Preparations for a Christmas Dinner Party

I’m having a little dinner party for eight this Sunday evening.  I’ve been busy decorating, cooking and cleaning, decorating, cooking and cleaning.  And, occasionally I’ve been doing some decorating, cooking and cleaning.  Did I mention I’m having a blast!  I love getting ready for a party, be it big or small.

The porch is looking festive.  I’ll share more of it with you on Monday for our Metamorphosis Monday party.

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

 

The places are all set.   Pssst: Cracker Barrel has much of their Christmas stuff on sale.  That’s where I found the stocking, glittery deer ornament and yummy candy cane you can just barely see behind the ornament.

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

The wine is all dressed for the occasion.

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

 

The breakfast room table is ready for appetizers and drinks.

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

 

Champagne glasses await the best champagne punch I’ve ever tasted.  Recipe available here:  The Best Christmas or New Year’s Eve Spiced Champagne Punch

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

 

The pound cake is freshly baked to make the Cranberry Trifle.  Cranberry Trifle Recipe here: Cranberry Trifle Recipe 

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

The dessert dishes are awaiting yummy desserts.

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

 

Teacups are ready for hot coffee and hazelnut cream.

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

 

Shhh….there’s a little hidden surprise for those who know where to look. 😉

Preparing for a Christmas Dinner Party

 

Back to cleaning, cooking and decorating…almost done now.

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Comments

  1. Everything is looking beautiful. So sparkly and it’s certainly says “Christmastime”.
    That first shot is such a teaser 😉 It looks likes we are in for a gorgeous treat!!

  2. Susan, it all looks beautiful. Your guests will feel very special. Love the mercury trees and the wine bottle outfits.

  3. Looks wonderful!

  4. Wish I was invited!

    Perhaps another time.

  5. Oh Susan, it’s beautiful! Have fun! 🙂

  6. Deborah Roberts says

    You always have the most beautiful decorations any time of the year. I am sure there will be fun had by all. Anytime you want to host a party of behalf of some of us blog followers, just let us know and we will all show up. LOL I hope you have a Merry Christmas and may your holidays be filled with lots of love, laughs and continued blessings.

  7. Hi Susan,
    Oh yes, we should do dinner parties more often! I’m going to be a virtual “mouse in the corner” at yours, ha! You really do it well! Have fun! 🙂

  8. Oh what fun!!! You sound so excited and it all looks wonderful!!! I know everyone will have a good time with you as hostess!!!

  9. Susan, no doubt your dinner guests will feel special at this party. Your table looks so festive! Have a fun time! ~ Sarah

  10. As always, Susan, everything is so beautiful! Love your photos! I can almost smell the delicious aroma of the treats being prepared in your kitchen. I’m sure all of your guests will be in for a special time. Have a very Merry Christmas!

  11. How wonderful, now you’ll be with your son and new Dil too! I would love to be there and see all your beautiful decorations, arrangement, great food and gorgeous house! Enjoy a blessed and happy Christmas dear Susan.
    FABBY

  12. My cousin says we should aim for gracious living. Clearly you have achieved it. What a lovely party you will be having. And is that Lenox china I spy?

    • Nancy, good call! The accent/dessert plates and cup/saucers are Lenox, Winter Greetings. I first saw it on a table while on a Christmas home tour in Madison, Georgia, and it was love at first sight. Home tours are dangerous!

  13. Susan, it is just so gorgeous! I know you and your guests will have a fabulous time. Love the plaid dishes…I’m into the red plaids this season, too. Found a tablecloth that had to come home with me.
    Thanks for sharing,
    Helen

  14. Dorinda Selke says

    Susan, your dinner guests will feel like royalty!!! How gorgeous everything is – so sparkling and festive! I hope you enjoy every single minute of your party! If you have a few minutes before the party, please pray for the 27 souls, 20 of them sweet little first graders, who lost their lives only about 30 miles from my home in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Thanks, Dorinda

  15. I’m bookmarking that wonderful punch recipe for a potential Twelfth Night party! Everything is….just spectacular!
    Nancy

  16. Anne Boykin says

    Hi Susan, Sounds like the same routine I have for getting ready for a party! Everything looks fabulous. Enjoy!

  17. Teri Minarczyk says

    Good choice on the wine.

  18. It does look like you’ve had fun getting ready & your house looks festive & divine! LOVE the wine you’ve picked, & how appropriately dressed the bottles are, too. 🙂 I’m curious about the glass bowls (don’t know what else to call them) you’ve used for the silverware. What are they & where did you get them? I love that idea of putting out the silverware in something like that so they’re contained & guests can help themselves. That’s so much easier than trying to stand them up in a cup & hoping the cup doesn’t tip over!

    Hope the party went well!! (And I wish you’d write a book!!!)

