Tablescape Thursday! Christmas Edition

I love setting my table for the holidays. We have been doing a lot of entertaining over the past month. We had a couple over at the beginning of the month before they left for Nicaragua on their honeymoon for five weeks. Fun honeymoon.

The tablescape is made up of, gold poinsettia napkin rings thrifted, off white napkins with gold snowflakes thrifted, tablecloth last year Target after Christmas, gold chargers, simple white dinner plates Target, Holiday salad plates Target a few years back, gold stocking utensil holders Home Goods a few years back, Arby's glassware, the centerpiece along the green velvet flocked runner from Home Goods consists of items I picked up a Michael's on Black Friday, candles, potpurri, plates and such. I really had fun with this one. 

Our menu for the dinner was

Signature Cocktail: Candy Cane Martinis

Salad: The Wedge (from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

Entree: Pioneer Woman Cooks Rib Eyes

Pioneer Woman Mushrooms

Pioneer Woman Crash Hot Potatoes

Crusty Bread

Dessert: cookies, and yes I bought them

For the signature cocktail I dipped the top of the martini glasses in melted chocolate and then crushed candy canes and then froze the glasses until our guests arrived, SO good!

Next up, dinner with both sets of parents and some Mad Gab. The next night, dinner with two couples, I used the same tablescape for both dinners.

 

 

The setting incorporates Santa napkin rings which we found at an estate sale brand new in the box, a set of 8. They are Fitz and Foyd and I just love them. Vintage napkins also found brand new at an estate sale. Waterford Naughty or Nice plates found at Home Goods after Christmas a few years back, the silverware holder stockings from Crate and Barrel this year, green silk placemats (not sure?), red velvet trimmed runner from Target last year bought after Christmas.

All of my glassware has been picked up here and there, estate sales, thrift stores, garage sales and is the 14k trimmed Arby's glasses. I love it though because it is so festive, they were SO inexpensive and they are incredibly durable.

The centerpiece along the runner is made up of, angel candle holders found at an estate sale, snowmen candle holders from Williams Sonoma a few years back given to me by a good friend for babysitting one night (which I loved doing anyway!) a rosemary tree which comes in SO handy this time of year and a vintage salt and pepper shaker that my mom gave to me a few years back.

Dinner Menus were as follows:

Parents-

Appetizers - cheese, meat, nuts, baked brie

Entree - Herbed Pork Crown Roast (this turned out beautifully and I cannot wait to make this again)

The baked mashed potatoes were a HUGE hit and both my mom and the boys dad are still talking about them, we also had asparagus wrapped prosciutto.

Dessert: the boys mom brought a very festive red velvet cake and my mom brought a big tray of cookies.

We also had a really good time playing Mad Gab.

The next night we also served pork, this time a Guinness Braised Pork Shoulder.

Appetizers - cheese, meat, crackers, baked spinach dip

Entree - Pork Shoulder with Guinness, Dried Cherries and Sweet Potatoes (we omitted the sweet potatoes and served mashed potatoes with the meal instead) steamed cauliflower, broccoli and sugar snap peas, crusty bread

Dessert - my mom's cookies :)

Unfortunately, I was trying out, experimenting on friends, usually this works in my favor, however this night, the pork was over cooked, very dry and things did not work out. Everyone was good sports about this, but I am still incredibly disappointed.

We also got in a little Mad Gab, not quite as much fun as the night before (our parents were SO funny!), but still a really good time!

Up next, two more dinners, one just the boy and I, and one for T and sister J, a special holiday dinner and gift exchange.