Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Tradition ~ Christmas Tablescape Blog Hop



~ T R A D I T I O N ~
Christmas in our home is
all about Traditions!

Welcome to Christmas Tablescape Blog Hop

Thank you to Rita, our amazingly organized and 
talented leader and author of the beautiful Panoply
Each account in this hop offers abundant inspiration for creating 
your own holiday table and ambiance.
Links are at the end of this post.

A favorite traditions here is 
Christmas Eve Dinner.
Just as I shared a harvest of ideas for setting your Thanksgiving table,
I decided to use a similar format and share snippets of ideas used for
our various Christmas dinners.

Though there is nothing Christmas specific about my dish stack,
the traditional red and green is an obvious nod to the holiday.
Red plaid swags rim these plates by Queen's China.  
Two different chargers, forest green by Zrike and 
Ambiance Vintage Garden in white, take the place of linens.
Don't feel bound to use a table cloth or placemats.
I like to embrace the warmth and richness of the bare wood.

Christmas red tassels ring the linen napkins and 
echo the tassels on the swag borders of the plates.

Petite boxes of spiced pecans did double duty 
as both place cards and individual gifts for guests.

Flowers are often the easiest for a centerpiece.
Just remember to keep them low so guests can easily visit.

I don't have Christmas themed china 
other than a few sets of holiday dessert/salad plates,
 so I pull in other elements to make the table festive.

Here I paired our wedding china, Richard Ginori's Palermo Brown
with MacKenzie-Childs' Courtly Check chargers.
The beaded green placemats offer a touch of elegance.

Party favors for this meal were green 
Christmas tree balls ringed with gold glitter garlands.

With place cards attached they also
directed each guest to their place at the table.

A trio of cache pots filled with white cyclamen
served as a simple centerpiece.

A Winter Wonderland vignette created by a friend 
using a mirror sprinkled with faux snow and a 
collection of Putz houses served as a centerpiece here.

Again I used my Ginori wedding china and white linens, 
but paired them with a rattan charger for a simple, elegant look.

I added a wreath of fresh rosemary to white reindeer ornaments
and sent them home with my guests to hang on their Christmas trees.

At times the menu calls 
for a more casual look.

A dough bowl filled with greens, pine cones, red berries, tartan balls, and a wooden heart added both texture and interest for my centerpiece.

Both the quilted placemat and fringed 
woven napkin added more texture.
The plate stack was a real mix and proves not all 
pieces on the table need to be high end china.
~ Pewter Chargers by Arte Italica ~
~ Classic Tidings Tartan Dinner Plates by Target ~
~ Black Soup Bowls by Dollar Store ~

This time party favors were green ceramic deer ornaments
and again, used as name place cards.

We also sent each guest home with a loaf 
of the Chef's fresh baked bread.

This centerpiece vignette was
created atop a silver tray.

Again, the base was sprinkled with faux snow. 
I simply added a few bottle brush trees and two tree ornaments.

I once again used the green Zrike chargers and 
paired them with Juliska Stewart Tartan dinners topped 
with Arte Italica Natale salad plates.
Placemat and napkin from Crown Linen Designs
and tartan napkin from MacKenzie-Childs.

I used needlepoint Bauble Stockings 
to hold antique mother of pearl flatware.

If you don't yet know about Bauble Stockings, 
you can read about them here.
Founded by Kate Stewart in 2018, 
the stockings are hand stitched by single moms in Haiti.

Kate's enthusiasm and passion for her business inspire. 
I've committed to support this endeavor by adding
a few of these heirloom quality stockings each year. 

Sadly our dinner parties of the past, are now tables for two,
but there is no reason a table for two can't also
be styled with elegance and grace.

Wishing you a very
Merry Christmas
~ And ~

Happy Y'allidays!

Don't miss Santa's list of fabulous tables below:
Everyday Living - A Nutcracker Parade
Pandora's Box - "I can't decide..."
Hyacinths for the Soul - Traditions ~ A Tablescape Blog Hop  You Are Here
Living with Thanksgiving - Merry and Bright
Tablescapes at Twenty-One - Winter Sports
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Evergreen and Gold Christmas Table
The Painted Apron - Christmas Trucks and Trees
Red Cottage Chronicles - A White Christmas Tablescape
Life and Linda - Gnome for the Holidays
Belle Bleu Interiors - Christmas Blessings
The Bookish Dilettante - Dreaming of a Pink Christmas


23 comments:

  1. Sarah, you may not be hosting large dinner parties, but your heart is still in it, and that matters most. Whether you style two or ten, your details are impeccable, consistently! It's really hard for me to choose a favorite, whether it's the tartans mixed with a rustic or refined look, or just the classic cream with gold rim traditional. I know one thing, I love those bauble stockings. I remember when you shared them originally. They are wonderful. Thank you for bringing your collage of inspiring table designs to the hop. It is a pleasure to pour over each and every one!

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  2. Sarah, every single table you shared is lovely. You have a talent for tablescapes and items like the tree under the cloche, the wrapped bread for each guest, and the needlepoint Bauble Stockings make the tables shine!
    Merry Christmas
    RR

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  3. Sarah, it's impossible to choose a favorite from your charming collection of table settings. I am smitten with your Christmas tree needlepoint flatware pockets! Merry Christmas to you!

