A Christmas table is always a little narrative: it begins long before the first course, grows out of anticipation and preparation – and ends as an atmosphere that remains in the room. Stephanie Lamezan-Salins, Managing Director of the traditional Viennese porcelain manufacturer Augarten Porzellan, beautifully describes what it’s all about: “You can immediately see and feel whether the table has been given attention.” It is precisely this attention that is the quiet luxury of the festive season. It turns plates, glasses and branches into an invitation, a table into a place of encounter.
And it takes away the pressure of having to deliver everything “perfectly” – because, according to Lamezan-Salins, the guest does not feel the perfectionism, but the effort, the thought and the love that “radiates across the table”. Anyone who sees the Christmas table not as a duty, but as a gesture of hospitality, has already perfectly staged the real magic of Christmas before the candles are lit. Here we show you how it works:
1) Start early and take a quiet inventory
The key to a successful evening is serenity – and this can only be achieved if you don’t leave everything to the last minute. Stephanie Lamezan-Salins: “You should check in good time whether the basis is right.” Otherwise exactly what most people have already experienced will happen: On the 24th, you suddenly realize that the tablecloth has a stain or even a hole in it or “that the plate that was dropped last year hasn’t been bought again.” So make sure you look through, count and sort now: How many guests are coming, how many complete place settings are there, what needs to be added? “And if something is missing, it’s no big deal – the main thing is to notice it early enough because, as she emphasizes, it’s easy to replenish a service: You can “simply buy more”. This little bit of preparation saves more nerves on the day of the party than any decorating tutorial.
2) Determine the color and style idea early on: festive yes, but not overly cerebral
Once the basic furnishings are in place, it’s time for the part that gives the Christmas table its personality: the color and style scheme. The Augarten practice currently loves “wild mixes”, as Stephanie Lamezan-Salins admits: “The table can be lively, colorful and a little bold”, because that is exactly what creates joy and warmth. At the same time, she also says: “Clear, monochrome tones also work wonderfully at Christmas: a rich red or a deep green bring festivity without being too loud. Although white is the classic choice for a festive table, it can quickly come across as a little cold. In this case, a targeted color accent that creates a warm bridge between the textiles and the tableware can help.
3) Create depth with place settings
The tableware determines the elegance of the Christmas table – and its character. Lamezan-Salins emphasizes the “right choice”: If you want to go for white tableware and white table linen, there’s a trick you can use to bring color into play: namely, a place plate. It creates an intermediate level between the textile and the dinner plate, bringing color, texture and festivity to the Christmas table. “At Augarten,” says the expert, “we like to use them because they make a table look festive in no time at all.” What’s more, the place setting remains in place throughout the evening – a quiet stage on which all the courses can take place.
4) Incorporate nature as a living element at the Christmas table
For a Christmas table to look warm and genuine, it needs something imperfect and organic. For Lamezan-Salins, this is a clear fixed point: “For me, flowers or a bit of nature belong on the table.” Whether twigs, fruit, cones or nuts – these “accessories” should not be arranged in a sterile way, but rather distributed playfully. It is precisely this relaxed approach that brings the table to life by adding a second, sensual level. The expert likes it when flowers are allowed to “move around the table”, i.e. when everything is not fixed in a single vase, but is spread around the table as if by chance, but lovingly.
5) Glasses and cloth napkins as small luxury signals at the Christmas table
Two details often have a greater impact than any large decoration: glasses and textiles. Especially at Christmas, wine and water glasses should be set out in a fixed place, “if you want to serve an aperitif beforehand or a guest has a beer, you should prepare these glasses separately,” says Lamezan-Salins. Also a must for Christmas: Cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. Although this is “more work”, it is also much nicer than paper. It adds weight, warmth and a kind of quiet respect for the occasion.
6) Show appreciation with the Christmas table
What guests notice first at a Christmas table is not the price of the china, but the attitude behind it. Lamezan-Salins describes this almost poetically: a lovingly laid table sends out “a lot of love” – and this love is actually attention for the guest. “The effort I put in as a host is felt by the guest,” she says, and that’s exactly what it’s all about: the preparation time becomes visible, not as a show of achievement, but as a welcome. Anyone who puts a lot of thought into it is already putting the first layer of atmosphere on the table.
7) “Wow” comes from mood, courage – and a pinch of imperfection
For Lamezan-Salins, the big difference between “eh nice” and “wow” lies not in the flawless arrangement, but in the overall effect. “The wow is an overall composition,” she says – and above all: not perfect, but lively. A Christmas table should “radiate emotion”. This is achieved with small accessories that bring joy before people even speak: Bows – especially made of velvet – are particularly trendy at the moment (“Both on flowers and to tie the napkins together”), and twigs, candles in different sizes and shapes or playful accents always work.
And the courage to mix and match. “Mix & match is so beautiful because it brings the table to life and takes the pressure of perfection off the host,” says the expert. Different patterns, shapes, favorite pieces – that’s more exciting than a look that has been thought through down to the last detail.
Our expert
Stephanie Lamezan-Salins has been at the helm of Augarten Porzellan since 2024. With a clear focus on quality, sustainability and creative development, she is leading the traditional company into the future.
Website: www.augarten.com
All photos: Augarten Porcelain
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