A Visit from St. Nicholas

My pattern, St. Nicholas, by Fitz & Floyd,

Retired many years, breaking I hope to avoid~

The plates show St. Nick decorating the tree~

His fondness for musical sounds, you can see.

Drums, horns, as well as bells too,

 Are placed on the tree all in plain view~

Beaded garland is swagged & placed just so,

Candles lit on the tree cast a warm glow~

A candy cane here, a star placed there,

A Reindeer helper is doing his share.

The mice are not stirring, they’re sleeping instead~

The shaker set holder, a shoe for their bed~

The crackers are placed along side each plate~

When pulling apart, a snap they create~

 Crab apples, cranberries & nuts fill my vases~

 Once again on my table, keeping their places.

 

Several weeks they will last, a bit of nature they add~

A glimpse of last week’s table here can be had.

Coffee is brewed & ready to pour,

 Help yourself to a cup, there is plenty more~

A stocking is hung on the sideboard with care,

 My hope that St. Nick will look for it there~

The placemats are beaded, they sparkle & shine~

I saw them at Home Goods & said to myself, “Mine!”

 They leapt from the aisle, right into my cart~

For the economy, I am doing my part :-)

Reindeer hold candles, which ones I don’t know,

Maybe Dasher? or Dancer?  providing a glow~

Prancer?  or Vixen? I don’t know their names,

I’m ashamed to admit, they all look the same~

The stump of Nick’s pipe is lit you can see,

By evidence of smoke rising next to the tree~

A sweet Chocolate is placed at each setting too,

 Images many & dear, look here to view~

The glass how it twinkles, reflections how merry,

Venetian Goblets, a shade between roses & cherry~

Only for moments I turned from the table,

Hearing prancing & pawing, I came as quickly as able~

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But my own treasured book, complete with reindeer~

Plucked from my shelf, placed directly in view,

Comet? or Cupid? wish me to share pages with you~

The Night Before Christmas

by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Christian Birmingham

In 1822, a New York clergyman named Clement Clarke Moore spun together Christmas memories for his children. The poem he wrote featured a red-suited Santa in a reindeer-drawn sleigh, a never-empty sack of toys, and stockings hung expectantly above the fireplace. He called it “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” and it was then published anonymously in a newspaper in Troy, New York. It captured the public’s imagination. The poem’s opening line—“ ‘Twas the night before Christmas” soon replaced the original title.

A joy to read aloud, Moore’s poem has endured. Beginning in hushed suspense, the poem builds to a dramatic crescendo as the rollicking verses usher in the mysterious midnight visitor.

A tale of anticipation and wonder, “The Night Before Christmas” has become a holiday tradition in itself for many families.

Up to my sideboard, the coursers they flew~

St. Nick’s Milk & Cookies, help yourself to some too :-)

If I don’t see you again before Christmas Day,

May your wishes & dreams be delivered by sleigh!

Thank you for your visit & thanks to my hostesses:

Enjoy the reading of this classic holiday tale

 by Dick Van Dyke~

  21 comments for “A Visit from St. Nicholas

  1. December 15, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    This is gorgeous Mary and I loved your verse! Fabulous post!

  2. December 15, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    Tablescape gorgeous as always! You mentioned breakage of your discontinued F & F. Over the years I have had so many chips on what I thought was a durable china, I have stopped buying F&F at all. Am I the only one who has experienced this. In 30 years I’ve never had a chip in any of my Lenox or antique Limoges (for that matter). Just curious.

  3. December 15, 2010 at 8:12 pm

    so fun to drink in your table!

    i am so smitten with your rhyming, oh my gosh watch me start whining!

    come hither those darling reindeer coffee cups…
    oh wait, they would be fodder to my horrid christmas pups!

    i always have loved a good cracker, but now i can use them as whackers!

    oh i am so slow and frazzled, little did i know it was a book to be dazzled!

    you know how i love dishes, but its even better with your good christmas wishes!

    thank you for playing at food for thought, its so fun to SEE your book’s good plot!

