Can you feel the heat? That’s because summer is fast approaching! So before we move on to summer fun, let me just relive what I did last Christmas season. 

I baked dozens of chocolate chip cookies to give as gifts to friends and coworkers. I bought clear plastic containers. I then tied it with red ribbons together with tiny bottles of liquor. When I ran out of these bottles, I used sugarcane candies. I handwrote my message instead of printing it to make it more personalized.

My friends and I decided that I’ll host the Christmas get together for 2014. They brought their kids and yayas (nannies). It was a whole day affair so I had to do two table settings. One for lunch and one for dinner.

As a teaser, I sent my friends a black and white picture of the table setting.

     

Here goes the colored photo: I wanted the lunch table setting to be colorful for the kids. Since I was on a budget, I just used whatever decorations I had on hand and bought some Christmas items that were on sale.

What I did on this table: I bought this inexpensive window snowflakes cutouts and used them as placemats. I found a gingham checkered cloth in my storage and used them as table runners. Since I had no time to put a tree, I used some of my old Christmas tree decors as table centerpieces. I used my Christmas plates and topped it with sugarcane candy and snowman sugar cookie.

I put up a small candy corner for the kids.

For the food: my friends and I thought it would be nice if we can do potluck. Each one of us had to prepare a dish. It was actually a relief not to worry about food!

After lunch, while everyone’s resting, I prepared for set up number 2, The dinner.

Here’s another black and white photo:

And here goes the colored/actual photo:

I used Noritake “Pamana Series” with silver rim dinnerware. This was a gift from my mother.

I always take pictures while doing a table setting for me to check what needs to be taken out or added. In this case, I took out the gold strings. I bought carnation flowers in different shades of pink. Also instead of using real tea light candles, I used battery operated ones. (For the kids safety)

I baked salmon “ala Conti’s”. It turned out dry😁

 

Nevertheless, dry or not, everyone had a wonderful time!❤️