TIS' the SEASON for a SANTA HOLIDAY TABLE

A little holiday table inspiration here…  Are you hosting a Christmas dinner??  A holiday feast?? A New Year's Day brunch??? There is still plenty of time to plan a fabulous table….

This was our table from Christmas 2013….I loved the red and the gingham...and all the Santa postcards...I enjoyed it so much I could repeat it again this year.... and I just might...Santa never gets old and I love traditional holiday reds and plaids!!

I used vintage Santa postcards on the table.  I framed them in small black frames (thrift store finds I picked up throughout the year)...simple frames show off the vintage artwork and don't become a distraction on the table....

Look, St. Nick is already in the sleigh...

The sleigh…a thrift store find too…. The very best kind of surprise…

I filled the sleigh with small wrapped boxes, using brown paper (lunch bags would do the trick too).  The boxes were actually 10 cent jawbreaker boxes I found in the old Halloween candy…the perfect size for a miniature sleigh! I tied the tiny packages with baker’s twine…the perfect red and white embellishment.

Fresh evergreens fill the sleigh and they smell amazing....  I love to add fresh cut pine and holly wherever I can. Sometimes, I nestle it among the faux greenery....it adds so much...and the smell... it's the smell of Christmas... (to me)

Adding interest to the table is easy when using small covered cake stands.  This little antique sheep looks extra special standing next to a bottle brush tree and a little "snow"...it creates a mini vignette at eye level when seated.  Each guest at the table has a unique vantage point...and it keeps the table fun and interesting.  TIP:  Sometimes it's a good idea to have a seat before company arrives -sit at the table and "see" what your guests will be seeing from where they will be seated.

Adding little extras, like Christmas crackers can add depth to a table. (Christmas crackers are a tradition originating in the UK, originally called cracker bonbons in the 1840's... Guests pop them open after dinner parties to reveal little prizes, jokes and often a paper crown inside....I had never celebrated with Christmas crackers until I was married... so don't feel bad if you didn't know what all the fuss was about... I didn't know either... they are quite fun and a nice addition to the party)

 TIP:  I am following my own advice this year... At the end of this holiday season... buy up Christmas crackers at a deep discount... even if you dislike the wrapping on them... you can re-wrap them in a wrapping paper that matches your decor... or your table...There are a million kinds of fabulous wrapping papers... and you can personalize your own... Next year... I'm going to be ready!!!  Just remember where you are storing them!!

I love a menu....It doesn't take too long to create a menu....As a bonus, it helps the table look all buttoned up… and making a menu becomes a huge help to my sanity… keeping things in order is helpful when you have a lot on your mind.  I like to print menus on card stock, that way, the menus lay nicely across a plate. -- no slouching at the table!!

 I loosely tied the menu and napkin together with a pretty Christmas-red ribbon I picked up from Jo-Ann's.

Don't forget to look up... I like to add some embellishments to the chandelier too... Christmas comes but once a year... so don't be afraid to go all out.... Tis' the Season!!

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The Scoop via Stone Gable

Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration Monday at Refresh Restyle