Holiday Tables

It's time to start thinking about setting your holiday tables. I've decided to write about this subject in October, rather than waiting until later because I understand how tight budgets become closer to the holidays; you don't want to find-out two days before your event that you need to drop some coin on additional dishes or napkins. I know, I know--I'm sounding like a money grubbing retailer, trying to conjure up reasons you should be shopping at my boutique. To be totally honest, I hope you will, but I know there are other places where it's possible to gather your home. Perhaps a few suggestions and photos will entice you to give Hodgepodge a try this holiday season. Here goes . . .

When you're planning your holiday entertaining, I think you should first establish your dining arrangements. Will you have a sit-down dinner or a steady flow of appetizers for your guests to casually pick-up on small plates throughout the night? Often the number of guests will determine this. A buffet dining arrangement is often considered the easiest approach, but it still requires planning.

Regardless of your approach--you need to take an inventory to ensure you have enough plates, bowl, glasses and flatware to service your guests. Of course, they do not all have to match, but they should coordinate.

This is especially true of your flatware. I've been an advocate of mix-and-matching you flatware for years; I've been using a plethora of mismatched silver plate flatware for better than 15 years. Furthermore, I don't polish it--oh, the horror! Same is true of your dishes--be they stoneware, ironstone or china--don't get hung up on trying to find another Franciscan Desert Rose cereal bowl. Take a look at other dishes that may coordinate. For instance, these cereal bowls from Comptoire de Familie (above picture) would coordinate nicely with that pattern or many others.

In order to take the edge off of this unorthodox approach, you may wish to find a common thread--other than a similar colors--to keep a theme. You could look for flatware with your last name monogram on it. You could look for china with a Greek key pattern or pink roses. This approach could also include mixing stoneware with china--a look displayed at Hodgepodge since we opened.

You'll also see in the picture below a few other ideas for your table setting. Use juice glasses for votive holders. Place cards and holders can be constructed from a variety of items--here I've

penned names on our faux fall leaves and placed them on mini easels. I used ceramic pumpkins to top the place setting--these are so inexpensive, they can be given to my guests to take home. The chargers seen in this picture are a sturdy sea grass construction which can double as lap trays if you opt for the buffet approach; they're also available in red. These items are not listed for purchase on my website, but you can contact me via email or by phone for more information or "long distance" purchasing.

This realistic turkey is a wonderful focal point for a sit-down or buffet table. We have wonderful accessories, from utensil caddies and napkins to plate stands and napkin rings. We hope to help you gather your table for the holidays!

Thanks for your indulgence!

~Paige