Guest Post - A Classic Christmas Tabletop -The Inspired Way... By Roxanne Hughes Packham

Have you ever just been at a standstill when trying to do a unique Christmas tabletop for your family and friends at Christmas time? Here are some tips from Roxanne Hughes Packham, co-author (with her daughter, Hannah) of Inspired Design that should make it much easier! Check out her blog if you’d like to see more pictures to go with the ideas. 

A Classic Christmas Tabletop -The Inspired Way...

By Roxanne Hughes Packham

Before you get started remember: Do not underestimate the power of your home, nor its ability to change lives. Do not underestimate the power of one tiny, seemingly insignificant, act of kindness. A welcoming smile, a cup of hot tea and an hour in a cozy nook spent listening to a friend can be life-altering. Your home is a significant part of the way people will be touched, by God, through you this Christmas season. God uses us as his hands! Your table is the means through which you can touch others by setting the stage for memories to be made.

A classic Christmas tabletop has to have red and green, plaid and sparkle, inspiration and encouragement. The red and green is an obvious choice, however sometimes it is easier than we make it. Collect red and/or green fruits and keep a glass bowl of them in a prominent place in the kitchen. You can add a few springs of ivy or pine to get really festive. Candies, such as M&Ms, come in red and green packages and in silver bowls makes any setting looks seasonal. Add red plates and greenery from your yard to complete the look.

Since Christmas is the one time we’re all into plaid, use it on your tabletop! You can tie it onto a pretty cross (see more pictures on her blog) onto the top of a candlestick and make a beautiful statement about the meaning of Christmas while pleasing the eye with the sparkle of the candles! Tall candles in the center looks perfect, adding shorter candles towards the two ends allow guests to be able to see over the candles for conversation. Small votives add sparkle and a feeling of warmth and coziness. You can use a plaid scarf, runner or piece of fabric draped diagonally across the table for an overall Christmas look, while allowing the beauty of the wood tabletop (or glass) to show through.

Lastly, and most importantly, the "Inspired" part of the table top design. Warming the souls of those within your home is perhaps the most important part of hospitality and the reason in Romans 12:13 we are told to Practice Hospitality. The easiest way to do this is keep a couple of framed quotes on the central part of the table, one towards either end. Not only can you do place cards with just names but think of an encouraging scripture or quote that reminds you of your guest or something that might encourage or inspire them. Praying over whatever is going on in a person’s life, not only releases the power of prayer, but lets them know you have been thinking of them and remembering their needs. In this time in our culture, what could be more inspiring!

God bless and be encouraged! Hospitality can change our world one life at a time!

10 Tips for Setting a Beautiful Holiday Table - by Roxanne Hughes Packham

Here is another post from Roxanne Packham pertaining to setting a beautiful holiday table. I hope it inspires you!

Drawing from a rich family history and her own collection of acclaimed designs, California-based interior designer Roxanne Packham has joined with her teenage daughter Hannah to create InspiredDesign (Inspired Design Publications), an idea-provoking book filled with stunning photographs, treasured family traditions and a plethora of truly inspirational tips for creating a warm and welcoming home, not just throughout the holiday season, but every day to follow.

Whether seeking unique ways to entertain for the upcoming holidays, celebrate with friends, begin new family traditions or showcase the family history, talents and passions in the home’s interior design, the Packhams have shown the way. In doing so, they have utilized the beautifully structured pages of Inspired Design to reveal the classic truth that any home is made more beautiful when it is filled with love, joy and the determination to make those who enter it feel welcomed.

10 Tips for Setting a Beautiful Holiday Table

By Roxanne Hughes Packham,

Co-Author of the Hospitality Book: InspiredDesign

In today’s rough economic climate, keep in mind that although I hope to inspire you to set a beautiful Thanksgiving or Christmas table the real beauty comes from the thought and love you show your friends and family. Beautiful tables comprise equal parts from the “Inspired” & the “Design” categories. See examples at http://www.inspireddesignpublications.blogspot.com.

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Inspired

~Place cards

I love to use the ceramic place cards that can be written on with a wipe-off marker. You can quickly write people’s names, a favorite quote or sentiment. Friends love that you thought about them before the dinner and even something as simple as writing their names on the place cards really makes them feel remembered.

~Welcome Sign

It is so welcoming, to have a sign somewhere near the front door to greet your family and friends. From a very personal “Welcome Smith Family” or a seasonal “Merry Christmas” to “We are so glad you are here” on a casual chalkboard or an elegant mirror or glass framed, and write with a wipe-off marker, that welcome sets the tone for the rest of the event.  I used an antique French cupboard door and painted it with chalkboard paint on the raised panel part.

~Quote or Scripture

The most inspirational part of the Holiday table is the beautiful quotes and scriptures. It depends on the occasion, but a quote that is either inspiring or focused on gratitude is the favorite. There is nothing like feasting your eyes, and then your thoughts, on what we can be thankful for, especially as an example for our children. Scattering them around the home (powder room, end tables, above door jam’s) is a great way to elevate your family and friends thoughts.

Design

~Fresh Greenery

Sometimes we mistakenly think a tabletop has to have flowers as a centerpiece to be really elegant and festive. Greenery is a wonderful, fresh and festive way to make a beautiful Christmas table. Simply cut a few small twigs of trees/bushes like pine or ivy, or my favorite boxwood branches, bay tree and magnolia leaves and put them in three smaller glass or crystal vases. 

~Candles

No table is complete, in my opinion, without 5 to 7 little glass votives with white candles in them. The light sparkles and makes everything else on the table more beautiful and sets a soft, relaxing, and often more romantic tone.

