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| An old photograph of the kitchen table |
I suppose I should have written this post before Christmas, still, better late than never.
The two 1970's dressers which are in the photograph hold lots of china, so does the pantry which is through the door between them. I often think that I should send the lot to charity, enjoy the empty space, the uncluttered shelves.
However, Christmas is the time of year when I am glad that I haven't given into that particular temptation. Cooking a celebratory meal for the family is enjoyable-ish, but dressing the table is enormous fun, especially when I start looking in those china cupboards, for they are filled with lovely memories of people I loved, meals we shared, the celebrations and gatherings.
I always dress the table with a vast piece of sumptuous dark red and old gold curtain fabric - a bargain find in 'Boyes', many years ago. I've tried a plain white cloth, but that looks too starchy and formal for my hotchpotch collection of china and bits and pieces...pieces which link my life as a child with my life as a mother and grandma, along with everything between.
Throw on some brass candlesticks, a few pieces of silver, my late mother's dark red and gold china - bought by her, sixty years ago, when we lived in Hong Kong), plus quirky, individual pieces which make me smile, special glassware, whip up a dollop of magic, then serve the delicious (naturally!!) food to the fabulous family and away we go!
How about you - do you go for immaculate presentation, everything perfectly aligned and matched, or are you a messy and sentimental person? As ever, no right, no wrong.
Oh, no photograph of the finished table, because I was far too busy to even think about using a camera, instead there is this photo - fairy lights right around the perimeter of the kitchen and homemade 'snowflakes' hung from the kitchen beam, there are fresh holly sprigs on many of the paintings and lots of holly and greenery on the mantelpiece at the other end of the room. No tree, with a very waggily-tailed Toby, plus two cats who like to shimmy up trees...
