Monday, November 29, 2010

It's Over Once Again....

Our house is unbelievably quiet considering the commotion of the Thanksgiving Holiday. We had 21 people for dinner and the day and a few for a few nights. We don't entertain too much so I always look forward to hosting my family for one holiday - just once a year. Like many old houses, we have an official dining room complete with my Aunt Jennie's dining set - a big old table, two sideboards, lots of chairs, a chandelier that burns candles and lots of dishes and tableware which were mostly wedding gifts back a few decades ago. I painted the dining room walls with a fanciful vine, flower and animal mural which was so much fun to do and still looks good. Boy, I had a whole bunch of energy back then - now that I think back on it!


For my centerpiece, I purchased a "bread cornucopia" from our friends at 7 South Bakery in Bernardston. If I am lucky, it will last until next year - that is if the mice don't discover it this winter.


As Mom and I were cooking, we were talking about all the stuff brides get when they register for wedding gifts and how sad it is it never gets used but once a year - at least in this house. We were also talking about how times have changed since I got married back in 1984. Does anyone even buy good china or sterling silver anymore? I'm thinking no but maybe some still do. All that stuff that used to seem so important to brides - do they even care anymore?


The normal life of our dining room is a catch-all that I close the door on a lot. I use the giant table as my shipping surface. Normally, there are boxes of books and cards, packing tape, and shipping boxes scattered on every surface. During Farmer's Market season, we keep all our rotating supplies in there too. What about your dining room? Do you even have one? What do you use it for? Do you have Sunday dinner every week like we used to when I grew up? Do you throw fancy dinner parties? Do you cut out quilts on your dining room table?

Now we're back to just the three of us and assorted felines and canines. The critters are definitely happy to have their house back to normal.


It is back to real life and looking forward to the Christmas holidays - especially Julia. It is Christmas music non-stop, every minute she is home. Seeing her as excited as she is reminds me of how much I loved Christmas as a young girl. Oh, the anticipation! Our dining room will be waiting again for another year for its really big day! Good week everyone!

7 comments:

Heather L. said...

LOVED your dining room table!!!! Yes, yes, I use our china as much as possible. Even though I have 5 kids 10 and under we still eat a Sunday dinner each week and frequently use our china, tablecloths, centerpiece, etc. All my friends still register for china. I collect pretty pieces at second hand shops and garage sales. I found a beautiful turkey platter this past year and 3 fall plates by the same manufacturer.

Whosyergurl said...

beautiful tablecloth. My dining room has become my art room and I had to pack it all away! We had 18 here. I use my silver every day, and had polished it a few days before. If you use it, you only have to polish a couple of times a year. I did polish the serving pieces and had them ready. Our house is quiet now, too. Just the two of us, plus the two cats and the corgi. Life is good. xo, Cheryl

JFibers said...

I taught for two years in the Philippines and while I was there, I received a beautiful set of china from a student. 98 pieces!!! WOW! I haven't gotten to use it yet but my husband and I have only been married for one year and are still waiting to have Thanksgiving in a home of our own. If I didn't get it then, I would have registered for it for the wedding. Can't wait to use all those pieces.

Kathy said...

My dining room is actually a wing of my kitchen in this current house. I rarely sit there to eat, as I live alone. Our table this Thanksgiving had eight people around it - as one of my four grown kids and his wife and three sons were with her family this year. Memories abounded though as we used my grandma's hand stitched table-cloth, my mom's silverware, and my other grandma's old china and a couple of very old serving bowls that I save for these occasions. Mostly I use my dining room table to do crafts, cut out fabric, wind yarn on the swift, do calligraphy jobs, make homemade greeting cards from recycled old ones, and play all manner of games with my kids and grand-kids when they are home for a visit. Once in a while it is a place to work a jig-saw puzzle, too. :)

charlene said...

I have beautiful dishes that i started to collect in High School by the time I got married I had service for eight. I have used it every holiday for 32 years! My Mom passed away this year and my daughter was thrilled to get her best dishes and silver so I guess some young people still like fine things.

Anonymous said...

Our dining room is asecond living room and our kitchen contains the table and chairs. We use both for the knitting spinning dying spaces. We got a dining room table for our wedding present, as we have no use for china or sterling silver. What I considered important as a bride i'd say still matters today, a home, and income and most of all a loving family.

PAK said...

I no longer use the Wedgwood China I received for my wedding 44 years ago. I set a more relaxed table now in the dining area at the end of my living room. I like the atmosphere of eclectic serving pieces and dishes.

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