When you are hosting a holiday dinner, it's important to see your dining area through different eyes. Look carefully at your house before you decide whether full- or self-serve would be better. While most folks prefer the family-style sit-down dinner, some experts say buffet is best. Here are some rules of thumb for seating:
One table is perfect for a family style sit-down dinner, but if you must (or want to) use two or more tables, buffet-style is more appropriate and easier on all.
Avoid confusion and encourage people to sit next to someone different for a change with good old-fashioned name cards.
Never seat spouses together.
Seat the guests of honor to the right of the host.
Always pair "talkers" with "listeners".
It's really important for the children to be spread around the table just like the adults and for them to be seated where they can be engaged in conversation. Don't treat them as second class citizens and use a kid's table
Setting a formal table:
Forks on the left, knives and spoons on the right.
If you want to put desert utensils on the table, put the desert fork and spoon up on the top of the plate.
Around the immediate place setting, place glasses to the right and the butter plate to the left.
