Celebrating Friends ~ Christmas 2010

The joy of Christmas for me is time spent with both family and friends. Our holidays are simple times of shared meals, laughter, and friendship.

Traditional red, green, and white were the colors of the evening.

Our Christmas Eve dinner was around a table simply set with a theme of evergreens and red tassels.

An antique ironstone tureen held fresh spruce branches accented with ornamental cabbage, white mums, and cuttings from the garden.

Christmas red tassels severed as napkin rings for monogramed white linens.

The tassels gave a nod to the festive border on the dinner plates in Queen's Rooster. The border of red gingham, swags, and tassels was the perfect compliment for the evergreen wide bands of the Zrike chargers. Larger white charges beneath were used in place of a linen cloth on the table.

Place cards were little decorative favor boxes filled with chocolates for each guest to take home for a late night snack.

The next evening's table of pine trees, pomegranates, and red birds continued the color theme for Christmas Day dinner for four of us at a friend's home.

A simple white bowl held bright red pomegranates, white twigs, and gorgeous tree ornaments.

A closer look at the ornaments shows red birds among a snowy scene.

Each place setting featured this little winter birdie on the red linen mats with green borders. The Vietri red chargers with white polka dots held traditional Spode Christmas Tree dinner plates.

Spode Christmas Tree, a favorite traditional Christmas pattern, was first introduced in 1938. Even after all these years and with all the other beautiful Christmas patterns available these days, I find this pattern totally charming with its simple pine tree decorated with ornaments.

Linen napkins with a peppermint candy design were held with rings of red jingle bells.

Petite boxes of Godiva chocolates were the sweet little favor to carry home.

Christmas 2010 is now but a memory ~

One of joyful memories of cherished friendships!

Joining

Tablescape Thrusday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Show & Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home