1.Beaded mistletoe wire, £7.50, Cox & Cox. 2. Vintage place setting placemats, £29.95 for a pack of 50, The Original Pop Up Shop. 3.Greywood bloom vase, £14, Rowan & Wren. 4. Christmas tree napkins on a roll, £14.50, Cox & Cox. 5 & 6. Belgium linen napkins, £40 for a set of 4, The White Company.

It’s always my job to set the table at Christmas and it’s my favourite part of the day, not least because it means dinner is nearly ready (I swear we eat less on Christmas day as after breakfast we don’t eat again until 5pm after a mandatory hike up a hill, with little time to gorge on Quality Streets. Hmph) but also because I love thinking up new creative ideas. There’s so much you can do with a few napkins, crackers, tea lights, a little sparkle and Christmas foliage. I don’t like to go over the top. Less is more. In preparation,  I’ve been looking for a little inspiration and I love these simple ideas that don’t involve much effort at all but are beautifully effective.