Table Setting Etiquette

With Christmas coming up, I'm sure many of you will be hosting parties. So I will be showing you different ways to set your table depending on your needs.

Breakfast/Lunch

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This is a casual setting. You can take out the large soup bowl if it is not needed.

A- Dinner Plate

B- Soup Bowl

C- Bread & Butter Plate

D- Teacup & Saucer

E- Water/Juice Glass

F- Napkin

G- Dinner Fork

H- Dinner Knife

I- Teaspoon

Dinner

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This is similar to the Breakfast/Lunch setting, just with a few extras. Notice there is no soup bowl. It is usually served as an appetizer, so begin by taking the salad plate off the dinner plate, placing the soup bowl on the dinner plate, then returning with the salad (place next to the bread plate).

A- Dinner Plate

B- Salad Plate

C- Bread & Butter Plate

D- Teacup & Saucer

E- Napkin

F- Water Glass

G- Wine Glass

H- Salad Fork

I- Dinner Fork

J- Dinner Knife

K- Soup Spoon

L- Teaspoon

Formal Dinner

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This is where the big guns come out. You can add more stemware than I have pictured, if necessary. You can have: red wine, white wine, water, champagne flute, and a teacup. You can also add a charger underneath the dinner plate. If you do, NOTE: CHARGERS ARE TO BE REMOVED BEFORE THE MEAL BEGINS!

A-Dinner Plate

B-Salad Plate

C- Small Soup Bowl

D- Napkin (with napkin ring!)

E- Teacup & Saucer

F- Bread & Butter Plate

G- Water Glass

H- Wine Glass

I- Salad Fork

J- Dinner Fork

K- Formal Butter Spreader

L- Steak Knife

M- Dinner Knife

N- Soup Spoon

O- Teaspoon

P- Dessert Fork

Q- Dessert Spoon

Helpful Hints

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-If you're not sure which fork/spoon to use, start from the outside and work your way in.

-Knives should always have the cutting edge facing in, towards the plate.

-The host/hostess should always sit at the head of the table (but we already knew that, right?)

-Charger plates are for decoration only, so it should be removed before the meal begins.

- The meal begins when the host unfolds their napkin, then the guests do the same. The napkin stays on your lap the entire meal, but you can use it to gently blot your mouth. If you need to leave the table, place your napkin to the left of the dinner plate or your chair. Once the meal is over, the napkin goes to the right of your dinner plate (don't refold it though, but don't wad it up either!)

I hope this helps when you host your holiday dinner parties!

Have a beautiful December day!