#10

For ten years we've had the same group of friends over for a festive dinner at Christmas time. For most of those years, we were meeting frequently as a small group from our church. Some of us have gone our separate ways, but still work to maintain very precious friendships.

Quite a few times a friend would pack up and cart over her Christmas china so we could have a Christmasy table. But the dear Gardener surprised me last Valentine's Day with a set of 12 Johnson Brothers Old Britain Castles Pink Christmas plates. Wow,  to finally have Christmas china, and especially for our 10th "anniversary dinner."

The Gardener thought my grandmother's pink depression salad plates would go with the Castle dishes.

He's got a good eye, doesn't he? I've taught him well! (No he came by it naturally).

Shh...notice how the hostess gives herself the goblet with the chipped base and tries to hide it close to her plate?

Turns out we used all 12 of those plates as we invited some extra "surprise guests," which made the evening even more fun. We played a game of identifying obscure lines in Christmas songs, and found ourselves singing our way through dinner as we tried to figure out the answers.

We felt like we were in a "fancy"restaurant when one of the couples flamed the Creme Brulee they had made, and treated us to a beautifully decorated cheese cake.

We are using the castle dishes every evening as we eat dinner this month. What a treasured gift the thoughtful Gardener gave to me!

See Between Naps on the Porch for other beautiful Christmas table settings.