.
How long should a formal tablecloth be?
Allow a 10- to 15-inch drop on every side. A 40-by-96-inch table with a 15-inch drop needs a 70 × 126-inch cloth.
Turn the idea into your own plan
Explore the Burgundy Christmas Eve shopping list, remove what you own and review each product’s specifications. The full list has a $515 USD planning allowance before your changes.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These are independent budget allowances, not current retailer prices or promised savings. Check the exact listing, variant, quantity and delivery estimate before buying.
Keep planning
Sources & further reading
- Emily Post Institute: formal place setting — Chargers, bread plates, glass order and the three-utensil limit.
- Lenox: what is a charger plate? — Charger sizes and when they are removed.
- Wikipedia: charger (table setting) — Regional differences in when chargers are removed.
- Sur La Table: tablecloth buying guide — Tablecloth sizing formula, drop lengths and sizes by seats.
- U.S. Fire Administration: candle safety — Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn.