Clearing the Tabletops!

Since our dear friend Marty said anything goes today for Tabletop Tuesday I've decided to show you my after holiday peculiarity.  First off, you need to know I totally love Christmas and everything about it!  I love all the festive decorating and really enjoy pulling out all my Santa's and all the other whimsical and glittery decor associated with the season.  However, when I put out quite a bit as I did this year it really does begin to overwhelm me and I'm often ready to break it down very soon after the holidays.

But...we have a tradition in our house to leave the tree up until new years.  It took me several years to realize that just because I didn't want the tree to come down didn't mean I wasn't ready for everything else to be put up.  So as I promised to reveal to you, here is my quirky holiday peculiarity.   I take things down in stages!  Yes, I am a bit of a procrastinator.  I break it all down a little at a time.  Today I removed a good bit of the holiday decor.  Gone are all the Santa's, the bows, balls, and greenery.  Now I can sit back and enjoy the holidays for a bit more without feeling the red and green overload. 

The den feels so much larger now.  Whew!  I can see my mantle again too!  I love it!

I moved this secretary that we had in the dining room awhile back in the den now.  It had been in the Mr.'s office after we got the new china hutch but I've changed my mind and moved back here in the den instead.  I really wanted to store my crystal back in here again so I'll have more room in the china cabinet for china.

Off came the red and green ribbons and away went all the Christmas balls and gingerbread men on this tray.  In it's place remains a simple candle arrangement with my country duck basket to hold all the remotes.  The Mr. sure loves this arrangement!

The kitchen is no longer a candy wonderland but still has just a few holiday touches.

My side table no longer reminds me of the Night Before Christmas, instead it holds a few of my newest holiday gifts.

In the dining room all the extra holiday dishes and serve ware are packed away along with all the glittery balls and greenery hanging everywhere.

A simple silver tray holds plenty of left over candy..any takers?

I feel so much more relaxed now, and ready to face tomorrows adventures, returns and after holiday sales!

That's how I roll y'all, how about you?  How do you break it all down.  Do you drag it out like me or do you take it all down quickly in one swoop?

I know I am a bit late today but I'm linking to Metamorphosis Monday also.  This is one change I always look forward to every year.

Don't you?

Mary

 

Tis the Season

Hi Friends! I hope all of you have had a wonderful Christmas!  I certainly have..and I am stuffed and tired!  Whew!  This post will not fill your appetite for anything wonderfully decorative or anything inspirational.

However, if your interested in taking a peek into my world from the last few days your in for a treat.  If not that's okay, because this post is really for me to remember the year it snowed the day after Christmas.  That's right, I said the day after, technically we didn't quite make it Christmas Day here in our neck of the woods.  It was more like right after 1:00am when it started snowing so it doesn't qualify.  But since my family still had Christmas celebrating to do the day after, I still consider it the year it snowed for Christmas!

Here is our den Christmas morning after we dolled out all the gifts between the three of us.  Our oldest son didn't make it home this year so his gifts are still under the tree.

My youngest son with his pile of gifts.

One of our cats, Patch was trying very had to find some presents of her own.

Here's my pile, cause I know you all wanted to see this.  LOL!

Our cats that are normally outdoor cats have been loving all the perks of being inside lately.

Our other cat Misty perched right on the footstool in front of me and stared at the tree for the longest time.  She really did not understand why I hadn't gotten a present for her too.  I felt so bad about that!  After opening all our presents we headed off to my brother and sister in laws to celebrate with my husbands side of the family on Christmas Day.

This is what we woke up to the day after Christmas.

It wasn't much to start with but was notable non the less.

As the day progressed the view outside my windows became more interesting.

It basically continued to snow off and on all day!

The backyard started to get coated with whiteness!

And the front yard even got a bit whiter and brighter too!

Look!  I even spotted a few snow gnomes out playing by the steps.

This beauty of the day was it didn't stick to the streets and the roads were still clear.

That was a good thing because my family was still able to make it for our side of the family's Christmas celebration.

And I got some really pretty things I will show you later.

After all the celebrating, and our guests had left I peeked outside to see an evening wonderland still hanging around.

One of our neighbors across the street has a great bit giant blow up Frosty in their yard.  LOL!

Inside I am toasty and warm and ready for a long winters nap!

Joining Season Sunday for all the fun!

Have a wonderful evening my friends, 

thanks for stopping by!

Merry Christmas!!!

Mary

Christmas Tablescape 2010

It's almost time!  Are you ready?  I am!!!   I also would like to share my Christmas table with you for Tablescape Thursday.  I have it all set for my side of the family this year who will be joining us the day after Christmas to celebrate. 

 We will be going to my sister in laws house for my husbands side of the family celebration on Christmas Day.  We always rotate locations with his family. Believe me when I say, I'd have a few more tables to show you if they were coming here this year.  LOL!

Since it's just my side of the family coming to our house the day after it's a small affair that only requires one table.  We are having spaghetti!  I know, I know, we don't want to eat traditional Christmas foods two days in a row and I love to cook spaghetti.  Regardless of what were eating, I've still set the table for a traditional Christmas dinner.

Let me just say that my table cloth is not this bright red.  I could not get the right color for anything so you'll just have to imagine it is a bit deeper red and actually very pretty.

Here's the setting we will be using this year.  I've combined my Holiday Ribbon china with my Lenox Accoutrements. 

I got this pattern the first Christmas we were married from Belks. 

 I was not overly crazy about using this pattern with the Holiday Ribbon and was hoping my new china would have arrived by now.  Unfortunately is hasn't and this combination has even kind of grown on me.  So, it's all good!

This is my Sterling Silver I inherited from my inlaws.  I only have 6 settings of this.   Since the set is monogrammed on the backs it was split between me and my sister in law.

This is the best shot I could get of the monograms.  They are on the back of each utensil upside down.

Because I have more then 6 eating on Sunday I added my stainless too.  I think it coordinates pretty well with my sterling silverware.  The pattern is Louisiana by Oneida.

I used the same centerpiece as I did for my winter white table scape but added some greenery w/poinsettias and a few Christmas balls.

Thank you for visiting.  I'm getting so excited now.  I love Christmas and can hardly wait!

Wishing you and your family

A Very Merry Christmas!

Mary