Pretty, Rustic Style for Christmas

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a Christmas dinner hosted by House of Fraser and their table was so pretty I just had to share.

The long refectory-style table was left bare of a table cloth, and the weathered wood no doubt was the inspiration for the rest of the decorations. Vases of roses and winter berries added a very festive touch, but the rest of the accessories were simple and rustic. Details such as plain glass candle holders, white cards with hand-written names, and cutlery and napkins tied up with string and a sprig of rosemary were the order of the day. And beside each plate was a notebook and pencil to take home. If you were doing this at home, I’d suggest a little gift, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a velvet ribbon to match the red roses.

And it would be so easy to do this at home with things you probably already have. Roses are expensive at this time of the year but a vase of eucalyptus or other green foliage would look equally fabulous.

But we didn’t just eat.

Activities included origami wrapping. In other words how to wrap a gift without using any cellotape. Believe me it’s possible but if you want extra proof there is a video here.

And we also made a door wreath. Fuelled by prosecco. With varying degrees of success (I think I could have done better). Mine however, is hanging on my front door. And the smell that permeated the room while this was going on was enough to make us rush home and fill all our vases with branches of Norwegian spruce.

So if you are feeling the pressure of shopping, wrapping, cleaning, decorating, cooking and every other chore that means we are a week away from Christmas. My advice to you is, have a glass of prosecco. And RELAX.