Christmas Eve Dinner

Welcome to Christmas Eve dinner at the Gazebo House!

We had my daughter, her husband and my three grandchildren join us

along with my husband's son & wife who are visiting from Australia.

We sat five adults at the dining room table, shown here and

I was happy to be at the children's table with all my grands around me.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take any pictures of that one.

I used the same dishes but a different centerpiece.

I used my Lenox Eternal china on red chargers

along with the Presentation salad plates by Lenox

and their Eternal Christmas soup bowls and bread plates.

I made herb encrusted beef tenderloin

with a horseradish-dill sauce,

buttery mashed potatoes and salad with various choices of dressings.

I served Dijon vinaigrette marinated green beans in the crystal bowl shown above.

A close up view of the Eternal Christmas soup bowl.

You can see some of the scalloped ribbon

design on the salad plate.

I think they look like little wrapped packages

with their bow at the top!

I've had the French horn centerpiece for years

but this is the first time I've used little French horn

ornaments as napkin rings.

My grandson, Charlie, kept trying to toot his but it didn't work!

The napkins have some of the words from the

almost 1000 year old song, The Holly and the Ivy

written in gold script.






♫ The holly and the ivy, ♫
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown:
O, the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a blossom,
As white as lily flow'r,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our dear Saviour: Refrain
The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To do poor sinners good: Refrain ♫

The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
On Christmas Day in the morn: Refrain ♫

The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as the gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
For to redeem us all: Refrain ♫

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown: Refrain ♫

The tablecloth with the gold embroidery and cutwork

was purchased last year at Tuesday Morning, on clearance.

I was very disappointed in how it wouldn't lay flat

around the areas of the cutwork.

I also managed to get a scorch mark on it

from a spark when I blew out the candles.

"C'est la vie"

This sofa table was moved to the wall where the big mirror previously hung.

I set all the desserts up in this area, along with some Christmas tea.

These pieces are some of my collection of Christmas Fitz & Floyd.

They were featured on the cover of the December issue of

Southern Living magazine in 2000, the same year I purchased most of them.

I saved that issue!

These were ALL filled with cookies.

Now they are half empty!

The ivory sleigh I've had for years but I just found the matching

Santa this year at Home Goods.

Next year, I think I will try to sew up a sack & fill it with miniature

presents to display in the sleigh instead of just greens.

Last but certainly not least, is my handmade creche,

that I cherish.

This was a gift from my sister in law in 1978

when she took a ceramics class.

May the warm glow of this holiday season remain with you

throughout the coming New Year!