When you live in the land down under, it’s sometimes hard to decorate for a holiday most commonly influenced by the Northern Hemisphere.
It’s understandable if you don’t want snow inspired décor in your home or songs about roasting chestnuts when it’s nudging 40 degrees outside.
But this doesn’t mean you have to resort to those kitsch surfing Santa ornaments or top your Christmas tree with a koala.
A stylish Australian Christmas is possible and it’s all about embracing the warm weather and making the most of what’s in season.
Here are a few ideas for creating a table setting for your Australian Christmas.
1. Pick a theme and stick to it
First things first, you need to pick your theme or the general style you’re going for.
This could be colour specific, like the traditional red and gold, or something more uniquely Australian such as a coastal setting.
While you don’t want to be super strict about your table setting, a mish-mash of different styles will be distracting and not very effective.
2. Make use of our native plants
A lot of Christmas décor trends this season are quite earthy and organic.
A great way to bring this to life with an Australian touch is make use of our beautiful Australian natives including kangaroo paw, banksia, waratah, wattle and eucalyptus.
Why not mix a few waratahs with some of our native greenery for an Australian twist on the classic Christmas red and green?
Alternatively, sometimes the best option is to keep it simple – you could make a statement by keeping your table uncluttered and running a garland of eucalyptus down the centre.
3. Go coastal
While those in colder countries can’t imagine a Christmas spent by the beach, most Aussies wouldn’t have it any other way.
Why not bring this Australian tradition to your table setting this Christmas? The possibilities are endless – you could go all out with a tropical theme or have a more subtle seaside influence.
To get this look, opt for organic, natural tableware in a neutral colour, bring in some woven placemats and incorporate some pops of colours such as blue, turquoise or green.
You could then accessorise with some palm leaves or shells.
This needn’t be a shabby chic beach look and can definitely be made classy and elegant with some finer touches like gold cutlery or some coloured crystal glasses.
4. Summer scents
While most Christmas candles give scents of cinnamon, plums, cloves, spices and other strong notes suitable for a cold Christmas, they can be a bit too heavy and overpowering in our hot climate at this time of year.
Try embracing lighter notes more traditionally associated with an Australian summer, such as a coconut and lime candle to enhance the setting.
5. Embrace layers
Whether you’re going for an Australian Christmas table setting or not, a good table setting should incorporate various layers and textures.
Think linens, place mats and table runners alongside some foliage of some kind, an element of height and some smaller tid-bits to add interest (gum nuts are a nice Australian touch).
