The spirit of Christmas doesn’t have to be just about the gifts you give and receive, or the dinner you serve your family! The spirit of Christmas can be felt and shared through serving your family with “Real Dishes!”
I know what you’re thinking, “too much work and too much time!” It’s easier just to serve in the pretty little poinsettia paper plates that can be easily disposed of - a “No-Frills Christmas Dinner,” but what type of underlying message are you sending out to your family at Christmas by doing this? What type of example and memory are you “Setting” for the children and their future?
Since I can remember, on my mother’s side of the family, my aunties and my mother always made sure the table was flawlessly beautiful for the Holidays, or any type of dinner our family had together. I don’t remember one Holiday or dinner with the family that I was served in paper plates. I have to say, I’m very impressed and thankful towards them for keeping and making this a tradition in our family. It has "Set" a standard in my life, being formal and setting your best plate forward can be a refreshing outlook and a new beginning to life.
This year, I had Thanksgiving with my mom and aunt and the dinner table was set flawlessly once again. I decided to question them about this because the majority of people just use paper plates for the simplicity, time and ease of set-up and clean-up. It was the best conversation we had at dinner! My aunt started reflecting on memories she had growing-up and the table setting approach, my grandmother, Roberta Pleasant used at Christmas, despite being poor and not having lots of money to spend on embellishments. My aunt Faye said, “I remember the turkey being the centerpiece, in the middle of the table, because we didn’t have money to buy fancy centerpieces and mother would set the dinner table with these beautiful Christmas scenery dish
es from Johnson Brothers. We didn’t have a lot of linens, fancy silverware and decorations but these plates were our inspiration.”
The “Ideal Feeling” my grandmother created was the inspiration to their spirit of Christmas that made them feel happy, important, loved, inspired, overflowing and blessed this was their Christmas gift.
I know what you’re thinking, “too much work and too much time!” It’s easier just to serve in the pretty little poinsettia paper plates that can be easily disposed of - a “No-Frills Christmas Dinner,” but what type of underlying message are you sending out to your family at Christmas by doing this? What type of example and memory are you “Setting” for the children and their future?
Since I can remember, on my mother’s side of the family, my aunties and my mother always made sure the table was flawlessly beautiful for the Holidays, or any type of dinner our family had together. I don’t remember one Holiday or dinner with the family that I was served in paper plates. I have to say, I’m very impressed and thankful towards them for keeping and making this a tradition in our family. It has "Set" a standard in my life, being formal and setting your best plate forward can be a refreshing outlook and a new beginning to life.
This year, I had Thanksgiving with my mom and aunt and the dinner table was set flawlessly once again. I decided to question them about this because the majority of people just use paper plates for the simplicity, time and ease of set-up and clean-up. It was the best conversation we had at dinner! My aunt started reflecting on memories she had growing-up and the table setting approach, my grandmother, Roberta Pleasant used at Christmas, despite being poor and not having lots of money to spend on embellishments. My aunt Faye said, “I remember the turkey being the centerpiece, in the middle of the table, because we didn’t have money to buy fancy centerpieces and mother would set the dinner table with these beautiful Christmas scenery dish
es from Johnson Brothers. We didn’t have a lot of linens, fancy silverware and decorations but these plates were our inspiration.”The “Ideal Feeling” my grandmother created was the inspiration to their spirit of Christmas that made them feel happy, important, loved, inspired, overflowing and blessed this was their Christmas gift.
This Christmas set something new, pass the “Fine China Spirit” onto and down to your loved ones.
Let the children set the dinner table…it’s a good lesson for them to learn where the silverware should go and what fork should be used when at a formal setting (if you don't know..google it!). We should pay attention to history and to things that happen in the movies, like in the movie “Little Women!” The girls set the dinner table while the mother prepares the food; of course I believe boys should be a part of this too.
Christmas
What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. – Women Know Everything - Agnes M. Pharo*19th/20th-Century American Writer
