Bushel & a Pickle

Treats, Not Tricks: A Granddaughter’s Sweet Birthday Dinner Tablescape

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It could be a dilemma! Having a Halloween birthday.

Our youngest granddaughter’s birthday is on Halloween. Last year we hosted her birthday. Her mom was on a mission’s trip so Jim and I volunteered.

yHalloween tablescape was formal and sweet using the coors of white and pink. Often on special occasion and family dinners I like to set the table with seasonal theme. I use tablecloths and cloth napkins. With different seasonal and traditional centerpieces and themes I select from different china sets, vintage silver and Bavarian crystal.

My goal is to create an atmosphere where conversation is lively and food is delicious. Practicing good table manners is a bonus.

My hope is around these table, good memories are made!

dinner plus trick or treating

Having the family birthday dinner here made sense. The subdivision across the street is even better than we imagined for trick or treating.

All of the grandkids get to choose their birthday menu. She chose steak, twice baked potatoes with steam broccoli.

The only quirk. She doesn’t like cake! Who doesn’t like cake?

Anyway, since she does’t like cake her choice was a big chocolate chip cookie with ice cream was served after trick or treating.

Perfect Neighborhood for Trick or Treating

The subdivision across the road is full of families who welcome Trick or Treaters. But there is no need for tricks.

Honestly, it was like one giant block party! Street lights and sidewalks make this a destination on Halloween night. Families park their cars and walk. Grandparents sat in the driveways and handed out candy while their kids and grandkids did their own trick or treating.

The neighborhood is a not only a fun place but also a safe one.

Local community set Trick or Treating hours. They usually are 6 – 8PM. Keep your porch light off if you don’t want trick or treaters to come by.

pink bats and white mini pumpkins for Sweet non-scary Tablescape

This tablescape was not scary or spooky one. How to do that and still give acknowledgement is is in fact, Halloween was thus Grandma’s challenge.

Tablescapes are created to add more interest with a visual effect to our tables elevating the dining experience for family and guests.

How to do that? Basic principles are

  1. Decide on what your theme will be. Colors, nuratal elements, formal or informal, seasonal one. So many options. They to use what you have. The will help limit additional expenses.

2. Add texture. Texture comes in may forms. Each piece and element that goes on your table has texture. Metal, shiny, fabrics like tablecloth, place mats and runners. Arrangement of the core centerpiece has many textures and colors!

3. Add varying height but make sure everyone can see across the table. Use flowers, greenery, vases and candleholders with pillar or taper candles.

4. Candles lit any time of the day add to the atmosphere. Personally, I like to light the candles during gloomy days, dusk and evening.

5. Choosing napkins and your tablecloth or placemats are part of building your theme through color, design and texture. *Cloth or paper napkins are both acceptable.

Here are the particulars of what I used to create this sweet Halloween tablescape.

  1. A textured pure white tablecloth with ivory lace trimmed cloth napkins. I have not found any white ones I like
  2. Use Haviland Blue Garland china that was Mom’s. The chins is pure white with the delicate blue flowers. For this more formal setting I also used silver and crystal.
  3. The theme was a nod to Halloween using white, pink and shiny.
  4. Mini white craft pumpkins represented fall. with the mini small size, they added a subtle elegance. I scattered around the large mercury candleholders.
  5. Pink is a good choice for a girl birthday dinner. The pink bats were above each place setting and on the candle holders and around. the room.
  6. For sparkle I used wide white net ribbon with shiny clear sequins. It was the base to anchor the various decor pieces together.

a soft Sweet tablescape for our sweet girl

Mini white pumpkins are subtle elegance touches that were scattered around the large mercury candleholders. Mini white pumpkins add depth and texture.

Pink is a good choice for a girl birthday dinner. The pink and white bats with tiny non-permanent stickers on the back was just right to use on the candles, candlesticks and around the dining room. I knew there wouldn’t be any residue or damage. Plus they are really so pretty and feminine.

tradtional place settings

I set the table with Haviland Blue Garland china, vintage silver and Baverian crystal. This was a special occasion but please know we routinely use our fine china sets, crystal and silver. I wanted this night to be extra fancy and to have a subtle nod to Halloween.

