Channeling Martha Stewart

Holiday Dinner (Photo credit: cjmartin)

I have a love-hate relationship with magazines that promote the "perfect holiday table setting," you can add Martha Stewart and the other like minded home designers in there, too.  Don' t get me wrong, I love  to set a beautiful holiday table. It is one of my favorite things to do, but the family is growing, we're up to almost 20 people in my family now, and growing. Setting a beautiful table can be expensive!

This Thanksgiving, I  had to pull out folding tables, buy more dishes, silverware, glasses and cloth napkins. Because of the added cost, my centerpieces and decorations suffered. I couldn't do everything.

 The holidays are one occasion I get to channel the creativity of Martha Stewart, Betty Homemaker and the lessons of Mrs. Beeckman and share them with my loved ones, especially the little ones who love it and soak it up like sponges.

My family is  simple, easy going and unpretentious. Truth is,  they're, more at ease eating off paper plate buffet style than they are eating off fine china, but each major holiday I see the enjoyment on their faces as we gather around one of my  beautifully set tables. It has become a tradition. They look forward to these occasions. They prefer the cloth napkins, now, and even the youngest recognizes the difference between a salad and dinner fork and knows how to set a proper table.

So, As long as it brings a smile to their faces, I'll keep adding new dishes and folding tables. They'll be no paper plates or buffet lines at our holiday celebrations, but I might need to send a note to Martha. "We're in a recession, how about lowering the prices, or haven't you heard."

It's these  types of traditions that make memories and for which I am most grateful. I'd love to hear about your family traditions. Leave me a comment. Happy Thanksgiving!