I used to set mine every Sunday without fail but I've veered from that lately a bit to enjoy my valentines table a bit longer and partially out of boredom since it won't stop snowing and I've been stuck here more than I usually am..grrrr.
My DH works swing so he's not here at dinnertime and usually we (my son/myself) eat in our living room while chatting about the day and watch the news together.
We only use our table when we have guests or for major holidays so its' only purpose really is to look at.

We use every tablesetting. My mother set a table every night and it was often set for a special season/occasion. She was a first grade teacher, so she NEVER had trouble coming up with a theme that called for a special centerpiece.
I just sort of did the same thing, as I thought that's what you were supposed to do. Then my two children got old enough to be involved in sports and that all changed. Food on the fly.
Now that we are empty nesters, I'm back to setting a table at least a couple of times a week. For me, it's fun, so I don't see it as an extra bit of work. And I think my husband appreciates it, although he's not one to gush.

I have a tablescape of some sort on my dining room table all the time. We eat dinners there Sundays through Thursdays (Friday & Saturday evenings we usually watch a movie while we eat in our family room). We eat breakfasts in our dining room on Saturdays and Sundays. I've changed tablescapes several times a week and sometimes I'll keep the same one for a week or two. It just depends if I'm inspired or use a different set of dishes that the current tablescape will look strange with. My biggest problem lately is that I'm running out of places to store my "stuff" when I change them out! I don't have a dish pantry and my cabs are filled with stacks of dinnerware. At the moment, I have things crammed together on my hutch's counter. I wish that I had a closet in our dining room, but I don't. I'm considering storing some of my tablescape things in my guest room's walk-in closet, as I'm getting desperate!

OA, you definitely take after your mother with your creativity and vision!
Lynn

While I'm relatively new to "tablescapes" as such, I've always set the table immediately before a meal and cleared it after. Since we have 3 curious cats I could never leave much on the table for any length of time and have it be clean. DH said the other day that I must have put a tablecloth on the DR table just for the cat to sleep on! ;-) They are not supposed to be on the table but I can't watch them every second so have given up.

Any tablescapes I take pics of to post will be "practice" ones. I doubt I'd ever find the time to take pics of a guest dinner table. I don't set really fancy tables for company - usually a nice tablecloth, centerpiece, candles, my good dishes, and silver. Day to day when it's just DH and I we eat at a smaller table in the great room in front of the fire and often with the TV on. I usually just use placemats (red ones this month) and have a candle in a hurricane with a red $ store garland. Nothing fancy as we clear the table to play Scrabble after.

If I had a formal DR that could be closed off I'd certainly leave a tablescape up but we have a semi-open plan with the dining table in our large kitchen/breakfast room. I do usually have some sort of centerpiece on it. Right now I have a plant inside a birdcage so my plant eating cat can't get to it! ~rolleyes~ She's "done-in" one fresh flower bouquet and 2 plants in the last few weeks so I've cut her off her greens!

OK, I don't feel so bad now. My dining table is also a homework table and craft project table. Our usual meals are eaten off of boring plates and what not, though we do use candles in the winter and flowers in the summer for centerpieces. I'll dress things up occasionally or when company comes.

For some reason, I was imagining everyone here was having multi course meals and using real linens and dining with friends on a daily basis. Now that I have disabused myself of that notion, maybe I'll be more free to take small elements of the tablescapes I see and figure out how to make them fit into my lifestyle.

I can't even do ONE "tablescape" lol! but, luckygal, see if you can find "Wheatgrass" seed to grow for your cat to eat! It only takes about a week to grow and they LOVE it!!!

I appreciate everyone's honest answers here. I don't think it's strange or wrong or whatever to not be setting fancy tables or making new tablescape all the time. And, I can definitely see your reasoning with kids needing the table for homework . . . or curious cats!

