Oh, me too! (Though I didn't really get Christmas together this year, due to other demands, & am really scrambling today -- hope I can pull a table setting together...).

Anyway, Merry Christmas, everybody!

I challenged myself to set a 'fancy' table with disposables ( paper napkins, plastic chargers, glass instead of crystal). Favors are candles that each guest gets to take home. Menu chili on the buffet with the bowls for self serve.

The lighting's not the best in my dining room right now. The first picture is especially washed out. This is how it's set for Christmas Eve. I'll reset it for morning with the same china, luncheon sized silver, and red plaid placemats.

I'll try to remember to take a picture of the kids' table after I get it set.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

This post was edited by porkandham on Tue, Dec 24, 13 at 14:57

Using depression era Ruby this year. Merry Christmas to all

This was our table before I did the flowers and we had our Christmas Eve celebration this evening. I am going to reset with casual Christmas dishes tonight for breakfast tomorrow, and then reset again for a mid afternoon Christmas dinner. Yawn, I am tired!

Centerpiece (hydrangeas are already gone after a few hours.... Did not soak the oasis long enough :-( I am going to try to replace them with camellias in the morning.

kswl, fill the sink with water, cut the bottom of the hydrangea stem off, and submerge the bloom for a few hours or overnight....should bring it back.

All the tables look great!

Ok...I must not get out much....but what are those decorative tube things on everyone's table that don't seem to be holding napkins or silverware?

The decorative tubes are 'Christmas crackers'' - an entry from Wikipedia:

Christmas crackers are part of Christmas celebrations primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. A cracker consists of a cardboard tube wrapped in a brightly decorated twist of paper,[1] making it resemble an oversized sweet-wrapper. The cracker is pulled by two people, often with arms crossed, and, much in the manner of a wishbone, the cracker splits unevenly.[1] The split is accompanied by a mild bang or snapping sound produced by the effect of friction on a shock-sensitive, chemically-impregnated card strip (similar to that used in a cap gun).[1] One chemical used for the friction strip is silver fulminate,[2] which is highly unstable.
Assembled crackers are typically sold in boxes of three to twelve. These typically have different designs usually with red, green and gold colors. Making crackers from scratch using tissue paper and the tubes from toilet rolls is a common activity for children.

Beautiful tables all!
kswl, your floral arrangement is gorgeous. I now have 2 New Years resolutions for 2014:
1. Learn how to photoshop like OldBat2be & mlweaving
2. Take a floral arranging class & arrange flowers like kswl

Love these, and thank you for the info on the crackers!

Never thought to take a photo BEFORE we brought the food out, but this is right before we sat down to dinner. We don't have a DR, just an eat-in kitchen in our small home. There are only 3 of us.

I love red, especially at Christmas, and I love tartan plaid.

Thanks neighborgirl for the information about the Christmas crackers...a fun idea! I assume you can purchase them at party stores...

What wonderful, festive tables! Here's a vignette from ours. Hope you all are having as much fun as we are. Time to make whipped cream for the pumpkin pie...

Thank you all for sharing.
This year has been a bit hard, as we are alone, just us two for Christmas. We saw kids and grandkids for Thanksgiving, and dh's kids for graduation two weeks ago.
Romy, I'll join you on that resolution to learn to arrange flowers. It's an essential skill that I just don't have.

Awm03, I especially love your red glass goblets.

I'd like to mention that I used the recipe for brussels sprouts tonight that is pictured on the sidebar here on this page, and they were yummy!

Awm30, what a beautiful photo! Magazine worthy.

No gorgeous table pictures here! The table cloths (unironed and wrinkly) were thrown onto the tables about 30 minutes before we ate. One of these years I'll get the table decorated in advance :) I'm always a little too ambitious with the menus. Roast Goose with Chestnuts, Prunes and Peach Brandy (the gravy was fabulous) and a Roast Turkey breast with make-ahead giblet gravy, individual mince pies, Pommes Duchesse potatoes, two stuffings, pots de crèmes for dessert, and more and a few things I never got to, too. This year was just about perfect! Very happy day, because I had a crowd to feed. Loved seeing the pictures.

Mlweaving_Marji - definitely know the feeling when the kids AREN'T there. Isn't it nice when that day is over, when it's like that? (P.S. I've been eyeing the brussel sprouts recipe too).

These pictures are from last year. This was my first Christmas after losing my father so my energy was low this year. We've used the same tablecloth on Christmas Eve for about 25 years and it's a bit small for our current table, but I don't care.

Another one....

Our 2013 table

This post was edited by weelass on Sat, Dec 28, 13 at 17:31

deeinohio, it must have been a hard Christmas. My DH lost his dear dad this year, too; we are so glad we traveled there for Christmas last year.

Your napkins from last year are amazing, so adding to the resolution to learn flower arranging I'll add napkin-folding!

I didn't get a picture, but I can tell you that one person was a couple of inches into the kitchen. We were 11 in a 14'4" long dining room on Christmas Day. Fortunately we have two side doors at the same end as the kitchen door so sneak through. Usually I have 2 tables of 10 in DR and LR, and one of 4-6 in the foyer on Christmas Eve, followed by 8-9 for brunch in the DR on Christmas day; I liked this small year :)

OMG Dee, LOVE your napkins! Instructions, please!

BKW, I left it too late to resuscitate the hydrangeas, but will have that trick ready for next time thanks to you.

Joanie, the crackers all contain a tiny trinket---sometimes a charm, or a plastic toy like a spinning top, or even a thimble or a nail brush, and a paper crown, and either a riddle or a motto or quote, or occasionally all three printed on a paper card inside the cracker. They're one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I collect crackers whenever I seem them at Tuesday Morning and sometimes order really nice ones from John Lewis or Marks and Spencer, so we have them at most meals between Christmas Eve and Epiphany. They're fun for people at a party who have never seen them, especially when they put on the crowns for a picture.

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This post was edited by mamattorney on Fri, Dec 27, 13 at 1:39

Here's mine.

Thanks bpathhome. I'm sure your holdiay was difficult, too, with the absence of your FIL.

KSWL, thank you. The link below shows how to do the Christmas tree napkin. She mentions that it looks better with an overall pattern. Mine above has a red border, and I like that. I didn't have enough for everyone so I also used a solid red. I didn't like that as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas tree napkin fold