How to Prepare Your Dining Room for Christmas Without Spending a Fortune

You can prepare your dining room for Christmas without spending a fortune by focusing on three things: making enough room around the table, dressing it with natural and reusable materials, and using light to create atmosphere. Most of the festive feeling comes from how the room is arranged and lit rather than from new decorations bought each year. Start by clearing surfaces and checking that everyone can sit comfortably, then decide whether you need an extending table, a bench or a few borrowed chairs. Foliage from the garden, plain linen, candles and the tableware you already own can look far more elegant than themed accessories. In this guide we explain how to plan seating for a larger group, style the table simply, use your sideboard as a serving station and bring warmth to the room with layered lighting. Every idea is designed for real British dining rooms, including compact kitchen diners....