This china pattern is a delicate. The pairing with a textured white tablecloth and creamy lace trimmed napkins highlighted the white theme. The napkins rings are vintage. That seems kind of strange to say because I bought them about 45 years ago! The vintage silver was Mom’s.

Our crystal ‘Diana’ is from Bavaria (not named after Princess Diana). We purchased it in the early days of our marriage when we were stationed in Germany. The trip to Bavaria was one of many weekend trips we took around beautiful Germany and surrounding countries.

Bats are good luck in ancient china

Yes, bats are considered good luck in China. They eat bugs at dusk. You may recall we lived in China for several years if you have read my blog often.

I confess, it was kind of weird and a little creepy to be out in the large courtyard as dusk with all the bats swooping and flying overhead while hunting for bugs. Although it was especially nice knowing they were eating mosquitos.

To find subtle Halloween decorations that were the traditional spooky type wasn’t easy. After a store or two I want sure I out find any thing at all. Not until I went back to the pop up store and looked again at all the decorations especially in the kid section did I find these pink and white bats hanging on a rack.

In this case, bats were a good find.

Perfect! Boy, was I relived to find something! They punched out and had sticky non permanent That meant I could sit k them on wood and ceramic pieces and no be concerned about damaging them.

I am not found of bats.

confess, it was more than weird and a little creepy to be out in the large courtyard at dusk with all the bats swooping and flying overhead while hunting for bugs. Although it was nice to know they were eating mosquitos.

In two different apartments in China, we battled a few that made their way inside. Badminton rackets and pillowcases work quite well!

Despite my dislike of bats, they are considered good luck in China. Bats are often symbolized in furniture carvings and on brocade and silk fabrics.

To learn more for you and your children and grandchildren about traditional Chinese culture, read the Amy Tan book and watch the PB series, Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat.

Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat (Click on link above to purchase)

My girls and I enjoyed this book and the PBS series so much!

Sagwa’s good friend was a wise older bat who was this mischievous kitten’s mentor.

This is charming story by Amy Tan that gives us insight into ancient Chinese cultural history and traditions.

wrap up details

The pink and white bats with tiny non-permanent stickers on the back was a bonus. I could use them with confidence there wouldn’t be any residue or damage. The tall mercury candlesticks are always an elegant addition. Mini white pumpkins add depth and texture. Plus they are really so pretty and feminine.

https://rstyle.me/+NFyptb5MdbIYH90aZmKMww

Each place setting had a small bat. There were 10 of us. Her mom was gone for a weekend retreat.

final words

What really made this birthday dinner was our time together around our table to celebrate our granddaughter!

The aunties, our younger daughters used what we had for costumes. Meg wore her work uniform. Amy drew a big cookie and pinned it to her overalls. She decorated a headband into mouse ears.

Do you recognize the character for the children’s book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie?

My MIL blue sapphire dress was the one I wore to our second son’s wedding! Why not? We rarely go to formal affairs. It was a beautiful night for celebration and fun. Note our sneakers. I would not have worn it if the weather was wet. I can still wear it to a formal affair! It’s actually a comfortable dress.

Turns out there are occasions to rewear these beautiful ‘Mother’ dresses if we are open to the idea!

After an hour Jim and I left the rest of the family to go back home. Our porch light was not on so we wouldn’t have any visitors; the practice in our area.

When they all came home with lots of candy, the large chocolate chip cookie with candles was ready for her to blow out after we sang “Happy Birthday”.

Planning for this year’s Birthday Halloween dinner is already in progress! She has requested a purple and gold theme this year.

PS. Hope you like what you read here. Would you clicking to subscribe to Bushel and a Pickle. Your email will never be shared with anyone. Thank you!

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