Red Wine Glasses (my favorite!!)// Water/Wine Glasses
Today, I'm sharing a tablescape from hosting my mom and cousin's birthday dinner. I also wanted to share it because I set it up in a way that I hope will inspire any upcoming autumn gathering you may be hosting. I don't host Thanksgiving, but this is exactly how I would set the table if I were hosting.
In fact, I love this Tablecloth I just bought so much, I'm going to try to talk my parents, who host Thanksgiving, into using it for the occasion!
I put all of the sources for the pieces linked above. I have acquired many of these pieces over the years, whether from my mom or grammie's personal collections, estate sales, or antique shops, so I tried to find similar options when appropriate.
I love to host.
I have always loved attending and hosting events, parties, dinners, and more. Even in high school, some of my girlfriends banded together, and we would rotate houses to cook, set a beautiful table, and enjoy it together. It was an unofficial teenage dinner party club of sorts.
And lucky me, my husband loves to cook and is very good at it, so we make a good team.
My mom has hosted so many holidays over my lifetime that I feel like all of the hosting tips and tricks have been ingrained in me.
In fact, some of my favorite childhood memories are falling asleep in my bedroom to the din of my parents and their friends enjoying a dinner party at our house, or visiting my parents' friends' house for dinner parties. My sister and I would play with their kids, overhear the parents playing music (most notably Eric Clapton), and have a nice time. All the kids would put on their pajamas before the car ride home. Truly, these are core memories, and these are all people I still love dearly to this day.
Growing up, my grandma (my mom's mom) would host Sunday spaghetti dinners, and I watched lovingly as she prepared a feast for us each week. You could almost see the joy and love radiating from her as she stirred her big pot of meatballs. She truly loved her people and loved having us all around the dinner table together.
But it's my grammie who is the queen of hosting. She pulled out all of the stops even for an ordinary Tuesday night grilled cheese dinner. She collected plates and any tabletop accouterments she could get her hands on. She was an artist, and the table was her canvas.
Over the past several years, I've read various articles about a loneliness epidemic. Whether it's increased screen time, the decline of third spaces, or a myriad of other variables, I imagine many things contribute to it.
My grammie turned 100 in May, and I did some reading about longevity around that time. One thing that became clear to me in that research is that being social and having a strong sense of community can play a significant role in our overall health and longevity.
Anecdotally, that all makes sense to me. Whenever I spend time with others, I feel my cup has been filled. Even if it is just one-on-one time with a girlfriend on a quick 30-minute walk, or a big wedding or event, I feel a sense of fulfillment after each experience.
In the wintertime, I can be more closed off, as there seems to be less to do because of the weather; there are fewer parties, events, and holidays, and sometimes the season makes me feel like I want to hibernate. If I go too long without participating in some form of community, I can certainly feel it negatively affect my mood.
This got me thinking as I put together the photos to share with you all from my dinner. I don't want anyone to think that to have people over for a meal in your home, you have to set a table. Some of my favorite gatherings have been thrown together at the last minute, with family and friends sitting around the living room, eating takeout on paper plates.
Social media can create a sense that 'my space isn't good enough' for a dinner party... or 'I don't have the right pieces for a dinner party'... or 'I don't have the big budget for something like that'. And as a result, instead of hosting something, it just doesn't happen. I hope that's not the case, but I'm not immune to the comparison trap that is pervasive on social media.
I'm here to tell you, as someone who enjoys setting a beautiful table and collecting tabletop pieces, I'd rather have a lovely time with friends sitting on the floor, sharing a coffee or cocktail, than not at all.
I enjoy setting the table, and I see it as a way to show guests how happy I am to have them. I look at collecting all of the bits and bobs over the years as sort of a hobby. I find joy in laying out beautiful china, silver, and more.
During the pandemic, I found solace in setting the table. It was a fun activity for me to do while spending more time at home.
I know many of you enjoy it too and can relate.
But I don't expect it of anyone else. I know for certain my husband, for example, does not find joy in tablescaping or collecting dishware!
On top of that, I can guarantee that no one who comes to our home for dinner remembers what napkins I set out; they remember how they felt that evening.
All that to say, I hope you take inspiration from my tablescape if you also enjoy setting a pretty table.
Otherwise, I hope you take this as inspiration to call up a friend or family member and see what they are up to. Set up some time to get together, whether at home or otherwise.
The season of Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and it's a great reminder to give thanks for the family and friends gathered around us.
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