When Christmas came early

Table Favour/Place Card


Christmas came early, read all about it in FyldeStyle December/January edition, in newsagents mid November.

On Thursday last we had a Christmas Dinner Party; this in itself seems strange enough it being the middle of October and all. Worse still it was arranged for 4:00 O’clock in the afternoon, now our neighbours already think we are completely barking mad, but I think “All I want for Christmas is you” blaring from our house festooned with Holly, Ivy, Christmas door wreath, seasonal lanterns and a very obvious fully illuminated Christmas tree in our front room has finally put the seal on our crazy behaviour, the odd thing is no-one asks me any more what’s going on, they simply accept our nutty ways.

In the summer if you remember we had the live band in our postage stamp back garden debacle, I’m sure they haven’t forgotten! When Christmas appeared to be arriving early I imagined them all to be afraid of a re-run of the borrowed “Blackpool Christmas illuminations” (Mark as a surprise decorated our house and front garden, he did this mainly because he knew how much I would hate it!) we had a life size Santa, six life size reindeers and a sleigh, we had a Star (previously used on the top of the Blackpool Tower) on the Apex of our roof with strips of lights running to the ground, we had people coming to see them from neighbouring streets, towns and cities. The lights were bigger, brighter than any domestic lights, not only this but they used an awful lot of power and when our entire close suffered a power cut on Christmas Day we were quietly held responsible (It later transpired that the power cut was in fact wide spread and it possibly wasn’t our fault, but the damage was done!).

So on Thursday Libby Gomm from The Gazette arrived, http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/
the week before she’d asked me to arrange an evening to support the idea that “staying in this Christmas is the new going out”, we invited our closest friends and Mark of course, they were told to dress in a festive manner, they were asked to be good dinner party value, regale the assorted guests and journalists with tales of our greatness as hosts, they all without exception lived up to expectation. The photographer had to be away early, so drinking bubbly began early, the more we drank the more eager we all were to pose ridiculously. My house looked lovely, Creative Cover Hire’s Dawn & Lindsey http://www.creativecoverhire.co.uk/ had been and magically transformed the chairs borrowed from The Lindum http://www.lindumhotel.co.uk/ into nothing less than thrones (we had considered the usual emergency chairs for comedy value Mark on the lowest one is quite funny) we ate, we drank and we were very merry and it was still only 7:30 Rachael from “Be My Guest” Rachaelwilk@gmail.com was absolutely phenomenal, she kept an eye on everything in the kitchen it was like having a Sous chef she even took over Claire’s usual job of pot washing (we did buy Claire some fabulous leopard skin, diamond encrusted rubber gloves for these occasions but they weren’t required).
The picture above is the table and beautifully covered chairs and the picture below is after when the table has been as good as demolished and the candles are practically burned down.


The flowers were sensational, the food (Even the veggie option, recipe provided by my Auntie Maureen) and wine were fabulous but to be really honest all of these things are pointless without wonderful friends to share them with, so many many thanks to our very special friends Susan & Mike McKenna, Claire & Mark Smith, Sally & Martin Wilkinson and Libby Gomm without whom our reputation amongst our neighbours could be in tatters.
On Sunday evening we came back from visiting Rebecca on our door mat was our very first Christmas card from one of our neighbours, you see it’s all about keeping up with the Thompson’s!.

Comments

A huge thank you to Jane and Jason for a spectacular Christmas Party. The house just looked amazing and it was definitely one of those experiences that creates a memory, you know, when in years to come you say, "do you remember when we did Christmas in October!" The company, food and wine were outstanding as we have now come to expect but I don't think the photos do justice to the table. It glittered and sparkled like the sun on a winter frost. Rachel of Be My Guest, what can I say, usually Jane's kitchen is quite a sight to behold after one of her amazing dinners, sorry, for all the wrong reasons, but this time at the end of the evening the kitchen glittered and sparkled too! Libby, I challenge your readers, it could not have been done better or with more style!
Anonymous said…
Jane I loved this idea - driving to Blackpool on a Thursday afternoon in October in my sparkly dress was a first!! You have given me so many ideas for Christmas decorations and flowers and I'm making the soup this Saturday for very important guests.
I can't wait to see the Style article and please take my door wreath order now.
I have put Rachel on speed dial in my phone. Lots of love x
Anonymous said…
Jane the food was amazing.What a treat, we had such a good time.Thank you so much for inviting us.

Love Sue & Mike xx
Anonymous said…
Hosting my 1st ever Christmas Day lunch (for 8 people) but at least with this sort of inspiration the table should look good and with all this great Lancashire produce around I'm hoping for a successful meal!

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