Thursday, December 6, 2012

Deep in December

The problem with a December table is that it is hard to decide how to set the table because just as there are many dishes to choose from, there are ideas about how to celebrate Christmas.
This is the way I start.
 First, I feel Christmas. Walking past a lot of freshly cut trees I smell the scent of winter pine and I conjure an image of a living room whose center piece is a Christmas tree and the scent is warming the house and the people inside. Under a moon lit sky, I see wide open fields decorated with snow and frozen foot prints.
 I hear silence in this very regal setting, which has served as the backdrop to many Christmas stories.
So to should  the table reflect the majesty of the waiting world.
Spode Christmas dishes are enhanced by the backdrop of a rich green silk tablecloth. I found this fabric in a now closed Scranton store, The Fabric Center. I immediately saw it as rich and understated and that it would lend dignity to the Christmas celebration.
 My late husband loved toy soldiers and it gives me great joy to ask  this life size
wooden soldier, which he purchased from his friend Jim Hillestad, owner of  The Toy Soldier in Cresco, Pa. to stand gruard over the festive table.  Although I think he could have
drawn our attention to the crooked candle before snaping the picture!
I frequently use less formal settings.
However, at Christmas I think there is no better time to polish the silver, add fresh greens, shine the crystal, and, light the candles as we celebrate the time at which many people the world over attempt to find  co-exist in a world seeking peace, if only for a day! I would love to have you share your thoughts on Christmas. It is fun to hear about others ideas. There is so much creativity out there.
Merry Christmas