The art of entertaining and the beauty of tablescaping is coming back in strong populari-TEA — and I’m here for it! Whether as a seasoned hostess or newbie, I first shared my ideas and tips to inspire your next Christmas Tea tablescape in 2021 in this Christmas Teas post. But this Christmas?! I had a slightly different idea brewing in my mind’s eye. Unable to find anything that reflected that vague shadow of what combining old-world tradition with a more modern style would look like, I took a leap of faith. And here was the result …
To begin, I have a confession to make … I have never used the completely-same tablescape at the Christmas tea events in all the years I have been doing them! I LOVE the creativity they afford me through the expression of entertaining. But there’s also a caveat … I can be pretty obsessive about the details … Like, loose sleep because it’s not visions of sugar plums dancing through my head, but dishes and sweets and centerpieces … oh my!
Start With A Tablescape Mood Board
Because I change my table up from year to year, I always begin by browsing Pinterest first, to scope out new ideas.
Like. Pin. Keep collecting …
Once I find ideas I like, I next consider what I already have to work with (and whether or not I haven’t already purged it — yes, this has come back to bite me at times as a matter of fact!)
I’ve found multiple color-schemes I absolutely love. In particular, I really wanted to recreate a butterscotch and sage green tablescape I’ve been eyeing for a few years for this years’ event. (If Santa could bring me what I really wanted this Christmas, he’d help me complete my vintage Pfalzgraff® Compatibles Butterscotch dish set to make my 2025 tea tablescape dreams-come-true!)
But Christmas is coming … it isn’t Christmas morning yet!
Despite the fact that my heart was set on a more modern table-setting this year, I equally loved the idea of using the beautiful, traditional tea cups I scored at a local antique shop a few years ago. The problem is that most of the inspo I find for tea tablescapes or high tea, lean far more in the traditional influence.
I was picturing a blend of old-world meets new … But it was a risky one. Would the more modern stoneware dishes be too clunky and stark against the delicate and intricate beauty of hand-painted, bone-china?!
NOTHING I was finding gave me even the slightest inkling of whether or not this could work, and my event was drawing closer. So … I took a leap of faith and ordered the stoneware dish set. Then? I held my breath!
‘Tea’ Minus 3 Days …
It was just 3 days before the Ladies’ Christmas tea when my dishes arrived! I quickly went work, mocking up the shadowy vision of my mind’s eye. As it came into focus, I perked up! It was a gamble that, in my humble opinion, totally paid off! The rich merlot color of the plates pulled the undertones of my mis-matched-matching-ish tea cups in a way that brought a beautiful balance.
In playing with placement of the place setting, I was looking for how to best balance all the elements – color, texture etc. Having an idea beforehand of how I will lay things out makes set up before the event a breeze!
At the last minute, I decided to use the black table cloth instead of white, and that really brought the vibrancy of all the elements to the forefront!
Back To The Drawing Mood Board
With the place settings done, the next thing to figure out was the centerpiece. And equally as challenging as settling on a color scheme is electing a starting point. Would I create a tiny vignette? I mean, I did love the Advent book and DIY candle I used in my last tea tablescape. Yet, year after year, I’ve always come back to the gold lantern (I’m still kicking myself for purging it!) with mixed greens and deer antlers as my absolute favorite focal point. You can see that centerpiece in this post. For that reason, I leaned in.
Bringing The Centerpiece To FRUITion
The age-old tradition of decorating with fresh greens and fragrant fruits is in keeping with my “old-world meets new” theme. As a result of taking inspiration from the shades of merlot, mauve and blushing pinks, I “picked” a pomegranate inspired centerpiece.
The first thing was choosing the “base” of my centerpiece. After considering a wood slice serving set (1243658) I had purchased from Bronner’s, I ultimately decided on using a wooden box in remembrance of my late Auntie to build from. In the center of the box, I inverted a vase which makes the perfect platform to display my decorative, candle-lit tea pot.
And lastly — the great debate … Is live or artificial better?!
While I tend to prefer live greens for a centerpiece, and yet, an artificial Christmas tree over a real one — I decided that purchasing two evergreen picks from Bronner’s would be the only way to go because they are both incredibly realistic and the perfect solution to sustainable greens that I will be able to reuse year after year. (#GirlMath!)
So here’s the catch, I ended up completely reverse engineering them so that I could have more control with arranging the pieces in a floral block, pieced around the inverted vase! While it felt intrinsically counterintuitive to be so destructive, it ultimately proved to be the right thing. (A thought that speaks to me on a spiritual level as well!)
Once the pick pieces are in place, weaving battery-operated LED lights into place can be done very easily. Lastly, I added pomegranates and white velvet ribbon along with purple and pink carnations that I was able to pick up last minute! (A perfect compromise to the live vs. artificial debate, don’t you think?!)
Finally, two battery-operated taper candles (1244133) displayed in hammered gold taper holders (1256996) from Bronner’s complete the look of this charming DIY centerpiece.
Old-World Meets Modern Charm
And so there it is – no longer a foggy conception in my mind, but old-world meets modern charm, come to fruition! I’m still blushing over it!
Brew Something Special With Bronner’s!
Bronner’s has so many beautiful items to compliment this theme. My mind is swirling with new possibilities! For instance, the Metal Candle Holder (1250972) would make an excellent platform to display this blushing, Bottle Brush Set (1244230). The battery-operated taper candle set (1244133) is a safe way to work around any “container” rules your venue may have to comply with fire code. What’s more, you won’t have to worry about the mess of dripping wax!
Tea For Two
Consider using the stemless Star Of Bethlehem Glass Set (1244671) for water. And the Peace & Joy Napkin Set (1245197) undoubtedly pairs perfectly with this Hammered Gold Cuff Napkin Ring (1244111). Consequently, the gold in each item really ties them together in beautiful cohesion!
If pink is not your thing, this Warm Wishes Tea For Two Set (1244653) has all the cozy vibes you need!
Now that my tea event is over you would think I could find some peace of mind … until next year. But that most certainly is not the case! Bronner’s simply has too many new goodies to put my mind at rest!
Shop a small selection of dishware online – or visit in person to see all the beau-TEA they have to offer!
Coffee And Cookies With God
Sharing tea with your book buddies?! The 2022 Selah Awards Finalist makes a great gift!
Select featured items are available at Bronners.com or by contacting Bronner’s Customer Service. Some items may be out of stock for the season or discontinued.