Carmen Thomas’ (Photos below):  Every year I modify the centerpiece on my dining table.  I utilize pieces I’ve collected, combined with sentimental items I’ve been gifted and those that have been handed down to me.  This year’s centerpiece is focused on a portion of my holiday tree collection.  My favorites of the group are the vintage looking ribbon candy trees, a past year’s Christmas gift from my mother. The ornate flatware was a gift from my late grandmother.  This is the first Christmas I will be hosting that they will don my table.  The cherry red plates atop the scalloped wedding dishes were passed down from my grandmother.  Such a big part of the holidays is celebrating loved ones…those living and those who have passed on.  A little part of my grandmother lives on, at the table this year.

Carmen Thomas’ (Photos below):  This year we decided to do something a little different with our table arrangement.  There will only be a small number of us at the table this year due to the pandemic.   I felt it made the most sense to set the table for just us 3.  I grouped the place settings close together at one end of the table while using the opposite end as a spot for presents.  I utilized a beautiful, modern, geometric throw blanket from Happy Habitat, here in KC, as the tablecloth.  The owner and designer just happens to be my neighbor and friend, Karrie Dean.  We love spending time outdoors so I wanted to bring a bit of nature into the table setting.  I arranged fir branches and red pine cones into two centerpieces that are flanked by tapered candlesticks.    The painted Merry Christmas holiday glasses were my husband’s grandparents.  The glasses could be found sitting on the back bar in their basement all year long!

Jill Tran’s (Photos below):   The house we currently live in, we bought before ever seeing the inside.  Crazy, right?  As a designer, I knew I could easily take care of all of the remodeling.  The reason we had to buy it?  The yard.  I couldn’t alter that!  Our flat, lot has woods behind it that seem to soar up into the sky.  Between that hill and our home runs a beautiful creek.   I loved the creek!  I had hoped that one day we might have have children, and we bought the home for then to learn to love the beautiful outdoors.  It is our lovely creek was the inspiration for my table.  The evergreen…the pinecones and berries that grow there.  The birds flying and singing in the fresh air.  I even put little faux ice pieces on the tablecloth to look like the ice in the frozen creek.  The plates, glassware and serving dishes are also clear to keep that icey look.  Did you notice the gloves?  To suggest the chill that one feels when hiking in the woods through all of the beauty…  With the silver and linens passed on to me by my grandmother and her having grown up outdoors on a farm, I think she would just love this table…

Jill Tran’s (Photos below):   Christmas to me has always been about nostalgia…like it is for most.  To our family, it is tree ornaments.   I have a lot of ornaments that have been in our family for over 70 years!  Some of these here are from my childhood trees, too.   I took a nod from the tree for this table’s inspiration and placed a grouping on the table.  It looks like childhood to me!  Toys, animals in Christmas outfits, gifts from friends… it is playful and fun.  I am never one to shy away from bold color or pattern, so I decided to truly take it to the next level with my black and white plates and platters (always a great purchase, as they go with so much!) and brought in rich color with corduroy fabric.  It is a lot to look at in a photo, but in person… it is simply fabulous!

Kaela Butts’ (Photos below):  The first Christmas in her new home, Kaela wanted to keep her table simple and to use items she already had! The little houses were made by her grandfather and gifted to her father, so they are quite special.  The linens and black and white plates were gifted to her from her grandmother and mother.   All is merry and bright!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!