If you were to ask me my favorite season it would surely be Summer, but the tradition, smells + bells of the holiday season make Winter such a strong contender. At least the 4-5 true weeks of holiday celebration between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Today I’m out at my husband’s family farm to set up a rustic Holiday Tablescape, perfect for Christmas Dinner at the old barn at the front of the property.
The first time I saw the old barn I knew it was my most favorite place on the whole property. A tack + feed room, hay loft, resident cat and fresh coat of white paint on the old wooden walls make this building an easy contender in my book.
You know I’m a neutral lover to the extreme but the holidays are my one exception where I bring in a pop of red to celebrate the season. One of my very favorite ways to decorate for the holidays is to let my simple backgrounds + bones set the tone while layering on heavy swags of fresh green garland and scattering in a pop of red here and there. This rustic set up at the farm was no exception.
This year I went with a mix of fresh evergreen swags, magnolia boughs from my backyard (because, it’s holiday time in the South after all) and a heavy scattering of pomegranates + sprinkling of cranberry strands for that pop of color. I love the rich red color of the fruit and the fresh element of bringing fruits + veggies into the floral elements, a signature touch I tend to lean on over and over again.
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For a Christmas Dinner table, you’ll want to be sure to bring in a variety of pieces new and old. That’s the best part of the holiday season, reliving and recreating those traditions from your childhood and creating brand new ones for your own children. Some, perhaps without you even knowing.
Here I’m mixing our go-to heirloomed oatmeal linens, the rustic White Lastra Collection dinnerware from Vietri, and several pieces of showstopper Match Pewter. Because I was fort nature to have been handed down both my grandmother + great grandmother’s wedding china, we instead registered for nice dinnerware and continue to collect pewter table service pieces each anniversary to support our entertaining habits. And what better holiday to bring it all out for the family.
Now if you know anything about me or have followed along here for any amount of time, you know that equally important to tradition during the holiday season are those made-from-scratch handwritten recipes that my family has been making for generations. Filling the holiday table and my own kitchen with the same aromas and flavors that I remember from my childhood is absolutely essential for making the season special.
The exception to the rule, somehow, has always been the HoneyBaked Ham. We step outside the kitchen and have always had a perfectly glazed ham on the table during the holidays, bringing both beauty, ease and flavor to the table like no other. My kids + husband are all on the bandwagon year after year with this yummy staple.
We completed the spread this season with a rustic loaf of bread + butter, freshly roasted asparagus, and a big bowl of burst red potatoes. All delicious and all playing to the gorgeous color of the season.
These guys were looking on and wondering when they were going to get to partake in the holiday meal. Luckily we made it through the meal without any animal guests this time around, but past set ups haven’t been so fortunate.
I hope you enjoyed the holiday tablescape and would love to know some elements, tips and touches you’re using for your Christmas table setting + spread this holiday season. Merry Christmas!
Special thank you to HoneyBaked Ham, Vietri + Match Pewter for your partnership on this shoot. These are brands I authentically use in my own life + home and ones I support (and hope you will too). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
heirloomed is a lifestyle brand with a mission of “keeping heirlooms around for another generation.” Our blog features stories about family recipes, creating traditions with your family, interior design and entertaining by mixing new and vintage pieces, classic style, and small town + historic travel. Our shop features a collection of “goods inspired by the past, for generations to enjoy” with an array of products and meaningful gifts including linen aprons, tabletop linens, art, ceramics and beyond. Learn more at www.heirloomedcollection.com.
