Shabby Chic Christmas Eve

One of my most exciting times of Christmas 

is setting the table for our formal 

Christmas Eve Dinner.

This gorgeous shabby chic horse was a new 

find this year, and he sets the tone for our table. 

These shabby chic candlesticks are ones we have 

had for years.  They look great with our horse. 

We always put on the fancy plates and flatware 

for our dinner.  This year everything is in silver and white. 

I bought this silverplate flatware from 

Horchow years ago, and wish they still 

sold it.  

We will have 20 for dinner this year, 

that includes three high chairs. 

We always set up in "the Great Hall", 

so we can sit together.  Just a few minutes 

of clearing out other furniture and the 

great room is perfect for seating a lot of 

people. 

My husband just loves all of the Christmas decor.  

Everyone that comes over, he asks them to come in 

and see everything.  That is so sweet of him. 

I added some greens and some white roses 

to the table for a little color. 

The best is when the children, especially the 

grandchildren, are so appreciative. 

What a year, culminating with hope by being 

able to see The Bethlehem Star.  May you feel the 

love and joy of Christ's birth in your heart 

year round.

Stay healthy and well!

I will be posting with

Tablescapes Thursday

Dressed up Tea Service

I just love silver, and the history and beauty of it.  
Of course, I never had a tea service of my own, 
so years ago, I found this one on Ebay.  It was reasonable, 
and just needed a little cleaning and polishing. 

It usually sits on a table in my living room, but this 
Christmas I moved it into the kitchen in the beautiful 
display area under my baking cabinet.  I figured since 
it is metal, it would be pretty safe with little ones. 
I decided to dress it up a little bit with ornaments, 
trees and lights.  I have received so many comments 
on it.  The kids have seen it for years, but there 
was something magical about dressing it up a little, 
that they noticed it. I think adding the lights really helped. 

They are just fairy lights threaded through, and sparkly 
mirrored ornaments pick the lights up too. 

I added trees in white and gold, and another beautiful 
white and gold ornament. 

I think I may have to dress up the tea set for other holidays too. 
Thanks for stopping by - is there anything that you 
usually have around the house that you dress up 
for Christmas?

Merry Gingerbread Table

I am quite taken by gingerbread houses, although 
I have never been known to create a masterpiece.  
This one was created this year using my old 
Williams-Sonoma mold.  It is pretty in soft pinks.

I have many that can be used year after year 
because they are not edible gingerbread houses.

The other ceramic houses don't fool anyone, but this 
one with it's Hershey's kisses and Hershey bar has 
everyone believing I made it.

The gingerbread table was set up in the dining room, 
with a furry runner down the middle, 
and pink, pink, pink everywhere. 

I made the cute candy cane napkins years ago, 
with my serger, and they have held up well. 

It is always fun to include something heirloom,

and these pink Fostoria glasses were my mothers. 

The DuBarry sterling will hopefully be an heirloom 
for one of my girls in years to come.  If I treat it special, 
maybe they will see it as something special too. 

I even have a few gingerbread nutcrackers too. 
A darling 14 year old boy was over the other day 
and he said, "How many nutcrackers do you have?"  
I have never stopped to count.  

Thanks for stopping by to see our Merry Gingerbread Table here at Purple Chocolate Home.
I will be posting this withTablescapes Thursday

Tales of the Traveling Tote #25 and A Giveaway

Welcome to our December version of 
Tales of the Traveling Totes where we 
MacKenzie-Childs loving women bring 
you along to the many places our totes 
travel with us. 

Today Miss Madi K and I headed north to 
visit the elves at 
Gardner Village for Christmas in the Village.
Here we found lots of Santa's helpers at work.   

We also found plenty of his helpers 

just goofing around.  

It was a cold but sunny day, a good day 
for catching a sighting of the many elves.

This little one and her helper baking 
gingerbread cookies was one of my favorites. 

We also fell in love with this little guy up 
on the ski lift.

Gardner Village is a quaint shopping and eating 
experience centered on the Old Gardner Mill. 
Historic homes and cabins have been moved 
to the site and they house retail shops.  

It is fun to just walk around the property, cross 
a couple of wooden bridges and be on the 
hunt for elves everywhere.  We enjoyed the magic 
of Christmas in the Village. 

We brought our own little Christmas helpers along. 

My daughter was on the hunt for 
Dept. 56 North Pole Village pieces.  Alas, 
the shop that used to carry them is no longer 
in business at Gardner Village.  We did a quick 
search on the internet and we quickly 
headed to another store and found plenty of 
North Pole Elf Houses. 

 

Haw's Floral is a magical spot that we had never 
visited before and 
Miss Madi K and I were especially drawn to 
this fabulous table and display.

Even though the store was no longer in business, 

we had fun seeing all of the elves, and we now 

have a fabulous new Christmas store to enjoy.  

You don't even have to leave home to have some 
fun,  just visit Sarah and Miss Merri Mac 
and leave a comment to win these fun 
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check party 
plates, napkins and straws.

Also visit the rest of our tote traveling group to see where they have been off to lately.
Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths 

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box  

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply 

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Sketchy Reader

Cherry Kay and Carrie Ann Hall @ Entertaining Women  

 

Freeze Dried Candy Board

Beaulah wants to share our new treat with you,
whether it is Halloween or not - 
Freeze Dried Candies.  These freeze dried Skittles 
even look like colorful eyeballs, so they are 
great for Halloween, or any time of year.


Using the same black and white checked tray, 
we put together this sugary delight. Starting on 
the left side and going counter-clockwise we have 
Chewy SweetTarts, Gummy Bears, HiChews (cut in half) 
and Milk Duds.
The little goblins and even the big ones can't get 
enough of it.  Beaulah and I have not been able 
to keep things stocked.  One little granddaughter 
even asked for a really big jar of the Freeze Dried 
Skittles for her birthday in December.  How cute is 
that.  

Personally, I am not a huge sugary candy fan, so I 
threw in a little chocolate again.  The little jars held 
M&M's and non freeze dried Chewy SweeTarts.
Of course, these treats don't need to be freeze dried, 
but it changes the texture and they just melt in 
your mouth. 
I have a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer which we 
purchased several years ago.  I think these will 
stay on our menu for years to come.

Ghostly Halloween Table

It's time to show our Halloween Feast in the
Great Hall!  
This year the ghosts gathered to join us.

The ghosts help push aside the furniture to make 
room for all of the fun.

Black and purple candles adorned the Great Hall.

The plate stacks were simple with silver 

chargers and white square plates set on an angle.

Images of haunted windows and gardens 
adorned every placesetting.

These skeletal goblets adorned the table too. 

There was plenty of "eye" candy on the table.

And there was lots of purple - my favorite Halloween color.

These creepy spooks were there to greet everyone!
It is always a party here at Purple Chocolat Home.
My little spooks heard we were coming as 
Zombie Bride and Groom, so they wanted to 
match us.  Loved it!!

I will be posting with Tablescapes Thursday

Goblets - Dollar Tree

Ghostly Images - Etsy

Skeleton and Pumpkin Cart - MacKenzie-Childs

Plates - Home Goods