What's on the table?

I was given these place mats as a gift several years ago and I love the boldness of the snowflake graphic. I also adore the fact that they are red and white. I received a red and white table cloth along with them. I was ready to get it out and shake it across the table. When I saw how the place mats looked just laying on the blue table cloth, that was left over from our Thanksgiving set up, I liked how it looked. So I will allow the snowflake mats to dress up the blue cloth for awhile longer before breaking out the red and white snowflake table cloth.



I added some red candles, replacing the orange ones from Thanksgiving. For the center, a rack of pretend red apples. I often have a milk glass bowl or compote filled with real apples in the center of my table. It encourages the family to grab one for a snack because of sheer convenience, being right in plain sight, instead of chips or something else. Especially nice are the tiny sized apples that fit easily in even a child's hand and make a quick snack.... but back to the pretend apples shown here. These apples have been in our family for generations. They were displayed in many different milk glass holders by my Mom as I was growing up. I remember all my nephews and my own children, as toddlers, played with them. They have been thrown, rolled, bounced, used while "playing house", slobbered on, washed and dusted-- all in between being used as pre-Martha Stewart era home decor props. They have real history.

Now I keep them in a rack which is probably supposed to be a cupcake rack. I don't bake! Cupcakes come into my house one of 2 ways, 1.from the store in a plastic clam shell container to promptly get eaten before said cupcakes can be transferred to a rack to fake that I baked them, or 2. from a neighbor who does bake, and in such case, delivered upon a lovely plate, platter or tray from which they are promptly gobbled up. Done!

When the kids had set the table for Thanksgiving they found that the cloth was too long, so they tied knots at the corners. It solved the problem and also kept the cloth in place on the table better, with less shifting.

What's on your table?