There are a few memories I will always have of Christmas growing up, but one of my favorites is how whenever we went to visit our Italian relatives in Toronto, there were always huge boxes of Clementines waiting for us. I would sneak down to the chilly basement where my grandparents cured their meats and made their pastas and steal a few from the boxes, scarfing them down like candy.

For the past several years I’ve wanted to turn this memory into a citrus-inspired Christmas Tabletop for the holidays, and this year I made it happen! I love how the fresh colors feel so happy and celebratory at the same time…

A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley

The tabletop itself is actually pretty simple – no flamboyantly folded napkins or overly themed pieces here! All those fresh green and tangerine tones are enough to carry the personality of this table on their own.

A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley

Of course – a fancy centerpiece certainly helps things! If you’re completely inept at centerpieces, never fear. A big old bowl of tangerines with the stems still on them, and loads of white taper candles will do the trick!

A sprig of green and a garnish of fruit at every setting is all you need to greet your guests.

A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley

I love the tone of the icy aqua blue napkins with the silk tangerine tablecloth. Renting linens like this for special occasions is so worth it for the impact and something people rarely think to do! It can change the tone and freshen up your dishes in an instant.

A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley A Very Citrus Christmas! | holiday tabletop by coco kelley

 

I loved being able to use my green glasses that I brought back from Morocco for this table setting – it actually made me think about how easily this could translate to other cultures and settings too! Of course, this being an Italian-inspired moment, I had to add the little ‘Grazie’ tags to the mini wreaths and really wanted to sprinkle some of my favorite amaretti cookies around the table, but couldn’t find them locally in time for the shoot.

I love the idea of taking a Christmas memory or tradition and turning it into inspiration for your own table. The items themselves can have such tradition behind them already! We usually use our family china at my parents house, but this year I’ll be hosting Christmas dinner so I hope to start a few traditions of my own… would love to hear about yours!

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