Christmas Table Setting with Dept. 56 Churches

Welcome to the 119th Tablescape Thursday!

Part of the fun of Christmas is seeing the world through the eyes of a child. Tonight, you and I get to be a kid again. How about a snowball fight…or a ride in a sleigh?

Villeroy & Boch Toy's Delight Dinnerware in Christmas Table Setting

 

This table setting features several of the pretty Dept. 56 churches.

 

I grouped them all around a Christmas tree. This table wouldn’t be especially practical for a dinner gathering since the tree would block the view and the snow would be in the way. But this may give you and idea for a centerpiece on a sideboard or a table where folks will not be eating.

 

A snowball fight…

 

The snow looks pretty real, doesn’t it?

 

 

The lighting of the little churches makes this table feel magical…

 

 

 

Salad plates are Villeroy & Boch…

 

 

Stemware is Spode Holiday…

 

Christmas Table Setting Tablescape with Dept 56 Churches

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas! (Last year’s Dept. 56 Tablescape can be found here: Table Setting With Department 56 Lit Houses.)

Resources:

Chargers: Hobby Lobby, last year
Dinner Plate: Lenox, Butler’s Pantry Gourmet, 2-3 years ago
Salad/Dessert Plates: Provided by Villeroy and Boch, from their current Toys Delight and Toys Fantasy lines
Stemware: Spode, Marshalls, last year
Flatware: Argent, I think, HomeGoods, last year
Napkin Sheaths: Pier 1, this year
Napkins: Martha Stewart Brand from Macy’s, last year
Napkin Rings: Bed, Bath and Beyond, I think…years ago
Snow: Big Lots, this year
Tree Centerpiece: HomeGoods, this year
Dept. 56 Churches and figures: All were purchased 12-15 years ago

Looking forward to viewing your beautiful tablescapes!

Please Read:
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Comments

  1. Amazing table, Susan! Lots of inspiration. Just beautiful!

  2. Dana and Daisy says

    Oh i just love it all Susan! It is so dreamlike and especially with your music choice! I would be tempted to leave the table set all season, just like that, and make everyone eat somewhere else! ha ha!

  3. Love your village vignette~ it does make me want to play in the snow 🙂

  4. Alycia Nichols says

    Absolutely beautiful! The centerpiece tree is magnificently adorned, and I LOVE the idea of the whole village spread out over the table! That is really, really neat!!! I'm glad to see the winter months roll around just for tables like these…you did a wonderful, wonderful job! Thanks again for hosting TT, and have a great holiday season!

  5. Barb @ GritsandGlamour says

    Susan – first of all, kudos for pulling off such a beautiful table AND hiding all the electrical cords, LOL. I especially love the pics taken later in the day when the tiny lights are glowing on the stemware. You are an amazing woman, Susan. This may be one your your prettiest tablescapes yet. Hope you're enjoying decorating your home. Thinking of you, Barb

  6. Oh Susan! It looks divine! I love the village and all the individual goings on around the table. Thank You and Have a blessed night!

  7. What a charming tabletop village! I like the bride and groom best. Thanks for another fun Thursday!

  8. Susan, This is both fun and pretty! I love the snow and the village – especially the churches and the children throwing snowballs. Love the napkins too. Very creative! Thanks for sharing this great table.
    Hugs, Beth

  9. I so enjoyed your table and seeing your village pieces on it. I have a Dept. 56 village (all gifts from my parents). I never thought about trying to use it on my table. Thanks for the inspiration.

  10. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    A wonderful "focus" for this Christmas season! And I always love a Christmas wedding. 🙂 Nicely done! Thanks for hosting, too.

  11. DavidsonDawg says

    Love the salad plates, especially the red bordered ones!

  12. Oh Susan, that is an absolutely ENCHANTING table design. I chuckled over all the details. How wonderful! Thanks for sharing such a great table. Susan

  13. vignette design says

    Hi Susan,
    So happy to participate in TT today. My post is about my tablescapes when I first started blogging. I was so nervous the first time I linked up to you at BNOP! You have been a great inspiration and I look forward to participating in many more TT in 2011.
    Your table today is amazing! I love the little village and now my wheels are turning! Thanks for being the hostess with the mostess!

