I just finished this last night. It's a little busy, but when you restrain the palette you need to get exuberance from somewhere.

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I'm still trying to come up with something new and fresh for this year's dining room table centerpiece, as we host Christmas Day and dinner here every year. Our table is 9 1/2 feet long, so that centerpiece always needs to be loooooong.

Here's a few of mine from Christmases Past:
In this one, I started with an ice bucket that I already had. There are two of the silver trees on each side of it.

Another year, I used my ceramic reindeer and flanked it with the silver trees, white poinsettias and votives. In this pic, everything was moved down to the end of our table.

Here's one using my silver nativity set. This was taken around New Years, as that's when I start using more of the blue, white and silver, instead of the red and green.

A couple of years ago, I made these two decs and used them as the main parts of my centerpiece. The containers are footed. I can't find a pic of that entire centerpiece, though.

Last year I used part of my Santa collection. Again, I took this pic while the centerpiece was moved down to the end of the table for a meal.

I'd thought about using my Mrs. Claus this year, flanked my some of my nutcracker collection,
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but our Christmas Day dinner guests include a very active (and adorable) little 2 and 3 y/o and I'm worried the nutcrackers may end up face-planted in our plates before the meal is over! (Sigh!) Maybe something with my snowmen.
Lynn

This post was edited by lynninnewmexico on Thu, Dec 4, 14 at 13:36

mtnrd and lynn, love all of the vignettes, current and past. I used to do much more decorating when the kids were small. In recent years my daughters have decorated for the grandson.

For the last few years my favorite has been easy.

I just pull out this baby ...
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... et voila!
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Photobucket isn't cooperating, so I'll show my dining room table as it looks now. We are pretty casual so keep things simple. Before a sit down dinner, I change things to include candles and fresh flower arrangements.

Linen, the nativity scene as a centerpiece is a great idea. Never thought of that. Also I think a great reminder as to what Christmas is about, to have it on a dinner table.

Thanks, Tibbie, I agree. We have another, larger nativity set on the buffet right behind the table there, but out of sight in all these pics.

Mama goose, I LOVE that beautiful table!

Mtn, Lynn, and Maddie, very festive indeed. I love the decorations you made Lynn. They are beautiful!

I have only done a tiny bit so far. We eat every night at this table so it is kept simple til Christmas dinner.

Lynn, mtr, maddie and mama goose I love what each of you have done. Mtr, IÃÂ especiallyÃÂ love how you use pinks instead of red!

Thanks, Roarah, it's my version of red. : ) I like your chandy decor. And does your china cab have snow flakes?

Thanks everyone. It's fun to see everyone's place dressed up!

Lynn, That's smart to move the decor when you eat.

MamaGoose, i love love that palette! So pretty! And the basket.

Our table is not set up til Christmas dinner, so this is what we enjoy looking at now.
On our breakfast bar, I filled my wood dough bowl with my sleigh bell collection, pine cones, and evergreen branches.

We had our first christmas party last night and our centerpiece was made locally using one of our own silver containers. All the trays were cleaned and and stacked on the table, the table doesn't always look like this :-)

I don't have a dining table or a dining room. They all look wonderful. I'm jealous.

schoolhouse -- same here! Our kitchen, and only, table is always in use!

However, these beautiful arrangements reminded me that I bought a poinsettia print fabric last year to make a table (or buffet) runner...so I'm going to find my fancy shiny serger thread and get going on that project!!!

Mama- oh my goodness!!! I just got the exact same pop up nativity scene
from a box of things from my great aunt. It's so old, detailed,
and beautiful!! Do you have any idea how old it might be?
And where did you acquire yours? I've never seen one like it so
you can imagine my excitement when I saw the angel on the front and
knew exactly what it was!

You are all so talented! Right now, I am finishing up Santa costumes for horses, so my sewing....errr...dining table is covered in black vinyl and white faux fur fuzz! Snow, that's it!

prairiemom, It was a gift from my mother, many years ago. I don't know where she found it. The artist/illustrator was Vojtech Kubasta--does yours have 'Kubasta' on the right side of the angel's banner? I always thought that it was older, but in the link it states that he started producing Christmas creches in the 1950's. The one that they picture seems to have quite a bit of damage, as well as no star. The star had fallen off mine, but I've replaced it since I took the picture.

If you google his name you can find info and pictures of his other pop-ups.

Here is a link that might be useful: Smithsonian

This post was edited by mama_goose on Fri, Dec 5, 14 at 23:53

I try every year, but K'ten ends up ruining the display...

Mama-thank you for the great information. Yes, mine has his name and is in what I would call mint condition. I won't be home for a few days but will take a pic when I get home. The style does look older, interesting that even in the 1950's I guess the trend was to look retro. Looking forward to reading more about him. I'm certain we had the Red Riding Hood book and others when I was a child in the 60's. They were very detailed and colorful.

Dawn, you don't need a centerpiece. The ambience alone is just gorgeous!

Was the picture taken at dusk? IMO, that's the prettiest time of the day when there's snow outside. :)

KSWL, your centerpiece is gorgeous. Nothing is prettier than roses and silver, IMO.

So many pretty things. I swear, these threads are really getting me into the spirit. Dawn, when you have horses as a part of the view it's hard to improve. Lovely.

No centerpiece, yet. I'm poking along with decorating, but I'm inspired! Mama Goose's pop-up is extraordinary. KatieB's dough bowl is EXACTLY what I would like on my table, and KSWL's gorgeous silver filled with blooms is so elegant.

Just did my dining room arrangement. Finding the 3 black trays I found at C&B Outlet for a steal are very versatile.
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A quick arrangement from a grocery store bouquet DH brought me last night. Daisies are my favorite and he will pick them up when he sees them. The planter belonged to my great-grandmother.

Alex, I love love your tree. I think partly it's the wall color backdrop... Curious, what color are your walls?

Mtn, it's a color from the Do-It-Best hardware store but from several years ago. I can't believe I don't have it noted on the can. I worked there part time and the tint machine is pumped by hand so no computer label. If I find the name I'll let you know. SW makes the paint base.
It's the deepest marine blue I could find, which looks like darkest navy during the day, except where the morning sunshine hits then you can see the green tone, and black at night.

It's a small room and looked so dreary when we moved in, when it was mostly white. Obviously lightening it up didn't work for the POs, so I went the other direction. I just love it.

Thanks Oakley & Alex.
I appreciate the fact that you were able to look past the d@#! cat on the placemats......
:)

Katy-b I love the coppery colors in your centerpiece. And Dawn, such a lovely view, even with the cat! Or should I say especially with the cat and the horse. Alex that is a lovely planter and so perfect for the bouquet from your thoughtful DH.

Love seeing all the variety of the centerpieces. I'll take a photo of mine tonight. Just no time lately it seems.

Here's a bad picture of mine. I'm using Lenox's Sleighride china this year. My round table opens up to a square to seat eight which is why the centerpiece is a circular village in a square tray. I wanted to use the same birch bark candle that I used last year, but I can't find it anywhere. It must be in a Christmas tote still in storage. :-(
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Finally got things off my island long enough to snap a picture.
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Dawn, I'm a life-long cat companion so I understand that they train us to accommodate them ;) The kitty that currently rules here scratches at one door to come in and then immediately goes to the other to be let out. She likes her short-cut between the front and back yard (rolling eyes).

This is from last Christmas.... Hope it still counts!!