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  4. Dearest Sarah,
    As we age, large filled tables for dinner are a thing of the past...
    But certainly the memories, with photos of such table settings remain!
    Happy Advent!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  5. They are all beautiful Sarah! I have to say my favorite is the last one with the plaid plates, pretty tree and berry plate, on the black and white Crown Linen placemats. Love the Happy Y'allidays cookie too! The bauble stockings are so special, and how nice to gift your guests with a treat to take home. I wish you a very Merry December!
    Jenna

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  6. Sarah, your beautiful tables are full of ideas. I could not possibly choose a favorite, each is lovely and unique. You have a gorgeous collection of linens and dishware and feature each piece with your classic style. I know guests were thrilled to receive a takeaway gift of home baked bread from your Chef. It is a pleasure to hop with you and wishing you a joyous Christmas season ♥️

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  7. Sarah, I love every single detail of your table(s) traditions! You have such a marvelous collection of plates and are so talented are created layered plate stacks. Oh how I love the tartan dishes and the very special Arte salad plate. Those mini needlepoint stockings look like heirlooms. I’m hoping the ones I made our family decades ago become just that. Clever idea to use the reindeer ornaments as both pale card holders and take home favors. A most Merry Christmas to you.

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  8. So many beautiful options Sarah! I really couldn't chose a favourite because they are all wonderful in their own right! I especially love all the unique place cards! Especially the gorgeous green and gold ornaments set inside the glasses. I will definitely be borrowing this idea! I definitely agree that flowers always make a stunning centerpiece, and great advice to keep them low to allow for the flow of conversation! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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  9. Sarah, I love all your tables because each one is beautiful and special! I love dough bowls used as centerpieces: They always add interest and texture to tables. I also love the little stockings made by moms in Haiti. How special! :D
    I also like having low and spread-out centerpieces, but I did go for height this year. I can always move it to the dresser when we eat. I hope your Advent Season has been full of joy so far this year!

    Merry Christmas!
    Ricki Jill

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  10. Sarah, I absolutely cannot pick a favorite. I love them all! (Although I confess to having a love affair with putz houses and bottlebrush trees! My centerpiece is on the same lines these days!) The party favor balls are so pretty too! Each table is gorgeous. I hope you get to use them all!

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  11. It really is great to be able to look back on Christmases and celebrations past. That's one of the great things about blogs. You can reminisce to your heart's content. Like you, I see the larger parties of the past slipping away in favor of a table for just the 2 of us. At least with photos of past celebrations we can remember what it was like to host those blowout shindigs. Every one of yours was a winner. Thanks for sharing, and Happy Y'allidays to you, too!!!!!!

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  12. Oh wow! Each photo is striking! You have the gift to embellish beautifully. I love how you use what you have and change it for different looks.
    I am touched by the Bauble stockings and remember hearing about them last year.
    Love the Christmas cookie Texas style! Adorable.
    I adore your Natale Arte Italica plates. Your plate stack is so pretty and tying the Crown Linen napkin with a tartan ribbon is a lovely touch to the place setting.
    So glad you joined the tablescape group. Merry Christmas!

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  13. All of your tables are so welcoming. You have such a flair for mixing and matching and i love to see it! I adore your Arte Italica Natale dishes - they are lovely!! Wishing you and Monnie a wonderful holiday season

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  14. Sarah, I love your Christmas compilation of settings! Those Juliska Stewart Tartan dinners topped with Arte Italica Natale salad plates. . .swoon! I adore the winter wonderful centerpiece your friend created with those sweet Putz houses too. Those Bauble stockings are the sweetest. As always it’s a treat to join you at the table and hop with you. Wishing you, Monnie and sweet Sadie a Merry December and Happy Y'allidays! ♥

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  15. Sooo many pretty settings! Love the dear ornament with the with the fresh Rosemary. The winter scene you created is beautiful!! You have shared so many wonderful looks here. I hope you have a Merry Christmas season and a joyous new year! ❤️

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  16. Sarah, you have styled some of the most beautiful settings and I always take note. Your attention to detail is appreciated by everyone who sees or reads your blog. I can't choose a favorite because it's impossible to choose from a professional stylist (did you miss your calling)! It's mostly a table for two here as well, unless it's family. No parties or hosting fun gatherings for a while now. Like you, a few outings and seeing friends for lunch now but mostly staying close to home. Thanks for combining so much inspiration in one post, I am still contemplating a table for our family Christmas Eve so this post is a big help. Hugs.........

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  17. Sooooo many tables to look at Sarah. it is hard to focus on just one but I love the red tassels of the first table. (I should take your direction and go back into my archives and dig out past Christmas tablescapes....I have tons, as do most of our fellow stylists, perhaps one could find inspiration again.) LOL!
    I especially like using the placecards as party favors...how nice to be able to take part of the table/dinner memories home with them to hang on their own tree.
    I did fix your link per your request...I thought I fixed it the first time, but apparently my computer had other ideas... although I have a dear "IT" friend who always says...never rule out operator error. LOL (I blame it all on Chemo brain as my doctor said the effects of chemo will be around for a long, long time. UGH!
    So glad to blog hop with you. Have a Merry Christmas!
    Kari @ Me and My Captain

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  18. Sarah, I don't believe my link is correct...it goes to an 404 error page on Hyacinths for the Soul! thank you so much for checking it!
    Kari

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  19. Yes to the richness of bare wood, and the red tassels make the whole setting pop. Spiced pecans? Yes please! I love the green beaded placemats and the ornaments at each setting. Your table is elegant and very pretty. Happy Holiday to you and yours!

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  20. There's something about green that's really calling to me this holiday season. That's why I particularly drawn to the setting with the beaded green placemats set off by dramatic black and white checked chargers. The elegant details on all of the tables are quite lovely. Hope you have a jolly December!

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  21. So pretty, I love the tartan plates and that beautiful centerpiece!! Also, I've never heard of bauble stockings!! Thank you for sharing!

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Thank you to each of you who take the time to leave a comment. I read and appreciate each and every one and will respond to any questions. Your notes are the only way I know who has stopped in for a visit.