holiday tabletop

I set the table for Christmas eve dinner yesterday. We are serving eleven, seven guests in the dining room and the four youngest ones in the kitchen/family room. I used the jacquard tablecloth we purchased in Paris on an anniversary trip nine years ago. It is a washable cotton by Le Jacquard Francais with rich colors and a paisley border. I love every single pattern and product that LJF makes! So easy to care for and so beautiful. I use stain spray on it when needed and rub baby cornstarch powder into any  grease stains before washing to absorb. I wrote about Le Jacquard Francais last spring  here. 

I have been making a few changes in the dining room. The walls received a  fresh coat of paint and furniture has been moved around. The Welsh dresser moved from the back wall to the middle of the long wall. Two buffets traded places. The dark French one is now in the the family room, the green painted French one is on the back wall where the dresser was.

I still love the Block china pattern we registered for almost thirty years ago. This table setting is missing a wine glass. Geez, every time I do a photo shoot, I forget or overlook something! I set the table casually, we are having a honey baked ham for Christmas Eve so not much flatware is needed. Will set the table differently for Christmas Day dinner when we are serving a beef tenderloin. The dessert fork and spoon are for cheesecake and/or Graeter's ice cream, our favorite dessert! Do you know about Graeter's? Yum. People ship it all over the world, it is often mentioned on foodie websites. Oprah once included Graeter's ice cream in one of her Favorite Things shows.

I have enjoyed the ease of not having a rug in the dining room but the room needs to feel warmer because of the bay window. We are awaiting a large jute rug that will match the one you see here in the entry, supposed to arrive today. Has been on backorder for months. Also mulling over if panels are needed along each side of the window. On the fence. Any opinions?

The little boxwood wreath I made a few weeks ago dried out despite completely babying it by soaking it in water several times. Not doing that again, a waste of time.

Just a simple arrangement on the table. I am wondering if my camera is starting to fail. I am ending up with blurry shots lately. I refuse to use the flash indoors, that may be the problem, not sure.

See the amaryllis in the clay pots on the trolley? I planted them in mid November! They look like I planted them yesterday. They are nice and green, I know they are going to grow so we will enjoy them in January but I would have liked them for Christmas. The one on the right has started. I kept them in the garage along with the paper whites for the first few weeks after planting them, it really stunted them. 

Tried again for a better shot of our simple tree, not much better but here it is..

 Here are two of the sweet Scandinavian styled ornaments that I wrote about here.

 Merry Christmas everyone!

Prayers being said for Newtown, CT...