A Williamsburg Christmas

Today I've set up a table near my biggest tree, where we can sit and enjoy a cup of tea and a treat in front of a blazing fire. 

 

 

I'm serving Harney and Son's Holiday Tea (one of my favorites this time of year) in my Lenox Winter Greeting's teapot. 

 

I'm also using an assortment of Christmas teacups today,

 

 

Christmas Rose by Rosina:

 

 



 Queen's Yuletide,

 

and Royal Albert's Poinsettia.

 

I enjoy the Holiday blend with both cream and sugar.

 

 

I found this small holly leaves and berries set at a thrift store for $3.00 each.  The set is made in Japan and is quite pretty with gold along the top rim and thicker gold on the handles. 

 

Nothing says Christmas more than iced cookies in Christmas shapes on a Santa plate!  These are shortbread cookies I made for a neighborhood cookie exchange last Friday.

 

 



The plate is Fitz and Floyd.  I always think it is a shame to use it as a plate, it is so pretty with Santa holding a bounty of fruit!

 

(one of my Christmas music boxes is in the background in case you were wondering.  This music box has a nativity theme).

 





 

Here are a couple of closeups of the tree and its angel topper:

 

 

 



 

 

About my theme:







 

The decorations in my Great Room are modeled after Colonial Williamsburg, where I lived for four years at my alma mater, the College of William and Mary.  My decorations are full of magnolias and fruit--oranges with cloves, lemons, pears, apples, and pineapples all adorn the tree.  Colonial Williamsburg is beautiful this time of year with wreaths and boughs with fruits, pinecones, and other natural decorations.  Even though my room is inspired by those lovely decorations, my tree is not true to the times--there would have been no Christmas trees in colonial Virginia.  Even the pretty fruit decorations in Colonial Williamsburg aren't true to the times--citrus fruits were a very expensive luxury and would not have been used as a decoration outside the home.  I thought I wound share a couple of pictures I took in Williamsburg in 2012 to give you some idea of my inspiration:

 

 

This week I'm joining Rose Chintz Cottage for an Old Fashioned Christmas.

 

 

As well as these tea parties:

 

Tea Cup Tuesday ~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea~ http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/

Bernideen's Friends Sharing Tea

 

 

 

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

 

As always, thanks for stopping by!