Christmas Collection

Royal Stewart, which is why it appears on so much seasonal merchandise. It is a genuine registered sett rather than a Christmas invention, and it is a universal tartan, meaning anyone may wear it regardless of family. Green based setts work equally well.

No, and they are frequently confused. Royal Stewart is the personal tartan of the monarch and is treated as universal in practice. Clan Stewart has its own separate setts. If you want the family tartan rather than the famous one, check which you are ordering.

A runner first, since it frames the table without covering it, then napkins and coasters. All three are used again through the year, unlike decorations. A tree skirt is the one seasonal specific piece worth owning.

Yes, and most people do. Hogmanay is Scotland's New Year and Highland dress is more expected there than at Christmas, so a sett bought for one covers the other without any change. See Hogmanay tartan.

Pull one colour from the sett rather than trying to match the whole thing. A tartan runner with plain candles and greenery reads far better than tartan repeated across every surface in the room.

It is the one genuinely seasonal piece in the range, and it lasts decades because it is used for a few weeks a year. Everything else on this page, from table linen to clothing, works beyond December.