Recreate these gorgeous 20th-century Christmas table settings
Setting the table is a time-honored tradition that evokes the feeling of a classic, old-fashioned Christmas. From the linen tablecloth to the sparkling glassware and careful arrangement of the decorations, festive Christmas table settings can become an integral part of a family’s holiday traditions.
With a little thought and care — plus the inspiration of these lush holiday table settings of yore — you can create unforgettably nostalgic Christmas table settings that will be remembered for years to come.
Old-fashioned Christmas table settings from the 1930s & 1940s
Yuletide dinner – Christmas table settings from 1931
1930s Christmas table setting in green
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Fancy Christmas tree centerpiece on dining table (1949)
Simple old-fashioned 1940s dining room with table set for Christmas dinner (1949)
1950s Christmas table settings
An elegant old-fashioned Christmas table from the 50s
1950s simple Christmas table with red and gold accents (1956)
A table with a centerpiece of crystal beads and flowers (1959)
A good old-fashioned Christmas table from the 50s
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Retro 1950s inspiration for setting the table
1960s Christmas table settings
A red and white Christmas table with a candy cane centerpiece (1965)
Old-fashioned Christmas table decorated with hundreds of colorful glass ornaments (1969)
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Elegant old-fashioned dining room with Christmas table decor (1969)
Christmas decor inspiration and tablesettings from 1960
Christmas decor with a glass star light fixture
Gold and red holiday table setup (1960)
Christmas breakfast in the country (1962)
Basket of fresh fruit and greens, on a table set for Christmas breakfast in the country — old ironstone, red-and-white patterned cloth.
Table decorated with towering trees made of shiny ornaments (1969)
Rustic breakfast table with sheafs of wheat
Golden & blue Christmas table decor (1969)
Festive 1960s Christmas table decor with a big white Christmas tree centerpiece
Rustic bare branch Christmas tree table centerpiece (1964)
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A super-retro casual pink Christmas table (1963)
Classic semi-formal Christmas party table setting (1964)
Simple holiday breakfast table style
1970s Christmas table setting ideas
Christmas dinner on a coffee table in front of a half tree (1971)
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Whimsical country-style Christmas decor around a dining table (1973)
Retro Christmas table setting from 1970
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Retro Christmas table with greenery and ornaments (1978)
Beautiful golden holiday decor and pears
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A formal dining table with red chairs decorated for the holidays
Christmas table setting ideas from 1972
Christmas holiday table setting from 1974
Blue and white glassy and shiny Christmas table settings (1976)
Charming retro rustic small dining table set for Christmas (1970)
1970s-style color-rich holiday table decor
Quaint rustic Christmas table from the 1970s
Old-fashioned rustic Christmas table settings in red and green (1970)
Holiday tables from the 1980s and 1990s
Christmas dining table (1982)
Christmas table set with holly plates (1984)
Vintage Pier 1 Christmas dishes and tablesettings (1992)
90s Pier 1 Christmas plates
Antique zone! Back to 1903
The dinner table on Christmas Day (1903)
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