  14. carolinajewel says

    Love all the wonderful vignettes in your tablescape! The stories are endless!!! Beautiful and fun table!

  15. Perfect music for these wonderful houses! You have really made such a fun table and all the close up pictures while the music played is so fun and clever! This is a magical table!

    You'll have to share your secrets for hiding all the cords! I need you to help with me my lighted houses that are going on a shelf in the family room. I have no idea how to hide those darn cords! 🙂

    Mary
    From Virginia

  16. Nellie's Cozy place says

    Hi Susan,
    Loved your Tablescape. It was so neat!! Loved looking at the village
    scenes – Hubby and I both just love those!!
    It would definitely be fun sitting at that table. The tree is just beautiful as well.
    You are so talented sweet friend,
    Thanks for hosting, as always you did an outstanding job.
    The music was perfect as well….
    Isn't that from Polar Express??

    Have a lovely rest of the week hon,
    Blessings, Nellie

  17. Susan, I love the snow! You are so good about sharing information, so perhaps you can tell us how you hid all the cords so well 😉 My village will go up soon, and I'll be getting some snow from Big Lots! Another wonderful tablescape!

  18. Designing Lady Jane says

    This such a beautiful tablescape, I love this collection of churches. The accessory pieces are so much fun, from the horse and carriage to the man pushing the car to start it to the bride and groom. Love how these villages have so many stories to them.

    Those salad plates are amazing! That edging is so unique.

  19. Yellow Rose Arbor says

    Ohhh, this was so much fun! I love the Christmas villages! Great way to display yours!

    Beautiful Christmas tree china! Everything is very pretty!

    Katherine

  20. It's not only FUN, it's really pretty too. I am so fond of Dept. 56. My mom has a whole village, and I'm like a little kid looking at it.

    I totally enjoyed your table this week, Susan. Thanks for hosting this!

  21. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    Such a beautiful table, Susan! I love your dishes! The glasses are great, too. What a great find on the tree you used in the centerpiece. I keep forgetting I have a gift card to Home Goods and I'm thinking I should use it for Christmas decor! I can see I'm going to be very busy trying to visit all the beautiful tablescapes that are being linked up!

  22. can just say wow,..;-)

  23. Just wonderful! I could just set at this table for hours and take it all in! The tree in the center is just PERFECT in this setting! Love it!!!!!

  24. Splendid Sass says

    So beautiful, Susan.The churches are gorgeous.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Teresa

  25. Kathy@ Gone North says

    Just Lovely!!
    I am a collector, another idea in how to use them.
    AND because it takes me days to put them all up, I call them winter decorations. They stay up until late Feb. above my kitchen cupboards.

  26. Mid-Atlantic Martha says

    Thanks for sharing your village of Churches. I love all the Christmas activity on your table.

  27. Just love this tablescape-everything about it. The music is from Home Alone, also. How fun! I really like the salad plates from VB. I have a lot of Snow Village from years ago, too. I was in a birthday group where we gave each other a piece each year. When I use mine I have great memories from dear friends.I think the churches are my favorite pieces. Thanks for the great post.

  28. Nf1andprek-whisper says

    pink cadillac.. I love.. I loved the bride. never thought to use snow and dept 56 on a table with plates. LOVE it.

  29. Susan,

    I just adore your Dept. Village pieces..what a wonderful table you created…a little winter wonderland! Thanks for being such a great hostess and for continued inspiration!

    Miss Bloomers

  30. Designs By Pinky says

    What a great table, Susan! I love all the churches and the accessories! We have a huge Dept. 56 collection but it is all on the train board so I can't use it to make a table:):) I love how you did this. Thanks for hosting this party. I don't have a table to share yet. XO, Pinky

  31. Susan, I love your churches all lit up and in the snow!!! Great idea to have the tree sprouting up in the middle, so fun!! I linked a table I did a couple of years ago in reds and pinks for todays tablescapes. I just finished my table yesterday and need to tweak before pictures. That will be next, I hope!! Thank you for being such a wonderful hostess, Merry Christmas,Kathysue

  32. Handy Man, Crafty Woman says

    So pretty! Love it!

