The Builder can make a great bed, complete with all the cushions, and he’s also pretty fantastic at creating a gorgeous table setting, my son however, is not. This year we have challenged my youngest, to keep his money in his pocket and to spoil Mum ? in other ways that he knows I will love. Something that gets lost in our every day is the formality of a sit down meal, with our busy lives, it has become a rare reality that we all enjoy a meal together. With this in mind, I thought I would create a post for him, and the others in our lives to reflect on with some easy Mother’s Day table setting tips.

Easy Mother’s Day Table Setting Tips

Rather than show you a bunch of beautifully styled tables, let’s step through a few essential elements that are sure to make Mum happy, and won’t cost you a thing!

Tablecloth

At the base of a great table setting, is a table cloth. Go and raid Mums linen closet, being careful not to mess it up, and find a tablecloth that will fit on your dining room table. Can’t find a tablecloth? A clean sheet will even do, us Mums aren’t fussy, we just want to know you care enough to try!

Candles

There are not too many Mums that don’t like candles, raid Mums stash and be sure to have at least one candle on the table. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just having a lit candle is super fancy already. Bonus points if you can find and use a pair of candles.

Cutlery

Mums love set tables, we really do. It is one less thing we need to think about organising, so have a think about the cutlery you will need to eat the whole meal, and set the table for all who will be joining you. Knives, forks, soup and dessert spoons are what you are looking for here, no one likes to eat with their hands!

Glassware

This is a bonus point for kids who would like to make a fancy table for Mum, pop out the glassware. Now for my son this will mean he’s going to have to find the following, water glass (in the second glass draw) white wine glass, (on the bar table, it’s the smaller one) red wine glass (on the same bar table, the bigger one) and a tea cup (you can choose one from my collection over the coffee machine) Sorry folks, I need to be direct!

Glassware creates a far more formal look for your table and Mum will be super proud if you know where to find all the right glasses ?

Napkins

Our kids have been bought up learning to eat with the Queen, because who knows when Lizzy might pop by! But seriously, once a month or so, we have a big, very formal lunch in which we concentrate on knowing which fork to use when, Queen manners (as we call them) and how to make polite small talk. My most favourite thing about formal dining, is using linen napkins, but if you don’t have any, you can use paper serviettes, don’t have any of those, try paper towel (just fold it nicely) you’ve used all of those, that’s ok, how about a tissue? Gosh you could even make a swan out of toilet paper!

Mum will be well chuffed to know you care enough about her, you made her a swan, even if it’s out of toilet paper!! Mega brownie points here.

Flowers

Now I promised this wouldn’t cost you a cent, so head on out into the garden and find Mum a few flowers you could cut and pop into a vase. Being Autumn, the flowers could be hard to find, some greenery will work just fine, even a bunch of herbs will look pretty in a little vase.

Place Cards

Going that little step further and creating place cards for the table will be an appreciated touch. Why not use a lovely photo of you and Mum as her place card, or simple take a piece of cardboard and neatly write each persons name on it, then place above where their plates will go. A simple thoughtful gesture.

Creating a beautiful table for Mum is much easier than it sounds, mostly because we are not fussy at all, we just love that you have tried.

Got a child this will be handy for? Do your kids know how to eat with the Queen?

Nicole xx