Usually our dining room is graced with traditional Old World elegance. Carved Italian styled renaissance furniture, china cabinets, Federal stye mirror. Paintings and prints from Europe.

It just didn’t seem right this year.  

Like most, our Christmas decorations have been collected over the years, over the moves and inherited. Last year we tossed all the broken and torn ones that did not fall into the beloved category. Typically, I like to use all of them.

Not this year. 

Except for the tree. Meg declared ALL ornaments will be used!

Last year the dining room was decked with elegant earthy tones to highlight beautifully painted old family European traditional nativity. It was so beautifully perfect last year.

Not this year. 

The delicate wide white net ribbon with snow flakes came from the Amish scrapbook shop. I had not idea how I would use it!  Looking around I spied the white deer, the dove ornaments and the ceramic tree spread randomly around the dining room. Mercury glass votives added finishing touches. Perfect!

As a sappy sentimentalist, I always prefer the treasures. This year though I left some in the boxes.

It was right.

The deer, doves and tree’s are from the mom’s collection. These loved treasures never looked finer!

This year it is right.

A burlap runner was a bit trendy but a wonderful change for the dining room. Add greenery, pine cones and the cardinals.  Add some candles and call it done.

Then I opened the big red box. There were our 3 pyramids. Yes! Perfect!

These Advent pyramids are a nod to our family history. The oldest is from our  years in Germany, another from a Chinese street market; the newest, a gift.

Our children were fascinated by the paddles gently turning the towers that hold the Nativity story. Now the grandchildren are.

There is still elegance and tradition. The elegance is in the simplicity of the delicate pyramids, nature, white and burlap.

The dining room is in the center of our home, figuratively and literally as you have to walk through it to get from the back door to the rest of the house.

Our table may be old world elegance but more than that, it is a family table. Conversations, loving and celebrations take place around this table. Thanksgiving Day little 2 /2 year old Edi saw the decorated table, and immediately took it in asking “Whose birthday is it?”

She knows…this is the place where special connections happen!

And we know, this table is set for Jesus’s birthday.

How are you connecting with loved ones this year? 

For some it is family, for others who live far away, it may be friends. Believe me, we know after years tramping the world as an Army family and then living overseas in our second career.   

blessings, linda

I’m linking here:

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/porch-decorated-for-christmas-2013/