    • Alicia, I just realized I never answered your question. I found those flatware caddies at either Neiman Marcus or Horchow…forgot which now. They were very inexpensive. You can also find them on eBay. Just search for flatware caddies or crystal flatware caddy, and usually a bunch pop up. They are usually really reasonably priced, too.
      Hope you’re having a wonderful New Year!
      XO

  19. Susan,
    I want to come! It is all so lovely! Can’t wait to see more!!!

  20. Donna Bridges says

    it all looks so inviting , what lucky dinner guests you have . I just love those crystal dishes with the cutlery in them .

  21. I love your decorating skills. I get so many ideas from you! Thanks so much!!

  22. IT IS GORGEOUS!!! The white muff- OMG!! Right down to the wine…we luv “Bogle”..especially “Old Vine Zin!” Your party will be wonderful…do you have your music list?? EnJOY! franki

  23. Decorating, cooking and cleaning and more decorating, cooking and cleaning!!!!! I hear you Susan!!!!!! Don’t know about you , but it is times like this that I keep asking myself, “where are those little Elves when you really need them?????? 🙂
    With that said, wishing you a delightfu evening with your friends and as everything looks beautiful I’m sure they will all be impressed (with no thanks to the Elves may I add). Warm hugs -Brenda-
    Footnote: Printed off your recipe for the Spiced Champagne Punch. For your readers information using both sides of the paper , it took two pages in legal size format printing pages 2/3/4/6.

  24. claudette flanigan says

    Enjoy the party! All that work will certainly be worth it!

  25. Now you’ve gone and done it again! You’ve got me drooling over the Lenox china you have there and those silverware caddies. I’ve only used my trifle bowl once that I know of and I think it’s going to have to get used again during the holidays.. Everything is stunning; and we’re all mad that we weren’t invited to your party in person..I could have flown down and I have two cousins and a close friend/classmate that could put me up for the night..All joking aside now; we will be at your party in spirit and look forward to your photos on Monday. We’ll even take leftovers! I’m sure everything will be delicious and all your guest will have a wonderful time. You’ll be giddy but dog tired after they leave. Hope you’ve hired somebody to help you clean up and serve so you can enjoy yourself! Have fun!

    • Susan, guess what I rec’d as a gift today? I came to the aid of a dear neighbor the other day when her crockpot died when she was trying to make a roast. I had an extra one I’d never used and I loaned it to her and told her to keep it. She brings the box back tonight and i thought she hadn’t kept the crock pot. I look inside and there’s a covered casserole dish by Lenox “Winter Greetings pattern” Hallmark store had it their Lenox pieces 50% off.. Guess where I’m going to go tomorrow? I was so excited when I saw that box and looked at the back and saw the name of the pattern..You probably heard me screaming for joy all the way to Ga.! I’ll see if they have the salad or dessert plates or creamer and sugar at that Hallmark store and also look at Home Goods. Have a gift card there that I need to use.. I can see a Christmas party coming up in 2013 using those dishes..even if I have to buy them a few settings at a tme.

      My friend thought they were so pretty! She’s heard me talk about wanting Christmas dishes and she had just given a set to a friend of her daughter’s a few months ago. I’m sure what she had was not expensive ones but were still Christmas dishes.
      Oh, I’m so excited now!

      • Betty, how wonderful! I love that pattern! It is by far my very favorite Christmas china pattern. I have seen salad/dessert size plates in Winter Greetings in HomeGoods…just saw some there recently. I hope you find some! What a lovely thing for you to have done for your neighbor and she blessed you right back. 🙂 Thanks for sharing that lovely story!

  26. Rosie Moreno says

    Merry Christmas, Susan! Please know that all your efforts will be appreciated by your guests as they enter the special world you have created all the decorations and special touches you have shared today. You will definitely “make their spirits bright!”
    Rosie
    PS Where did you find your crystal flatware holders?

    • Hi Rosie,
      Thanks so much! 🙂 About the flatware caddies, I found mine at either Neiman Marcus or Horchow…forgot which now. They were very inexpensive. I just looked and Horchow has a set of three on sale for $23.90 here: http://www.horchow.com/p/Three-Crystal-Flatware-Caddies/cprod44900056/ They usually have them in a couple of style. The ones I linked to are slightly different from mine…not sure if they still carry the style I have or not.
      Also, if you search on ebay for crystal flatware caddies or crystal flatware caddy, a bunch pop up. I just found more by also searching on ebay for crystal flatware. They are one of the least expensive, best finds I’ve purchased in a while…really great for parties/gatherings.

      • @Rosie & Susan: Re the crystal flatware caddy, Lamps Plus also sales a similar cluster of three. -Brenda-

        • P.S: Should have added, in event you log on to their site … search for: Portico lead crystal flatware utensil caddy.

