Happy Holidays! I am joining Tablescape Thursday with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch and Seasonal Sundays over at The Tablescaper.
We have been enjoying monthly dinners with our friends for several years, and each month the host/hostess picks a theme for their dinner. There are ten of us, and I think I have hosted about five times so far. We usually skip the months of June through September.
A sampling of previous themes:
Celebrate the Season
A North Pole Christmas
Chinese New Year Celebration
Love is in the Air
Olive Harvest in Tuscany
From Bobby Flay's Kitchen to Our Table
A Love-ly Evening
Comfort Food - Caring Friends
Good Grains - Great Friends
Wine Dinner
Framed photos of the guests were placed around the table for them to take home. I bought gold frames from the Dollar Store, and embellished them with ribbon, berries and greens.
Framed photos of the guests were placed around the table for them to take home. I bought gold frames from the Dollar Store, and embellished them with ribbon, berries and greens.
Each couple was given an ornament to take home.
Poinsettia's were placed in the dining room to coordinate with the Mackenzie Child's theme.
Now with candles added and no silverware.
Added a small centerpeice and glassware.
The table before soup bowls were added.
Added a few candles to a display in our sun porch which adjoins the living room.
The Christmas tree in the entrance hall is decorated with gold poinsettia and Courtly Check ornaments.
Dicken's Village found a home on our glassware cabinet.
A little red tree in the dining room.
Our tablescape included Twelve Days of Christmas earthenware plates each displaying a different day. Vintage-storybook style upon a backdrop of antique French script.
With inspiration from Williams-Sonoma, we sang the Twelve Days of Christmas following along with the pictures. Very fun!
Main Cast:
Salad/Dessert plates: Williams-Sonoma "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (each plate illustrates an enchanting list of gifts from the old English song)
Cream dinner plates - Wegman's (several years ago)
Courtly Check enamelware chargers - Mackenzie Childs
Red poinsettia tablecloth - Tuesday Morning
I had one goal when choosing our menu - to create an impressive array of make-ahead dishes that would be holiday season worthy with a slightly formal feel. Our guests arrived at 5:00 for cocktails.
~Our Menu~
Appetizers:
Baked Brie accompanied by sugared grapes and pears
Marinated cheeses and olives
Shrimp Cocktail
Shrimp Cocktail
Spicy vanilla pecans
Chicken Liver Pate
French Onion soup
Arugula-endive salad with honeyed pine nuts
Chicken Liver Pate
French Onion soup
Arugula-endive salad with honeyed pine nuts
Roast beef tenderloin with port wine and cherry sauce
Potato gratin with fennel and leeks
Roasted asparagus
Caramel custards accompanied by biscotti
A festive, mostly make ahead menu.
I love how this ornament has the most subtle of sparkles. Each couple received an ornament as a gift.
Added some bling to a couple of chairs in our sun porch. I picked up the sparkling pillows at Crate and Barrel last season.
Thank you for your visit! Happy Holiday Wishes!
Debbie
Debbie
What a festive party, Debbie! Your table is beautiful! What lucky guests to get a framed picture and a beautiful ornament. We have our gourmet group this Saturday. We're not hosting so it should be fun and relaxing.
ReplyDeleteI had noticed the table setting in your header yesterday and I was so hoping you would do a full post on it. The table is stunning and I like the photos taken step by step. Courtly check looks so good with red so the chargers are perfect with the tablecloth and the plates. Pretty ornaments and framed photos must have been much appreciated by your guests. The menu sounds divine too.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post :)
Fantastic party, Debbie, wish I lived closer, I'd have crashed! The menu is fabulous! Pretty table and the ornaments are perfect gifts!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun group this sounds like! We were in a "gourmet group" for several years, and it was always fun. Your table is gorgeous -- I love the Courtly Check with the Christmas-y elements!
ReplyDeleteOMGosh..I have swooned and fell in the floor, drooled all over my keyboard until I'm afraid of an electrical shock, and had to go p about 6 times after seeing this BEAUTIFUL post.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I am a HUGE MC CC fan. I can't afford it on a Social Security budget but I do love it.
I would think I had died and gone to heaven if I could do a tree with CC. So so beautiful.
Next, I just discovered WS 12 Days of Christmas dishes and just finished a post about putting them on my wish list.
Sooo, as you can see, you hit ME right between the eyes with this amazing post.
Enjoyed every minute of it.
And, I am signing up to follow. Please come back to see me soon.
xo bj
ooo, and meant to ask if I may take a photo of your beautiful dishes to use in my post? I will link it back to you. :)
ReplyDeleteOh your tablescape makes me feel merry and bright!
ReplyDeleteSeasons greetings to you and yours.
Great minds think alike...one of my Christmas tables features the Courtly Check charger, too! Your Twelve Days plates are wonderful..hadn't seen that particular group...really like them. Thank you for sharing your charming design and for stopping by my post. Cherry Kay
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful Christmas gathering. I enjoyed watching you "build' yor table setting.
ReplyDeleteDebbi, I love those 12 Days of Christmas dishes...and of course, the MC charger plates!
ReplyDeleteA very Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I tried to leave a comment a couple days ago but my computer kept freezing up...hope it holds out for a little longer!
I'm warning you. A brawl will ensue between Santa's reindeer and the elves if they're let loose in your house. No one will want to go back to the North Pole!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful and festive table, menu and decorations!
And Debbie, I'm happy to know you're also a Mackenzie Childs fan. I love all her creations.
Happy Holidays!
Looks like it was a wonderful party! The table looks lovely, and the menu sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteI am sure your guests were very happy, such a lovely lagniappe!
Wow, I wish I'd been a guest at your lovely table! And, what fun to have a framed pic ready to greet each dinner guest (may have to borrow that idea)! Your menu sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely...I am also a fan of the M-C checks...check out my knock-off tree on my Nov 14th post...I live about 45 min from the Aurora plant and love going there...they are coming out with courtly check fabric this spring (you can see it if you scroll to my labels and click on M-C) Enjoy the holidays...I would love to be a guest at that table!!
ReplyDeleteDebbie, such fun to see this table because I treated myself to a set of the WS 12 Days of Christmas at the "After Christmas Sale". My thought exactly was how great they would look with the MC chargers.
ReplyDeleteI keep forgetting to comment on the heart shaped waffles. Gorgeous! Now I want a heart shaped waffle maker. I have an antique one that one uses over a burner, but never have actually used it. I may have to give it a try. ;-)
~ Sarah
Just saw your blog...love the CC and the red! I am a huge MC collector and the resident MC artist. Cannot get enough of it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your tablescape..it is beautiful! h..and your heart shaped waffles look delish!
I am now a follower!
Warm Hugs,
Linda