My own reasons (needs, actually) for creating tablescapes is that I was born a decorator and have a strong need to continually create beautiful things around me. I'm serious! My parents love to tell stories about me drawing "paintings" on our walls with my mother's lipsticks when I was only 3/yo . . . with drawn frames on them. I told them that the walls were too bare and they needed more paintings. Mom said that they were in perfect proportion for the areas, too . . . just a bit low with my being so short! At five, I was changing around the throw pillows and knick-knacks and urging Mom to throw out "those ugly lamps". By the time I was seven, I was rearranging the furniture, with the help of my brother(5) and sister(6) on Saturday mornings, while my parents attempted to sleep in a bit. I still remember my dad, many times having to climb over a sofa or table that we'd temporarily moved, so that he could get through to the kitchen.

Anyhoo, I was literally born with this need to decorate. I'm always changing around things around my home, but the major decorating is done for the time being. So, creating beautiful and fun tablescapes for my family and friends has become a good, and relatively inexpensive outlet for me. At first my DH complained a bit, but when I explained to him that it was either this or redo the living room ~again~ he saw the sense in it ;^D
But, I'm NOT a bored, frivolous gal; I mainly shop garage sales, thrift stores and outlets for my tablescape things. I do a LOT of volunteer work, and I work at home for DH's business, too. And, my family does enjoy all my pretty tables while we eat our meals together . . . another big thing with me, eating meals together as a family at the table pretty much every night (and weekend breakfasts, too). Don't get me started on that, though (LOL!).

Soooo, that's the reasons behind my own tablescaping and holiday decorating.
Lynn

Lynn,
We sound like kindred spirits.

I keep our little kitchen table set with a tablescape all the time...usually for two.

My larger table is set off and on...depending on the holiday, how many are planned for, and my mood.

Too funny, Karen! I never played tea party as a kid either, or dolls, really. I was such a tomboy . . . a decorating tomboy, that is ;^D
I had no idea that you hated to cook! Well, I'm extra glad, then, that you haven't 'washed your hands' of us crazy dish pals of yours!
Lynn

Lynn, I have a kitchen because it came with the house!
At times I wished I'd inherited my grandmothers' and my Mom's love of cooking and baking, but the gene totally skipped me. Total Tomboy, always outside and with horses or any animal. While I didn't get the decor gene you did, I guess I got an Organizing one. As a child in the Air Force, I had around 200 china horses and dogs, and loads of story books about them as I loved reading. I kept my room very organized and things displayed nicely.
My daughter got the "great cook gene" tho. Actually its probably good I don't love it, my DH and Dad both like such simple meals and half the time don't like the same thing. So cooking for them can be VERY exasperating! Early in my marriage when I'd try something different, DH generally didn't like 'new' things. Give him spaghetti, lasagna, hamburgers, etc and he's a happy camper. Fancy casseroles or dolled-up veggies would never work for him. He'd starve at Kathleen's. LOL. Or more likely she'd kill him for not appreciating her GOOD food. So our marriage has worked great as far as kitchens go. Personally I'd love Take Out 4 nights a week. LOL.
We do two tho. My Dad's two favorite meals are take-out and TV dinners!
This Forum sure got me interested in dishes tho, first time in my whole life! My kids thought it very funny that suddenly I was talking and buying dish stuff.
I LOVE seeing the beautiful table-settings, and even love Kathleen's Fattening Fotos (just wish I was her next door neighbor so I could beg for left-overs).

hugs, Karen

LOL, Karen! Yes, living next door to Kathleen would be awesome . . . and a great way to get some leftovers, too! My parents live in Florida during the cold months and Mom loves to cook. But, after cooking for nine kids for a gazillion years, she can't seem to cut her recipes down to just two servings! She actually has another retired neighbor couple that she takes her leftovers to. It's a win/win situation for them all, as Mom is a fantastic cook, but she hates leftovers and her neighbors love getting hot, fresh homemade meals the same day she makes hers.

LOL reading these posts about cooking or not cooking. I used to cook allot more than I do now--my DH is allot like Karen's in only wanting very simple meals and preferring to eat in front of the tv or to go out or get take out. This works great for me because most of the meals he likes have gotten very boring to me after all these years.

I'm lucky enough to have a dining room table and a kitchen table, so can put together a pretty tablescape in the dining room and leave it as long as I want. We've eaten at a few of them, but mostly they are just part of the holiday decor.

Luvs