Joyous Night In December 2008

The ladies' ministry at our church has a Christmas dinner every year called the "Joyous Night in December". It is one of those traditions that I look forward to every year to kick off the Christmas season. At the "Joyous Night in Decemeber" women decorate tables beautifully for Christmas as well as host their table (or in some cases someone else will host if the decorator is doing a table two nights). We are served a delicious gourmet meal by men in the church and hear from a guest speaker, usually a Christmas message. The lights are dimmed after dinner while we listen to the message, and the entire room is just gorgeous with all the candles lit on the tables.

This is the table where my mom and I were seated.


This table is one of my favorites. I just love the whimsy of it. I know Rebekah will go bonkers over these pics because she is very much into gingerbread people and houses. We got her Gingerbread Baby this year. It is a take-off on Gingerbread Boy, and Rebekah loves this book! Anyway, here's the gingerbread table. Isn't it so cute?! I first took the back side of the house not realizing it was the back.


Then I saw the front.


Here's another one that is similar with the peppermint theme. The woman who did this table used her last name, Mingle, on one of the plates. Jingle-Mingle!


Some of my favorites are the nativity tables.



Some tables are simpler...


...while others are more elaborate.


Some are low on the table...


...while others are huge! (OK, this one was really huge, the biggest one there.)


Sometimes I think I would really like to try this, but I would be intimidated too. I've done it once before for a totally different kind of party, but it was not as elaborate as these. I'm not really creative enough to come up with my own ideas, but I can imitate what other people have done, and with all the pictures I have over the years of these tables I might be able to create my own. Maybe one day I'll have the guts enough to take the plunge and just do it.