25 Christmas Dining Room Decorating Ideas To Bring Joy To The Table

Transform your dining room into a festive wonderland with these enchanting Christmas decorating ideas.

Sure, presents under the tree are pretty magical, but the dining room is where the true magic happens during the holiday season. There's nothing more festive than enjoying the company of family and friends gathered around the dining room table. Of course, Christmas decor is an important part of the festivities, and where better to start than the site of holiday meals?

If you're looking for Christmas dining room decor ideas, we have everything you need to bring a bit of cheer to the table. Whether you'd your holiday design to incorporate festive greenery, placeholder settings, chair backings, or all of the above, there's something on this list to brighten every dining room.

Choose a Few Showstoppers

You don't need to wrap your whole dining room in garland and wreaths to celebrate the season. Instead, pick a few elements and make them extra special. Here, a magnolia wreath and matching magnolia centerpiece steal the show.

Bring Out the Florals

Flowers are just as welcome during the Christmas season as they are during the rest of the year. For extra festivity, choose arrangements with an abundance of red and green, such as these roses.

Use a Tablecloth

Not sure how to bring festive colors to a neutral space? Try using a colored tablecloth. Wreaths and red flowers tie the space together.

Embrace Neutrals

If the woods and furniture in your dining room are neutral-toned, consider continuing that palette with your decor. Gold, cream, and white accents—such as tree ornaments, place setters, or flowers—bring festivity to neutral-toned spaces without making neutral elements seem bland.

Consider Cool Blues

Richmond-based designer designer Sara Hillery prefers to forgo the traditional reds and greens, instead opting for sophisticated cool blues. Paired with live decor, the blues hint at the season without overwhelming the space.

Add a Pop of Color

Though typically thought of as summer colors, bright oranges, pinks, and blues can ramp up the festivity of a space when paired with more traditional Christmas motifs.

Don't Be Afraid To Experiment

A rainbow of flowers bestows the Christmas dining table with more liveliness than single-color flowers could achieve. Along with scattered pomegranates, the flowers suggest a Christmas bounty of plenty.

Embrace the Existing Palette

The dining room in the 2023 Southern Living Idea House features warm woods and white paint, making a white-and-neutral Christmas tree ideal for accentuating the space's existing charm. The tree ornaments are made from upcycled wood and recycled cotton.

Keep it Simple

If your dining room decor is already busy, consider keeping your holiday decor to a few defining touches. In this case, family silver, inexpensive grocery store flowers, and a hint of color prep this space for the holiday season just as well as a decked-out Christmas tree.

Make Your Own Magnolia Wreath

It wouldn't be Southern Christmas decor without Magnolia garland. You can make your own with the help of a florist foam wreath.

Utilize the Background

If you don't want to crowd an already-cramped table, try moving some of the decor to other surfaces. In this dining room, flowers strategically positioned on a cabinet behind the table extend the chandelier for an elegant look.

Use Seatbacks

Cloth and ribbon tied to the backs of these dining room chairs bring lots of festivity without the hassle of hanging garlands and wreaths. White tulips punctuate this room's classic reds, greens, and golds.

Modernize

For more modern dining rooms, try minimalist decorations like this willow wreaths. This twist on traditional Christmas decor still elevates spirits while maintaining the modern vibe of the space.

Encourage Conversation Flow

Keep your centerpiece low to encourage Christmas table conversation. This works particularly well with a circular table.

Cozy Garland

Ditch the centerpiece in favor of a table-length garland. We promise it looks just as good on the table as on the fireplace.

Embrace Bold Reds

In the Southern Living Kentucky Idea House, a red-and-white table setting pops against the dining room's neutral backdrop. Instead of one large centerpiece, try distributing decor down the length of the table.

Repeat Shapes

A circle mirror, hanging plates, and circular flower arrangements carry a sense of consistency throughout this holiday set-up.

Expand Your Palette

Fresh-cut lisianthus blooms and gold accents increase the festivity of this blue and orange dining room, demonstrating that any space can be made Christmas-y.

Bring Formality to Unexpected Places

Tall tapers, like those at designer Maggie Dillon's table, bring formality and height to the tablescape without blocking conversation.

Up the Greenery

A spruce-and-magnolia garland like this one adds liveliness to the holiday scene. An arrangement of flowers, fruit, and greenery on the table is the finishing touch.

Organic Elegance

When it comes to your dining room decor, not just any greenery will do. In this centerpiece, clippings of silver fir, cedar Lebanon, and dogwood berries set the season.

Go for Gold

Spice up the season with this underappreciated Christmas color. Golden pinecones extend the golden theme from the centerpiece outward.

Accent with Blue

Even if you're primarily decorating with red and green, blues like these frosty glasses can add more cheer and diversity your Christmas decor palette.

Choose a Color Scheme

In this Charlottesville Home, napkins, candles, and fruit caries a yellow theme while leaving room for a bountiful Christmas dinner. Wreaths, a fireplace garland, and centerpiece flowers carry a parallel green theme throughout the room.

Pick a Plant

Here, the repetitive use of the same red flowers on the table and on the mantle creates a simple yet elegant look for Christmas decorating.

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