  33. Hi Susan,

    What a charming table! You've put it all together so perfectly, with thoughtful attention to the tiniest details. The colors are wonderful (especially liked the way the layered napkins coordinate with items from your collections), and your photography is absolutely beautiful — you really captured the light and the feeling of the passage of time.

    Thank you, as always, for hosting and providing such great inspiration week after week!

    Warmest regards,
    Bill

  34. Jacqueline says

    I have kept the music playing all night while I finished up decorating the house!

    The table is gorgeous. I love the churches and the little characters. My grandkids would love riding the things through the snow. Do you keep it up all month? So pretty.

  35. Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) says

    Hi Jacqueline,
    Thanks! I love that song, too! 🙂 Last year when I created a Dept. 56 tablescape, it was close to Christmas and I did leave it up. This year, I didn't since I knew I'd need to use that table before Christmas. I really didn't want to take it down.

  36. Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality says

    Hi, Susan, what an absolutely adorable Christmas table! I love how you put all those little people out there, different little stories along the way, all with a beautiful table setting.

    Thanks for joining my party & for linking over too. It's going to be a busy Christmas party season this year. I think I heard you are having one too, so I'm going to link up to a bunch too. Merry Christmas!

  37. Gloria (The Little Red House with the White Porch) says

    The figures? So cute! The houses? So charming! Everything together? So beautiful!!!
    Best,
    Gloria

  38. Diann @ TTG says

    How adorable. It looks like you had a really fun time playing with this table to create such a charming display!

  39. Purnima@a creative project says

    Beautiful table decor!! Everything looks magical!!

  40. This tablescape is a Xmas dream….. brava!!! ciao Flavia

  41. Hello Susan,
    I wonder where you always get such new and brillant ideas for tablescaping. This table is so stunning, I can't believe it. If one had asked me to set this table for three persons with all that decoration, I had regret. That's just impossible. But YOU can! It looks so nice, the little tree, those wonderful light houses and the little scenes in the snow, very very winterly and wonderful. You are not only a graceful hostess of my beloved blog event, you are a great tablescaper, too. Thank you so much and have a wonderful time.
    Greetings, Johanna

  42. Sanghamitra Bhattacherjee(Mukherjee) says

    What a charming table!..lots of inspirations…gorgeous!:)

  43. Great way to display the churches. Wish I had collected more than just one church, I have about 15 other houses. OK.. now where did you hide the electrical cord?

  44. Susan, how perfectly magical this little table looks! We both used some Department 56 items this week. LOL GMTA

    The VB Toys Delight and Toys Fantasy line of salad plates are totally new to me…AWESOME!! Thanks for showing us those!

    I love all your faux snow & the entire village photographed beautifully with their interior lights. I forgot to turn my lights on in my gingerbread house. 🙁

    I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season. I was sick for awhile after T'day but am back into the swing of things now.

    Thank you for hosting TT again & again & again. It is my favorite day of the week!

  45. So cute, so cute, SO— CCCUTE!!!!

  46. Hi Susan, I love your village. Your photos tell the whole story so well. I am about to put my village together.
    Thanks for hosting.
    Hugs, Jeanne

  47. Linda in AZ * says

    * SUUUUCH WARMTH n' CHARM here at BNOP, dear old friend!

    It's been quite a while since I've visited, and I know now I shouldn't have come THIS morning, as I'm still BUSILY PREPARING for a "pre-Christmas/beginning of the holidays" dinner party for about 85 people tomorrow night… BUUUUT, I just couldn't resist stopping by while on a MUCH-NEEDED, 30 minute "rest break"…

    … and OH! What a TREAT!!!

    MY how B*I*G this has all gotten… and such TALENT!!! CONGRATS on an obviously well-loved and admired "SUPER-BLOG", Susan!

