Double Duty Christmas Luncheons, 2015

Every year, I host two small luncheons for close friends who exchange gifts with each other.  Part of my gift is a special luncheon that provides us the opportunity to "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off!" We share a meal and we visit and visit and visit.  It's a time to walk away from the hectic routines that  we create for ourselves each year.  Today I want to share both of the luncheons with you.  They are pretty much the same, but I like to tweak the second one for my pleasure, and hopefully for yours.

 All the citizens of the village were ready for Christmas, 2015, and so was I.

 This day I played with a slightly different seating arrangement at the games table.  Can you see what I've done?  The place settings are still equally distributed around the table, but I've let my runner and centerpiece run the entire diameter of the table.  For some reason, it made for a more intimate setting.  My guests at both luncheons really liked the settings, and I think that I'll adapt this for future tables for four.  Oh!  Can you find the napkins?  They have been put to use as gift wrap for party favors.

 You can tell that I am still enamored with the Pottery Barn hurricanes.  I liked them so much that I used a Christmas gift certificate to buy another quartet of different hurricanes from Pottery Barn.  I can hardly wait for them to arrive.


The red heavy acrylic charger was the very first charger that I ever owned.  It was a generous gift from a friend, probably 20 years ago.  They are still beautiful, and I love to use them.

 The mug was used for a delicious tomato based soup that one of my friends contributed for the day.  If I can locate the recipe that she shared with me, I'll share it at some point.  It was soooo good!

 The Johnson Brothers Great Britain Pink Castles Christmas seemed to be quite comfortable with the green checked tablecloth that I found on eBay several years ago.  At first I viewed the cloth as a "summer cloth", but it has proven itself to be a cloth for all seasons.

Still two of my "go-to" goblets, I used the Vietri red and the AJKA Arabella green for today's festivities.

 The Retroneau Hollydays gold flatware continues to get its once a year workout.

 Color me happy, happy, happy!

 I enjoy dining tree side...

 ...with a view of our Christmas living room.

Ready to share good food and good fun with very good friends!

 Same story, second verse...

 Just a few changes...Can you find them?

 Oh, okay...one hint...

 Royal Crown Derby Brittany

Hint, hint, hint...look closely!

These two parties are always such a blessing for me.  We're all grandmothers now, with one awaiting her first precious grand baby in just a few months, and as such, we find ourselves busier and busier.  We love it so much, and still, it is wonderful to be able to sit face to face and catch up with each other...and share lots and lots of pictures of little ones.  At both luncheons, we stayed, and laughed till our sides hurt, and enjoyed each others' company until late in the afternoon.  I sent leftovers home with everyone, so they didn't have to be concerned about what to fix for dinner.  Merry Christmas!

My Christmas wish for you is that you have a circle of precious friends with whom you enjoy special moments like these.  I'll share that the common denominator for each of us is an abiding love of our precious master, Jesus Christ, the lover of each of our ragged souls.  Some of us are part of the same church family, and some of us attend other churches.  It doesn't matter...it is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost that binds us together.  I pray that you have found a church family for yourself.  Sometimes people ask me, "What is a church family?"  I answer, "Oh, it is so much.  It is a group of people with whom I worship and who lift their arms to cerebrate and give praise to God with me when things are good in my life...and who lift their arms to hold me up to God when I am in pain, or grieving, or suffering.  It is my church family.

This week I'm joining:

Worthwhile Wednesday @ Crafty Allie

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch