With all the terrible bushfires here last Christmas, it never felt right to post about trivial stuff when much bigger things were going on. So only now do I feel it’s appropriate to share our Annual Girls Christmas Dinner from last year, which is always one of my favourite nights.
A group of us girls get together, bring a plate of food, and sit around a lovely table having a good catch up before some head off away on holidays. And it’s an excuse to drink and eat yummy food with my girlfriends!
Last year I hosted and chose a neutral palette with touches of saffron, orange, green, white and brown. Working in with the surrounds of our lovely little cottage rental but also using what I had in terms of flowers and table settings.
A little splurge last year were the incredible handmade smoke goblet glasses from Williams Sonoma. I actually bought them for the Festive Florals and Table Styling Workshop I was part of last year, with my good friend Nadine of Wild Flora Studio and Mandy of Kalinya Estate.
I’ve been obsessed with smoke glass for a number of years, but found it quite difficult to find. So when I saw them by accident at Williams Sonoma in Bondi Junction, I just knew I had to have them.
As a little bon bon gift, I made everyone these sweet jars of stove top potpourri which I saw on Chloe’s blog, Boxwood Avenue. They were so easy, fun and inexpensive to make and I love that all the ingredients go back to nature and there’s much less waste than with traditional store bought bon bons.
Also, the table centrepiece was just two sale bunches of flowers from Harris Farm which I combined with white hydrangeas from the backyard. There’s no floral foam in this arrangement either: it’s just a piece of avery wire rolled up, which you can see more of here. I got this idea from Nadine of Wild Flora Studio. Floral foam is so toxic and bad for the environment, and this cheap, easy and reusable alternative is such a winner you will NEVER buy or use floral foam again!!
My Spice Marmalade Nut Glazed Christmas Ham which is an absolute winner. You can get the recipe for here.
When you aren’t 100% sure how to carve up a beautiful ham? Well, you call in the experts! Celebrated Chef, Stephen Santucci of Moonacres Cafe happens to live around the corner and his wife is a friend, who was also at the dinner. Thank you, Stephen!
So much food. So much laughter. Such good memories.
Nights like these are simpler than they look as everyone brings a plate of food, and it’s all about sharing and just having the most wonderful night together to celebrate Christmas. We recently did it again at my gorgeous friend, Brooke Munro’s, beautiful property. So much to be grateful for, despite what a terrible year it’s been with Covid. A good reminder to appreciate the little things.
Nicki xo