Christmas Eve Table

I trust everyone had a Merry Christmas with loved ones!   My family gets together for Christmas at our house on Christmas Eve.  I like Christmas Eve because it is cozy with the fire going and the lighted decorations.   We no longer exchange gifts, but pool "gift" money...we each choose a charity close to our hearts and randomly select one to receive the gift money.

Christmas Eve dinner!

The table set for four

Top view to show JUST how crooked everything really was!

I removed the soup bowl and underplate so you can see the Christopher Radko salad plate...I thought they blended well together

I know there are beautiful new color schemes for Christmas,

but I am VERY traditional and

still love red and green the very best!

I love the way the dishes layer. 

The centerpiece is made of  roses, carnations., pine, boxwood,

baby's breath, and REAL holly (very prickly!!)

This is my Damask Rose sterling...I don't have a lot of it, so I fill in with other silverplate patterns.  The placemat is part of a set given to us by my husband's cousin.  I LOVE these

With such a huge guest list of four, we definitely needed place cards and holders! ;-)

Our dining room looks into the living room.  It always looks so much bigger in photos!

Dessert was set up on the buffet...Lots of home-made goodies and plenty of chocolate!!!

So warm and tempting...

We popped our Christmas crackers...

A tradition that my English hubby brought to us...

we have been doing this since we've been back in my home city

My sister L. (no feathers tonight!)  She ALWAYS puts on her crown.  My sister P. won't so we don't have a silly crown pic of her!

This is what was going on in the living room during dinner!!  Prime sleeping real estate!

The fire was going and the lights were lit...

This is the thing that sold me on our house and believe me, it gets a work out all winter!

Well...that's it!  Dinner was delicious (if I do say so myself!).  We had cream of spinach soup, salad, pork roast, roasted potatoes, green beans, peas, italian greens, rolls and those sweet desserts!  

I hope you all had a warm and wonderful Christmas and have a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

Tess

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• Christmas china is by Gibson from Winterthur catalog AGES ago
• Christopher Radko salad plates-ebay
• Damask Rose and contrasting silverplate "fill-in" pieces-ebay
• Waterford Marquis "Brookside" iced beverage glasses-TJ Max
• Tablecloth-Linens'n'Things (when they had actual stores)
• Red hemstitched napkins-on line (don't know what company)
• Holly and berry napkin rings (the berries are little jingle bells!!)-ebay
• Table runner and placemats-my DH's cousin sent to us from England last year
• Ornament place card holders-ebay

I can't wait to see all of the lovely tables on Susan's blog "Between Naps on the Porch".  Visit her by clicking on the icon up on the right!

Thank you for stopping by...I love reading your comments and knowing that you were here!!

Annual Christmas Outing

My sisters and I have an annual tradition (for about 5 years, but traditions have to start somewhere!!)...we go to a local Christmas tree farm to buy wreaths.  I have an artificial tree because they make me break out when I touch them and the real wreath adds a bit of fresh pine scent to the house. 

So we always start with breakfast at a favorite little restaurant.  Though I am linking with Tablescape Thursday, the only tablescapes in this post are the background of the restaurant and a peek at last year's Christmas table since I will be using elements of that table for this year's table.  

Last year, I took a picture of them playing with the restaurant's decorations and this year I looked up and saw P. with yellow broken reading glasses and L. had a feather in her hair!!  I started laughing so hard and of course, we all got hysterical!  It always happens when we are together!

This is the place where we get our wreaths...this is the first  year we didn't have snow!! : - (

 This is the huge barn with rows and rows of beautiful fresh trees!

 Another view...

 We chose our wreaths from this wall...they already have bows and holly berries but you can dress them up however you want!!

 Looking into this area, there are lots of wreaths that are decorated beautifully and ready to buy

 

Okay...here they are!!!  P. has her glasses with the missing arm and L. has feathers on the right side of her head!!   I noticed both things at once and just lost it!!!  Then we all started...like we always do!

Now to make this a "legit" Tablescape Thursday post, I've included a couple of photos of last year's table.  There will be changes made for this year...Hope you stop back to see it!

 

I can't believe Christmas is just a few days away!!  I hope everyone is done with what has to be done and that you enjoy Christmas with family and friends.  Be sure to stop by Susan's blog "Between Naps on the Porch"  Just click on the link up on the right...The tables will be an inspiration!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

                                                                Tess