Hosting friends and family is one of the sweetest joys of the holidays. Whether it’s a potluck affair, an all-out feast, or even just a movie night, pulling out the perfect tableware makes it all just a little bit more special – especially when it matches your personality.

The Statement Maker

 

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If you have a tendency to always add a bold accessory to an otherwise simple outfit, you might also be compelled to focus the bulk of your energy on a show-stopping dish – a dramatic stunner that makes an otherwise casual and carefree meal one that your guests won’t soon forget. And for that, you need a statement piece: an unusual service plate that’ll draw everyone’s attention to the centre of the table.

Imagine, for example, beginning the night on a high note by serving Oysters Rockefeller on this four-legged black terracotta tray by Sebastian Herkner for Ames.

Or perhaps you’d rather serve up some no-big-deal homemade gougères in this Topography Bowl by Jeff Goodman Studio?

And while we’re on the topic of festive appetizers, how about letting the world know how you truly feel (about deviled eggs) with this Grey Swirl Glass Deviled Egg Tray?

Statement pieces aren’t just for small bites, however, and king of family-style feasts Yotam Ottolenghi has just the piece for a bold and expressive table setting, with this bright yellow serving bowl ready to mix and mingle.

And is it just me, or would you also go out of your way to find a recipe that matches Eiko Maeda’s colour palette, just to show off one of these breathtaking porcelain pieces? Their delicate floral patterns are obtained using the Nerikomi technique, a Japanese style of pottery in which multiple colors of clay are stacked and sliced through to create precise motifs.

The Fresh Starter

 

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New year, new you, new dinnerware? If you’re due for a complete tableware reset, the holidays are the perfect occasion to inaugurate your new everyday crockery.

Fable’s 16-piece ceramic dinnerware set includes dinner plates, salad plates, pasta bowls, and breakfast bowls. Each piece is hand-finished in Portugal, and available in a variety of colours, and you can even add glassware and flatware to your bundle (matte black utensils, anyone?).

Another Instagram darling, Our Place, is a safe bet for hand-painted, easy-stacking porcelain plates and bowls.

For fans of the premium French foundry, Le Creuset’s minimalist dinnerware set is available in a number of classic shades, including holiday-appropriate Cerise red or Artichaut green, two colours the set designers of Home Alone would surely approve of.

For another timeless investment, take a look at Obakki’s aptly named Onyx dinnerware, a set of rich black clay dishes handmade in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The Mix & Matcher

 

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If you’re the person in your friend group who always suggests ordering and sharing the whole menu; if you recently adopted #sidesgiving as a long-overdue celebration of side dishes; or if the holidays are just an excuse for you to finally try all those recipes you saved throughout the year, you’ll need lots of small plates to serve up your eclectic spread. The key to a tasteful mix-and-match collection is to choose neutral pieces with small touches that make them unique.

Think, for example, of these raw-edged plates by Mie Kim, or gold-ruffled bowls by Goye.

Or take the intentional clash of colours and textures in Léa & Nicolas’s plates and bowls, made of polished red stoneware on the outside and glazed white stoneware on the inside.

There’s a similar duality in many of Cylinder Studio’s pieces that makes soft shades of apricot, blue, and grey as eye-catching as the brightest of the bright.

The One Who’s Here For A Good Time, Not A Prep Time

 

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If your idea of a perfect holiday break means ordering take-out every day for a week, you can still decorate the kitchen with these one-of-a-kind fruit (or chocolate, ahem) bowls by YYY and Cyrc – no cooking required.

Otherwise, nothing says “I’m a fancy homebody with some time on my hands” more than learning to craft your favourite cocktail and having the right glass for it. Perhaps you’ll find the inspiration you need in these rose-patterned jewels by Siafu Home or saffron-colored gems by Xaquixe.

Or maybe your favourite holiday tradition doesn’t involve any kind of table setting, and that’s completely fine by us. Bake some cookies, make some popcorn, put on a classic movie, and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate in one of these lovingly crafted mugs by 1loma or Toni Darling Frank.

Whatever you choose to enjoy, we hope the right tableware will bring all the oomph and pizzazz you want from the holidays.

Read more:
20 Table Decorating Ideas for Christmas
The Best Hostess Gift Ideas Under $50
15 Scented Candles for the Holiday Season