Merry Christmas Eve!

With only a few minutes to spare between finalizing recipes and last minute shopping, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas!  Since we are having our big dinner tonight, here is our holiday table. Photos haven’t been edited, but hopefully you will enjoy them anyway!

I almost ALWAYS do a white table cloth, but this year I added placemats given to me last year by my friend, Connie. The design reminds me of a New England snow scene.

Once again, I am using my silver beaded chargers. The napkin ring is from Pottery Barn – a simple velvet ribbon and silver bells. Napkins are from Ballard Designs.

Since I only have 6 napkin rings and we are having dinner for 8, I used a wired red ribbon for the settings on the ends of the table.

The dishes are the Reindeer pattern from Pottery Barn.

Behind each chair has a ribboned wreath from Ballard Design (as shown in my last blog post).

I have refreshed the flowers in the silver mint julep cups with white tulips and roses.

Candles and votives complete the ambiance.

Dinner tonight will be individual beef Wellingtons, roasted root vegetables, and a salad.  For dessert, I am making a mocha and raspberry trifle from a 1998 Bon Appetite recipe.

Lastly, this is the VERY first time I have made a gingerbread house from scratch.  I used a Martha Stewart template for a log cabin and baked each of the sections.  I had such fun doing this, maybe because I love renovating homes.

The chimney is covered in pecans, while the roof tiles are mini Hershey chocolates and York Peppermint patties. Gingersnaps make up the border fence and walkway.  Hershey kisses top the roofline.

Graham crackers mimic shutters on the yellow cellophane window panes.  My snowman is made up of 3 snowball cookies.

He even has a carrot for a nose!

My husband added lights and the control box is tucked in the back of the house.

I’m dashing off to do some last minute shopping! Have a glorious day!