A White Christmas… with Cheese as the Star!
WORDS: CHYKA KEEBAUGH
IMAGES: MARCEL AUCAR
Christmas styling is one of my all-time favourite things, and this year I had the absolute pleasure of creating a magical table for the Moondarra and Tarago Cheese Company Christmas celebration. It turned out so beautifully, I had to share it with you! Now, I’m a big believer that a great table starts with a theme. Sometimes it’s a colour palette, sometimes it’s a feeling… and sometimes, it’s a favourite food. Yes! Food! This table was inspired entirely by the star of the show: Tarago’s Shadows of White cheese. Creamy, decadent, elegant; the perfect muse for a dreamy white Christmas moment.
Shadows of White is the ultimate Christmas crowd-pleaser - creamy, indulgent, and impossibly elegant. Whether you’re serving a beautiful festive entrée, styling a show-stopping grazing platter, or gifting something truly special to the food lovers in your life, this artisan cheese always delivers. Its soft, velvety texture and rich flavour pair perfectly with seasonal fruits, honey, and crusty bread… making every bite feel like a celebration. It’s the little luxury that makes Christmas feel extra magical. Shadows of White also has this luxurious, soft, snowy look and feel, so why not celebrate that? The entire table was styled in whites and soft neutrals to echo that beautiful cheese and let it shine (both literally and figuratively!).
It’s such a fun reminder that your inspiration doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with something you adore ...a flavour, a favourite ingredient, a family recipe...and let it guide the colour, the décor, and the feeling of your table.
Bring ‘Shadows of White’ theme to life…
Styling with a versatile neutral base, I used my Chyka Home dinnerware, glasses, and cutlery, all from Harris Scarfe. This simple white range is a total wardrobe staple for the dining room, keeping it clean, classic, and endlessly versatile. They let you build any look from the ground up, whether you’re going bold and colourful or soft and dreamy, like this setting.
Honeycomb tree décor from Amazon, so playful and sculptural.
Glowing white Christmas trees from Big W are layered throughout for sparkle.
Simple greenery gathered from the neighbourhood always adds balance.
Long trailing ribbons in crisp white, draping to the floor for drama.
Christmas lights woven heavily through the trees, the more glow, the better!
Chic placemats from Luxe & Beau because texture is key when you keep everything tonal.
Every detail whispered winter wonderland… but with sunshine and cheese boards, because this is an Aussie Christmas after all!
As workers arrived, the table felt inviting, elegant, and just a little bit magical; the perfect backdrop for artisan cheeses, delicious bites, and festive laughter. That’s what this time of year is all about: celebrating the things (and people) we love most. So this Christmas, think differently when you start planning your table. Maybe it’s a beloved cheese like Shadows of White. Perhaps it’s cherries, seafood, pavlova… whatever brings you joy can become the anchor of your styling story. Create a theme that feels like you… and then have fun with it!