~Seasonal Piece

By seasonal I suggest a “Santa” figurine or such, a gingerbread house, or a standing cross to have in the center of the table. A clear jar of candy canes, M&M’s or such would do just fine, as well. Think: Something available only at this time of year. I usually have plenty of items in the Holiday Decor that I switch out to put on the table for each dinner.

~Napkin Rings

These can be such a pretty way to pull a linen napkin through to set on a place and make a really beautiful table setting. You can use french ribbons, or plain silver rings and they help to really make a bigger impact for an inspiring table.

~Sparkling Glasses

Whether crystal or glass, tall freshly washed glass sparkle so much with the votive candles that it is hard to wrong with this combo. A tall glass and short glass of whatever kind you like is very dramatic and beautiful, set together. Whether colored or clear the sparkle is crucial for the holiday table.

~White Plates

Although I love to use seasonal chargers and salad plates a crisp white plate is the most beautiful element to my favorite tables. They can be dressed up or down, and makes each setting look fresh and not heavy and overdone. 

~Seasonal Linens

Of course, linen napkins add the most wonderful touch of elegance to any table, and Christmas plaid or red and green are no exception. My grandfather, who was a “Silversmith to the Stars”, loved a bare table with only plates (or placemats) but wasn’t a fan of covering a beautiful wood table. I have followed suit. Try leaving the wood table bare! The natural elements together are beautiful and simple.

“I tell you, the more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh

'Three Things Every Traditional Christmas Tree Must Have' by Roxanne Hughes Packham

On this Thanksgiving week, thoughts naturally turn to the entire holiday season. I wanted to share this post by Roxanne Hughes Packham, co-author of the hospitality book: Inspired Design. I don't know about you, but I can always use inspiration for holiday decorating! 


'Three Things Every Traditional Christmas Tree Must Have' 
by Roxanne Hughes Packham

I can remember back thirty years ago, as a little girl, getting dressed up with my sister in our matching Christmas plaid dresses, getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner, and posing for pictures in front of our brick fireplace in our first house. I can still remember how excited we were for Santa Claus to come and leave presents, how much fun it was to have our crazy, loud family all together for Christmas. There are so many memories of Christmases past, but mostly the beautifully set tables and decorated trees and presents are the forefront of my memories. Our family is so much fun, and there was always so much laughter, loud and often hysterical storytelling, great food, and mostly an appreciation for our blessings, not material, but the blessing of our family.

Sometimes the decorating during the holidays gets so overwhelming, it becomes more daunting than it does desirable. You must keep in mind that for most people the memories made by Christmas past is the sweet memories that it conjures up time with family, friends, surrounded with textural delights all in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. So keep that in mind when you are breaking out the decorations that you are simply setting the backdrop for memories for family and friends, not trying to get an award for the best tabletop design in the country nor the most amazing tree in the land. Most of our deepest desires for the Christmas Season are to make a lovely, festive memorable day for our nearest and dearest.

Keep the following in mind for your tree: There is no award for the most amazing tree (that I know of), but you will touch the hearts of all who enter your home and enjoy the beauty of your tree because your tree represents your family.

~ Family ornaments!

This may be funny to some who have more than 25 years of ornaments saved and carefully packed each year. Good for you! Even if you just buy one new ornament per year on a vacation, or special event someone in your family participated in it makes such a story once the tree is fully decorated. I like to take a permanent marker and write the specific event and year on each ornament, after purchasing, in case I forget all the little details. It makes decorating the tree quite a tradition as each person takes the ornaments out of the boxes and begins to reminisce about the event or trip. Even with shiny new ornaments the old ones really give a history for the family and meaning to the tree.

~ Sparkle! 

This might go without saying, but little white lights and colorful red Christmas balls really go a long way in making a Christmas tree look Christmassy! The lights reflect off the balls and the more the better, in my opinion. It is traditional for the tree to be mainly red and green. Since the tree itself is green, invest mostly in red ball ornaments. The more little white lights the better, especially important towards the back. Hang the simple round ornaments way back towards the trunk so that it sparkles all the way through. Don’t just hang the ornaments right on the front of the trees. Remember also to do a topper on the top! If yours broke, or you haven’t had one, use ribbon and make a large loopy bow and stick it almost on the very top. This one you will have to tie to the tree with the bow facing towards the front.

~ Candy Canes and Bows!

Although I often do themed trees throughout the house, it is always our big main tree that I like to be very traditional, red and green, with all the family ornaments. And, of course, no Traditional tree would be complete without candy canes and bows! Hanging the candy canes on last after the tree is decorated is the easiest, filling in every spot where there isn’t an ornament. They don’t even need a hanger, but can just be set hanging on a branch! Tying bows can be fun while watching a favorite Christmas movie or listening to your favorite Christmas music. While I know sometimes the teenagers have other things to do, they are always glad we took some time to make some more Christmas memories together. Lastly, tie the bows. I recommend something very “red & green” like polka dot ribbon with those colors, or something very Christmas-plaid! Those say Christmas-time more than any other types of bows. You can either tie the bows right onto the candy cane before you hang it, or tie the bows, and use an ornament hanger on it to hang the bow. I find it way too hard to tie the bows onto the tree. 

Enjoy your time together this Christmas. Time is the most precious thing there is with loved ones! Bless someone by asking them over for simple coffee and tea, and to enjoy your beautiful Tree. Practice Hospitality, Romans 12:13! Merry Christmas!

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You can find more design ideas in 'Inspired Design,' co-written by Roxanne and her daughter, Hannah.