Holiday Decorating with Food

It's hard to wait until after Thanksgiving to start Christmas decorating; but I've made it my rule out of respect for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Preparing the decor for my kitchen, though, takes the edge off my anticipation; and I have so much fun doing so!  Since I spend most of my time in the kitchen, it gets lots of decorating.  Trees, crocks, bowls, shelves and cupboards are adorned with natural and culinary symbols of the season.  My prepared inventory is below, ready for stringing, trimming, hanging and arranging. 

  Gingerbread men, dried fruit slices, studded oranges,
bay leaves, whole spices, popcorn, cranberries, peels.

 

an illustration:  my previously-empty bowls

 

Note: The orange peels in the pan at the bottom of top picture are for simmering potpourri during Christmas week when the family has begun to gather and friends are stopping by.   I have us save our peels and then toss them with cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise stars and whole allspice in a pan of simmering water. I add water as needed, keeping the water a couple of inches above the spice and peels. It simmers all the while there is someone in the kitchen.  Every few days, I discard it all and start over.  Mmmm--a warm and wonderful yuletide smell for our gathering kitchen. 

 

 

March Table

My March table combines green for the Irish holiday and colorful flowers for our early Spring.  The placemats are cross-stitched shamrocks on Irish linen, made by my Grandmother.  I am fortunate to dress my table with family heirlooms.  I just purchased my pitcher this past winter at a church rummage sale with my sister Judy.  It matches everything!

Valentine's Day Table

To avoid crowded restaurants on Valentines Day, I take a raincheck on eating out and prepare a special meal at home.  Valentine's Dinner is always served on the china I selected for my hope chest at age 15. It is the Norwegian "Farmer's Rose" pattern.  They were purchased at a Norwegian gift shop, Dannevigs, owned by my Aunt Marge Danewick.   Many place settings and serving dishes for this pattern were received as wedding gifts.

January Table

January's table is soft and subdued, fitting for post-holiday, quiet winter evenings. 

The dish pattern is, appropriately, "Ice Flower".

Christmas Tablecloths

I have quite a supply of Christmas Tableclothes and dish sets; so every week during December we enjoy a new holiday look to the supper table. 

Week One with my white china.

Week Two-my Spode set:
A Christmas gift from Mom & Dad

Week 3:  I love vintage stamped tablecloths--
Brings back lots of childhood memories!

The week of Christmas--Christmas Dinner:
My "Merry Christmas" china with crystal and silver

November Table

As soon as Halloween's over, I get out my November table decor.  The tablecloth and napkins were made by my mother-in-law, Gen Lutzke.  It's got a Native American type pattern which reminds me of Thanksgiving.  I like to be sure Thanksgiving decor isn't forgotten between pumpkins and Christmas trees.  The dishes I use are called brownware and the set includes individual lidded soup pots.

 Getting these dishes out means it's time

to start cooking soups, stews and chili.

Halloween Table

It's that time!

Grandma's Fall Tablecloth and Leaf-Embroidered Napkins

I will soon be putting out my Halloween tablecloth/napkins; but I couldn't let this Fall slip by without using Grandma Springer's fall table linens, which were embroidered by her mother, even if only for a week.

Late Summer Table Decor

I love the late summer table when I can start using Fall colors and putting bowls of cherry tomatoes on the table for meals and snacking. 

This tablecloth is so similar to my mother's, it evokes fond memories of my large family gathered around a bountiful table of warm, homemade food.

My dishes are the perfect compliment to my table colors.  I purchased them from the Rochester Rebekah Lodge when they closed.

 

My mother-in-law, Gen Lutzke, surprised me with the matching bowl to this set.  It was her mother's--a nice family heirloom for our table.

Ready for a change at the table

Going into the last month of summer and I'm ready for a fresh look to the table--something colorful.

I love the colorful summer veggies spread on plates across the table:

yellow sweet corn, red tomatoes, green cucumbers, purple eggplant...mmm!

And the perfect time to use my blue, enameled-tin dishes

Mid-Summer Tablesetting

It's a hot and humid mid summer and I'm ready for a new look to the table--something fresh and crisp.  I found just what I was looking for--checked gingham cotton tablecloth/napkins with white dishes.

 

Against this deep-yellow tablecloth,  the colorful produce of

summer makes for bright and appealing meals.   

Time for a Change at the Table

June--the beginning of Summer--time for change in table decor

Another of Grandma Springer's tablecloths with napkins--

embroidered by Great Grandma Stolp.

For dishes: Franciscan Ware.  I love a colorful summer table.

These dishes remind me of the Fiesta Ware my mother had when I was young.

April Showers bring May Flowers for the Table

I love the warmth and color that cloth linens add to a meal; and using them supports my "zero paper/packaging" goal. A meal at Grandma's was all the more inviting with her many-different, hand-stitched tablecloths and matching napkins.

Being a collector of dish sets and linens, I provide myself the opportunity to change the look of our table for every season and holidays.  The meal table never gets boring.

Pink roses seemed appropriate for the dishes and table linens during the month of May. 

The tablecloth was my favorite of Grandma's.  She used to iron on the pattern and take them to her wheelchair-bound mother, who would then add the color.  This is one of those sets embroidered by my Great Grandmother.

  I acquired this set of rose-patterned dishes

while working at a jewelry store during my college years. 

If you looking for in vintage table linens and accessories, visit my cousin Sandy Cookman's website, hobnobbers-sandy.blogspot.com, for some exciting buys and great sales.