Christmas Open House; December 18th

This year we hosted a Christmas Open House on December 18th and my holiday preparations for the party, and then trying to get caught up on  Christmas shopping and wrapping gifts, has kept me very busy for the last week or more, which is why I haven't had a chance to sit down and post some pictures of our party until now!
It was a great party, we had a houseful of guests coming and going and I think everyone enjoyed themselves very much. Everyone loved our "Victorian Tea" and our decorations; we even played a few records on our c.1916 Mandel phonograph, which everyone delighted in very much.

I did manage to take a few photos of the food set up in the dining room before the guests arrived.

I bought some fresh flowers from Sam's Club to make a fresh flower arrangement for the sideboard.

We served the Christmas punch on the sideboard in our silver punch bowl.

I made a lovely little chocolate cherry bundt cake

There were plenty of home-made Christmas cookies and fudge:

For cookies, I made spiced hermits, Linzer squares, buried-cherry cookies, triple chocolate peppermint cookies and Santa's Whiskers. I also made two kinds of fudge; chocolate walnut and peanut butterscotch.

And of course, sugar cookie cut-outs decorated with icing and sugars.............

Light and tasty vanilla crescents with walnut chocolate fudge..........

I put out my coffee and tea tray with a variety of flavored creamers for coffee and lemon and sugar for the tea. The carnival glass spooner came in handy for holding the teaspoons.

One thing about collecting random creamer jugs is that I always have plenty on hand!

I also made these Almond Pine Cone cheese balls;

Here they are plated with crackers, as well as two trays of tea sandwiches in the background;

A collection of pretty plates for the treats.................

On the table in the kitchen we had wine and a drinks tub of bottled water and juice boxes on ice (for the children). Erik bought this beautiul silver wine chiller bucket for me on the day of the party:

It was a lovely party and lots of fun!

Have a safe and happy holiday! Merry Christmas!