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Thursday, December 14, 2017

VINTAGE AND NUTCRACKER CHRISTMAS DECOR


When we host Christmas Eve dinner for 30 family members, we serve dessert in the study.


This tree, in the center of one of the dessert tables, is decorated with vintage Christmas ornaments.



Some of the ornaments were inherited, and we've found some at estate sales.

Vintage Christmas ornaments are common at estate sales in our area, so they are usually inexpensive.


More vintage ornaments hang from the chandelier. See the homemade angel on top of the tree. In the early 60's one of my co-workers made enough of these to completely cover our office's two story Christmas tree.


You can see why I can't get all the desserts on this table. I have too much "decor" on it.


I can't get any more vintage Christmas decor. If I do, there'll be no room for desserts!


The little houses were light covers, but they won't attach to the lights we use now. So I displayed them in a vintage ornament box.


A dough bowl full of vintage.


To keep from using more table space, I added vintage Christmas to a tiered stand next to the tree.






This vintage tablecloth depicts the Nutcracker ballet.


The tablecloth is the reason this concrete soldier ended up in the study. The children's popup book depicts a line of toy soldiers.


And that's why our nutcracker collection ended up on top of the piano in the study.

And on the desk, I decorated a tabletop tree with vintage nutcracker ornaments.


A nearby table will serve the desserts that didn't fit on the big table. The tiny vintage tree on this table was under a glass dome until one of our grandchildren broke it.

You can see how crowded the table gets when I add the desserts.

The beautiful Christmas tree plate (Holiday Celebrations by Christopher Radko) was a gift a few years ago. I bought the Garden Ridge "Christmas House" dish at an estate sale one time. To serve cookies, I topped a Christmas paper plate with a glass plate.

At our house, every holiday has to include banana pudding. It will go in the trifle bowl. For servings, vintage red cups and green compotes surround it.
Spoons are in a Christmas mug (Wedgwood Winter Festival).

Dessert plates are stacked on the other end of the table, and dessert forks are in another mug.



I ordered these comical Santa's reindeer plates on line long ago.



On the back side of the table, there is just enough room for a lineup of paper napkins. 


The bookcase is decorated with Christmas plates and tinsel garland.


I have a holy family ceramic piece on top of the storage cabinet, and more vintage Christmas ornaments hang from the cabinet.
I'm glad you came by to see my Gloria in Excess in the study!

4 comments:

Sandra Lee said...

Wow, Laurie, this is a beautiful display! There are so many fun things that would be a pure delight to see in person. Merry Christmas!

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Laurie,
Absolutely LOVE this beautiful vintage display!!! O MY!! It took my breath away!! Love all of it!!
Hugs,
Debbie

Jacqueline said...

I am in love with nutcrackers too and they look fabulous on the piano!
What an incredible tin soldier -he is so outstanding!
I have never had any vintage ornaments until I created my vintage ornament tree this year! They all bring back such wonderful memories of our family tree. I wonder who ended up with Mom and Dad's ornaments!! Have a wonderful Christmas - what fun it would be to gather in there with the crowd for dessert!

Anonymous said...

Laurie I have a problem with collecting nutcrackers. I have over 200 of them and between them and my Santas, there is no room for desserts or anything else on my tables. I keep saying I have enough but I bought one more today. My Santas are going up the stairs, on the floors, and on the cabinets. I get a thrill when I walk into the rooms they are in so I will continue putting them up.