Holidays are for entertaining, and for me that means not reinventing the wheel for every occasion. Knowing there would be several events here during December, it made sense to have a centerpiece that would work with whatever was going on on the table.
This year much of my holiday decor focuses on trees, so it was a no brainer to repeat them on the dining room table. These holly trees are my most favorite and while they are great stand alone pieces, I added a collection of finials for a bit of shine. With nothing more than this, the table is ready to be filled with finger foods for an upcoming meeting.
Too, several casual meals for family and friends are planned during the month, and for each the table will take on a different look. A brunch will feature Spode Christmas dishes set on a matching placemat that I happened to spot at TJ Maxx. Though I swore not to buy anything new, how could I leave such a perfect accessory behind!
Always a table with the Spode pieces comes together very quickly and invites adding fun complements like the candy striped flatware that gets used again and again during December.
For a dinner with friends, the Bella Ceramica pottery is featured. While some things stay the same, different napkins and chargers give the table a whole new look.
For Christmas dinner, the setting is a tribute to my mother whose china and Fostoria grace the table. I am so glad to have these remembrances of her.
For seated meals, there is one change to the centerpiece. The tallest tree is removed and replaced with a slender finial so that no one has to crane their neck to look at a person sitting opposite.
So, there you have it, four occasions satisfied with a single centerpiece. Thinking ahead about how your table will be used during the holidays and finding a common thread makes the rest quite easy plus it saves considerable time. The bonus is that when the table is not set, it still looks attractive.
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Filed under: Entertaining, Holiday Decor, Tablescapes Tagged: centerpiece, Christmas table, flatware, holiday tables, pottery, table settings, tableware