  4. December 15, 2010 at 10:08 pm

    I love your poem, and the combination of the crabapples and cranberries is great.

  5. Happier Than A Pig in Mud
    December 15, 2010 at 10:30 pm

    A magical post Mary, thanks! I kept being drawn to the deer candle holders then you showed the close-up of the glasses-wow-love them! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas:@)

  6. December 15, 2010 at 11:10 pm

    GORGEOUS!!! All of it! From your dishes to your after-dinner coffee set up to the beautiful red crackers…just gorgeous!

  7. December 15, 2010 at 11:33 pm

    I was so enchanted with your words that I had to go back and revisit the table.. which is absolutely fabulous. Love it.

  8. Esme
    December 16, 2010 at 1:09 am

    Your table is gorgeous. I love those mice salt and pepper shakers.

  9. December 16, 2010 at 7:45 am

    Mary, your table is stunning and your rhyming couplets so clever! Your Christmas china is just delightful — such fun to see all the details! I especially love the simple but dramatic vases filled with fruit and nuts — I may have to copy that idea! Merry Christmas!

  10. December 16, 2010 at 11:50 am

    Your entire tabletop makes me feel very merry and bright!

    Seasons greetings to you.

  11. December 16, 2010 at 1:00 pm

    Oh my goodness Mary, I enjoyed this so very much!
    All of the attention to detail with your beautiful Christmas assessories had me lingering over each image to admirer the beauty of it all (all the while wishing I could climb through the monitor.) :D
    Absolutely gorgeous! And your poem throughout? Well, not only are you beautiful, you’re extremely talented and clever, too.

    Definitely one of my favorite tablescapes ever. Thank you for inviting us in & Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones! xo~m.

  12. December 16, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    Oh how utterly charming! I love the dishes with Santa decorating his tree and those mice sleeping in the shoe are just darling (as long as it’s not MY shoe that is!)

  13. December 16, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    What a beautiful table…it is one of my favorites this week…it is so warm and welcoming, makes me smile. I sure hope Santa doesn’t drop that cloche while nibbling on the cookies!

  14. December 16, 2010 at 11:13 pm

    As always, Mary, you display such a sense of style to say nothing about talent. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you through your posts. Happy holidays.

  15. December 16, 2010 at 11:40 pm

    Oh my, this post makes me very happy….Spectacular tablescape…my favorites…the mice S&P and the Venetian Goblets adding the perfect measure of shine. Thank you for sharing your gorgeous design and your charming poem adaptation. Cherry Kay

  16. December 18, 2010 at 6:02 am

    Wow, what a beautiful post!

    Loved it.

  17. December 18, 2010 at 10:06 am

    Enchanting, enchanting, enchanting! What more can I say! I absolutely loved this and of course your clever poetry made it even more magical. Those sleeping mice in the shoe are the most incredible ever. This post just made my day.

  18. December 18, 2010 at 5:50 pm

    I LOVE your post today!!!! I have the exact same dishes! What a pleasure they are. You are right you don’t want to break anything because they are a fortune to replace. I broke a coffee cup & still have not replaced it. I LOVE the mouse salt & peppers too. Thanks for sharing you book it is one of my favorites too. And the images in that book divine. Merry Christmas.
    Charlene

  19. December 19, 2010 at 12:16 am

    Mary, you’ve given a delightful rendition of a classic. Love all your reindeer, and the St. Nicholas china is one of my favorite patterns. Yes, this classic is part of our Christmas for certain!
    Happy Holidays! ~ Sarah

  20. Pat
    December 19, 2010 at 9:45 am

    Crazy about your F&F reindeer! I spent alot of time looking at every little detail of your table. So nice. And I love your coffee vinette, very pretty.

    Pat

  21. December 19, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    OOh love those dishes. Great post.. Loved the prose.. Merry Christmas!

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