As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I’m in Christmas mode and my tablescape and place settings change constantly throughout the month as I have fun experimenting. Stylistically, one day I might be in the mood for total glitz, while another time it is a down home Christmas table that warms my heart.
See the experiment above? I found miniature Christmas sweaters in the ornament aisle of a local store. Rather than use these adorable tree decorations as ornaments, I instead made them function as flatware holders on each plate, skipped the napkin rings, and folded the napkins underneath the sweater flatware holders to frame them with a little more color. Cute, huh?
TIP: I buy a couple of flower arrangements each week during December — nothing expensive, just some mixed bouquets that give me some variety to work with. If I time it right and buy them as soon as they arrive in the store, I find that that some of the flowers and greenery will last for much more than a week. Throughout the month, I deconstruct and create new combinations with the greenery, pinecones, flowers, berries, and filler. Low, small vases provide the most options and you can bunch them together or spread them out.
See the layers? Poinsettia design table runner, bouquets, candles, Christmas fairy, placemats. In the first picture, white plates, red placemats. Here, we try out green placemats. I think the red is definitely the winner!
Here is a variation on the theme. Similar colors, but a very different tablescape. See the tablerunner? The delicate green leaf embroidery on it is as appropriate for Christmas as it is for Spring. There was a Christmas cactus in bloom, so it became the centerpiece. Tall tapered candles adorn the table, along with red votives in clear holders. Simple ecru napkins with crocheted edges are folded and placed plate-side. (Ignore the fact that I have two at my place. Yes, I am messy and I know it.) Red placemats, green plates, clear glasses. Simple. Not fussy. And an interesting item running down the middle of the table.
Know what it is? It is a felted wool Tibetan scarf. Raid your closet! You never know what you might see that could work on your table! We served soup in mugs, listened to holiday music, and stayed warm and cozy at our down home Christmas table.
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