Santa Claus is Coming to Town: Welcome to the 172nd Tablescape Thursday!

Greetings and Happy Holidays! I've been working on a tablescape in the dining room this week, but I'm short one thing I need to complete it. So, last night I put together a totally different table setting in the breakfast room.  While taking pics today, I played around a little with a setting on my camera called "effects."  I've included a few pics taken in the effect setting known as "color sketch."

This tablescape turned out to have a "Santa" theme.  I paired Santa salad plates (used in this previous Christmas tablescape) with red trimmed Noritake, Colorwave dinner plates. As I was setting the table, I remembered I had three sleighs stored away with the Christmas decorations. Once I climbed into the little storage area under the eves, I discovered I actually had four sleighs. All were received as gifts over the years, except one. It struck me as funny, how completely different they all are in their design.   I think you'll enjoy seeing all the different "takes" on Santa's sleigh.

Oh, one more fun thing to note: this table setting includes the "key to JOY."  See if you can spot it.  We can never have too much joy, right? (Click on any photo to further enlarge it.)

Please enjoy this table setting accompanied by the well-loved poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known as Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Per Wikipedia, "According to legend, A Visit was composed by Moore on a snowy winter's day during a shopping trip on a sleigh. His inspiration for the character of Saint Nicholas was a local Dutch handyman as well as the historical Saint Nicholas."

Twas the Night Before Christmas
By Clement Clarke Moore

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

You can create this same effect with photos at a site called Photobucket.  HERE is a tutorial explaining how.  Hope these steps still work.  It's been a while since I wrote that tutorial.



Resources:
Amber Glass chargers: Hobby Lobby 2-3 years ago
Dinner Plates: Colorwave, Provided by Noritake
Santa Salad Plates: HomeGoods, 2-3 years ago
Stemware:  Spode, Christmas Tree, Marshalls.  French Countryside Ruby Goblets, Mikasa, 1 year ago
Flatware: Hampton, Tuesday Morning, 1-2 years ago
Plaid Napkins: Marshalls, 2-3 years ago
Napkin Rings: "Key to Joy" Ornament, Walmart this year
Centerpiece: Crystal Beverage Server: local antique shop, 1-2 years ago
Red ornaments: Old Time Pottery, last year
Sleighs:  3 received as gifts, 1 purchased but don't remember where now
Live, evergreen mini-trees:  Big Lots, this year
Painting-like photos were taken with a Nikon D5100 in the "Color Sketch" effect setting

Looking forward to all the beautiful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday!

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