    Must run (literally) right now (need to clear my head to start this last "big day" of prep ahead of me!) … Plz know I'm sending my warmest holiday wishes n' many hugs,

    Linda in AZ *
    [email protected]

  48. This will be a holiday favorite tablescape of mine for YEARS to come! So wonderful!!! Thank you!

  49. Carmie of the Single Nester says

    Warm and welcoming. I just love those figurines of children throwing snowballs. So fun!

  50. I LOVE it! I definitely want to try this. Gorgeous! Magical! Wow!

    Karen

  51. Magical! I love it, it's so sweet!
    Hugs, Cindy

  52. laxsupermom says

    Your table looks fantastic! I would have never thought to have used my Christmas village pieces on an actual eating table. What a great idea! All sorts of ideas percolating now.

  53. Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy says

    Hi Susan,

    I love your little town, with all the details. The cars stuck in the snow are precious!

    Thank you so much for letting me do a bit of show and tell again this week.

    Take care,

    Kathy

  54. Judy @ Southern Style Home Decor says

    I love the Department 56 theme. I have a few houses, but they aren't Dept. 56. Thanks for the ideas. I'm hoping to see some decor ideas with a gingerbread men theme. I found the cutest pair the other day and now I wish I could find more items that went with that theme.

  55. Sue (Someone's Mom) says

    It makes for such a wonderful, festive table. You are a brave woman to use all that snow. It seems every time I use it, I sneeze or someone opens a door and a breeze blows it all over the place, but it is so pretty!

    I also love the plates…this really puts me in the Christmas spirit!

  56. CalypsoInTheCountry says

    Absolutely beautiful! You are so creative! What a nice collection you have. I also love all the natural light in the room!

  57. Oh Susan:
    Sigh….there is truly no end to your ability to create. Just beautiful, and yes I am going to copy it!
    Hugs, Lisa

  58. I have thought about putting my village on our dining table but what to do with the cords??? How did you get yours lit?

  59. Great ideas and love the pictures.

  60. Susan,
    I finally did it! Coty has been trying to get me to do this for the longest time. I just finally took the time to grab my camera.
    I hope I did everything correctly.
    My post begins with a day trip that my daughter and I took and then concludes with us coming home to our guys and Thanksgiving dinner.
    All my things on the table are treasures from long ago and my dinnerware is from Italy so I don't have every single thing listed. Let me know if I need to do more.
    It was so fun doing this, now I'm off to tell Coty!
    Your table is to die for….xoxo
    Lisa

  61. Lady Katherine says

    Susan, I just love the tree, the salad plates! Napkins, lovely! The village is so pretty in the snow. I just know that pink car is my ride! lol

  62. Such a fun and whimsical table….I'd be pretending I lived in that little city all meal long! Just hope no one sneezes at the same or everyone would have a dusting of snow! :o)
    Toni

  63. Pearl Maple says

    Thanks for sharing the how to tips on snow and hosting this fabulous party, always so much inspiration and fun to be found here.

  64. Ricki Jill Treleaven says

    I love your table scape. My daughters would love it, too. Very creative and pretty!

  65. I love the video, especially the outake video. It's always good to have a little giggle now and again.

    The tablescape is beautiful. How did you plug them in so they are lit? I couldn't see any cords.

  66. Entertaining Women says

    Many years ago, my best friend Susan started a Christmas Village for me…one precious building each Christmas. We lost Susan to breast cancer when she was 38 years old. My Sweet Mister and children honored our friendship by continuing to give me wonderful pieces that allowed my village to grow over the passing years. I finally had to declare a building moratorium because the top of the baby grand ran out of vacant property. The village is one of my most precious treasures. Thank you for sharing your wonderful tablescape…I can hardly wait to get my village up. Cherry Kay

  67. Liz@http://infusewithliz.blogspot.com/ says

    Susan, all I can say is Oh My, Oh My! So cute, sweet, charming…I wouldn't have ever thought to do this if I hadn't seen it done. I love the tree in the center…Gee, I have a round glasss kitchen table, some village pieces, a tree….hmmm….

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