      • Cindy Hayhurst says

        After seeing your flatware caddies, I bought two crystal relish dishes at Big Lots that looked about the same and served the purpose. They were under $10 each.

  27. Just so invitimg! Love your flatware holders……..so unique! Merry Christmas!

  28. Oh Susan! This is just stunning! I’m just gaga over the breakfast room with the mercury glass trees and the Lenox dessert plates!! It’s all just gorgeous. I ESPECIALLY love the wine bottle dressing! lol Soooo cute!

  29. Hope you and your guests have fun.

  30. Oh Susan this looks great! I’ll be right there! LOL… Oh I know the invitation got lost in the mail!! Just teasing! I’m in the same mode as you. This week will be about tidying up loose ends, tidying up the house and prepping for my kids that wil be home! YAY! I’m going to add a leaf to my table and stage my dishes at the end like you are doing with the buffet so we can use it everyday- It will be an ongoing party! My kitchen table is so small it’s awkward so I think we’ll make good use of that fancy dining table for a change! Can’t wait to see your front porch!

  31. I’m having my Recipe Club in tomorrow evening for a light dinner and cookie swap tomorrow evening. Your pictures reminded me to get my silverware caddies out and use them! Love the mercury glass trees and am looking forward to seeing the Metamorphesis Monday surprises tomorrow!

  32. Susan, everything looks exquisite. I love the cardinal dishes. I know what you mean about cooking and decorating, I held a party for seventeen last week and still have a dinner for eight to give in between Christmas and New Year..so..I do have time to come to your party too!! 🙂
    You really make everything special for your guests, I am sure they love coming to your beautiful home.
    Looking forward to the other photos.

  33. Bravisimo Susan, what a wonderful job you have done !!!!!! I am in awww of you. Looking at the beautiful way you do things truly inspires me. Most of all, you enjoy what you do and it shows in your work. Enjoy yourself tonight and I know your guests will. Thanks for blogging and sharing your home and ideas with us. Again, as always, Thank YOU for lifting my spirits !!!!! Merry Christmas 🙂

  34. That is so gorgeous, Susan. I love the crystal silverware holders. 🙂

  35. I’m sure your guests will be amazed at the loveliness of your home at Christmas and feel honored to be invited.Great wine choices btw!

  36. Susan, Friday evening I watched the movie `The Holiday“ again. It still looked real to me and of course, it was another excuse to see Jude Law!!! 🙂

  37. Everything if gorgeous as always. I can’t wait to see more photo’s. How wonderful to be able to share your talent for cooking and love of beautiful things with your friends and family. Merry Christmas.

  38. Susan, this looks absolutely wonderful. I am sure your guests will be in awe of everything. Your eye for detail is impeccable. I love everything you have done and had to print your recipes for future.

  39. Wish I could come! Only kidding…everything looks so festive and scrumptious! I hope you and your guests had a wonderful evening..

  40. Oh, Susan,
    your guests are so lucky to be… YOUR guests!
    I’m sure your dinner party will be a delight to all of their senses!
    (Oh, how I wish I had a crystal ball! LOL)
    ~Hugs to you~
    Cecilia
    P.S. I love, love, love your dessert dishes (sooo beautiful!) and the “feminine” bottle (sooo cute!)!

  41. Ever since I was a little girl and my older sister would tell about how much fun she had on her date the night before I have loved hearing about the details. Now that I am older I still want to hear all about it. Do share please.

  42. Susan,
    Lovely!!!
    I adore how you’ve set up different areas and yet kept the decor elements the same!
    I know your guests will appreciate all your efforts and the delicious food!!!
    The best gifts of Christmas are the presence of family and friends!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

  43. Gorgeous!

  44. Everything is looking gorgeous. I love all of your Christmas decor. Stunning dinnerware.

  45. Everything looks wonderful. Happy Holidays my dear.

  46. Looks beautiful Susan! Gorgeous tree~

  47. You have given us some lovely tips for holiday preparation! I absolutely love the wine bottle wraps!

  48. I Love your blog! You Always have the most wonderful posts!! Where did you get the wine bottle wraps? Especially the fur??

  49. Mary from Virginia says

    WOW, what a beautiful set up for your party! I know your guests were thrilled to be treated so well-like royality! Everything looks perfect. Lucky them to be invited! Love your dishes and crystal silver holders.; so elegant!

  50. Your blog is such an inspiration! I just love it – especially at Christmas-time.

    What are those things called that hold your spoons/forks? It’s such a brilliant idea – and they look beautiful. Are they just called “silverware holders”? I need to find some of those on ebay!

    Love the Lenox and the muffs and the candy cane – love it all!

  51. Thanks so much! You are a doll – those do look similar to yours!

  52. Hi!! love the table and “Buffett” ! Where did you get the glass utsensil holders you used? they are lovely!!

  53. just saw the post before mine and found some!! Thanks!

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