Decorating a Christmas table is a wonderful excuse to go to town once a year. Over the years I’ve tried everything from full on red bling to laid back house-on-the prairie collides with Nordic chic! This year it was glittering glass fairy lights and foraged greenery.
This year, the Christmas mood has been difficult to define, as we surf the Covid wave yet again. So the mission was to find a solution between too much opulent enthusiasm and dour depressive fatalism. With the New Year celebration yet to come I hope you’ll forgive me sharing our Christmas table design for our Country style Interior followers.
Upcycle and repurpose
This year our table has a centrepiece of foraged greenery from the farm and hoarded items – set off by glittering glass candlesticks. Charles may complain that our loft is groaning at the seams but a few minutes salvaging the already wired redundant fir cones and goodies from Christmas wreaths soon build a nice library of festive tat”
I think I have already mentioned in our Ednovean Christmas blog, about re purposing last year’s wreath and for the ones that no long cut the mustard – well they become Christmas cannon fodder!!
You may notice I swapped the candles for a chunkier design in later snaps – scroll down to find the Penzance shop!
Foraging for Christmas foliage
On Christmas Eve we set off up to the top of the farm to gather some holly that flourished on the boundary bank. Holly was often planted in the ancient farm banks to deter witches in passed centuries. (They had to lift their blooms to avoid a prickly bottom!) And I can tell you these old varieties are particularly lethal without gloves!
Five or six sprigs in tucked away in a pony nut bag proved enough, along with two beautiful lichen laden branches. To this we added Teasels and Cardoon heads that had been drying since the autumn in the stables. These were treated to just a discreet spritz on glittering gold.
Glass and Foraged Items
The old oak Refractory table we normally use for Our B&B breakfast was perfect for a long Christmas garland.
We started with a base of the two hawthorn branches and then tucked the holly sprigs into them before building the layers of dried teasels fir cones. At this point I stretched a length of battery operated Fairy lights to check the light distribution and then gingerly tucked the precious glass candle sticks in at intervals to give a rhythm to the design.
As our table display was only collected the day before the celebration meal, we didn’t use a base of moss and foam. The real pros amongst you might go for chicken wire base but remember guests do like to be able to see each other across the table. I think ours swag is going to last quite nicely into the New Year though.
Vintage Glass
Our mixture of glass to reflect the light.
Ours ranged from car boot finds to treasured favourites.
I was delighted to find these big chunky candles were locally made. I tracked them down at The Bus Stop In Penzance – a tiny incense filled Emporium in a quiet corner of the town.
An extra side table
We laid the table in advance with treasured family china and Vintage French glasses found on Etsy and pressed a side table, recently found at auction, into action for side dishes.
Finally we stood back to admire our work before realising we need a spot for supper that night. So Christmas table ready and TV supper on our laps it was!!
Looking forward to 2022!
I hope you’ve had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to tackle the New Year.
We may toss in the uncertain seas of Covid but we’ll be ready for your holiday getaway in West Cornwall when the time is right for you!!
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