From Autumn to Winter | A Virtual Holiday Event

In a slip of time a couple hours before dinner on Thanksgiving Day when everyone else was off on a hike, I set the table.

A pure white cloth draped beneath the place settings of our white dinner plates, silverplate flatware, and stemless crystal wine glasses. The napkins, folded and laid across the plates, were natural linen tied with twine. Down the table’s center, I placed two vintage brass candlesticks, warm with patina, and fitted with raw beeswax tapers. Around the candlesticks I laid a layer of clematis vine, its leaves a deep mossy green. Over and under these, I loosely wove stems of caramel colored hops, letting it reach and wander where it wanted. A sprig of hops was tucked into each napkin, and it was finished. Just this - a table laid in simple dinnerware with a centerpiece of candlesticks and vines upon vines, clipped from the trellis right outside - earthy, elegant, avant garde.

It seemed sad to think of this beauty being replaced so soon by everything Christmas.

And so I thought, What if?

What if I began to envision these seasonal flourishes - autumn, Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter with more cohesion and flow, instead of as fragmented holidays thirty days apart from each other? What if I were to create decor from the idea that one simply becomes the other as the calendar turns? What if I broke tradition with what was acceptable for which holiday’s decor? When you pause and consider, it’s all year’s end abundance and beauty and celebrations, after all, no matter the month or the particular holiday.

This idea has been glowing in the back of my imagination for a few years now, and feels effervescent and hopeful - creating a longer, more inclusive story with seasonal decor that reaches from autumn to winter, done by changing just a few things, instead of changing everything.

And so, I’ll begin. This year, right now. I’m going to take the autumnal Thanksgiving centerpiece you see there, and turn it into wintery Christmas, just by adding to it. And the best part? I’m inviting you to come along!

I’ll be opening our home for anyone who wants to join me virtually and see how I do it (a tiny prelude to Living Well, perhaps?). It’ll be next weekend, with three different time/date options so you can choose which works best for you. Being mindful of our time in this season, each event will be only 30 minutes long - perfect to sit for a few moments, catch your breath, and be inspired. The cost is free. I’m excited to see you there, loves! Save your place at the link below.