Christmas has approached again, and this year, we hosted for the very first time. We combined both families, and had such a great time! We kept it simple serving up our favorite Italian menu. The decor is coming together nicely year after year. I get most items 50 percent off after Christmas, as I never like to pay full price!

This was the main table. I got the linens from EFavormart. They have them pretty reasonable. I found that it was far less expensive to buy them already made than it was to buy the fabric and make them myself. (not to mention the time I saved!) The glassware is vintage American Fostoria that was handed down to me from my Gran and my Mom. I have oodles of it,a and it fits my winter wonderland theme just perfectly.

Each place was complete with little place markers I made myself with some left over scrap paper, a white marker, and some snowflake stickers. I got the chargers on clearance at at Micheal's craft store. The plates were plastic, YES, I said plastic, from the Dollar Tree. You can't beat cheap and easy clean up all in one! I also got the "silver" ware (actually plastic as well) from the Dollar Tree. The snowflake votive holder was a yard sale find by no other than my mom. It was a party light item.

This was the other dining room table I put together. The centerpiece was a cake stand I got from Target last season (2012). I added various sized pillar candles with some votives as well, and completed the look with strands of silver garland beads.

This is the chandelier above our dining table. I gave it the winter wonderland look by adding the really cool 3-dimensional mirrored snowflake that I found at Wal-Mart. I also added chandelier Crystals that I got in bulk from EBAY. I liked the way it looked so much I didn't want to take it down...alas...until next year..

For above the kitchen cabinets, with some help from the kiddos below, I added our snow village. Some of the village i got from my mom, but most I bought in a Lot from EBAY. The garland I got from Target and Wal-Mart during the after Christmas sales.

This is the window above my kitchen sink. I added a tension rod and hung some pretty ornaments with crystals that I found at our Meijer grocery store. The garland was a hand-me-down from my mother-in-law.

I like to call this my winter forest mantle. I added quite a few more trees to my collection this year. I love the way it turned out. The old window is yet another "from my mother" item. See last year's Christmas post for more details on how I hang the stockings by the chimney with care.

I displayed the various cookies I had made on these tiered servers. I unfortunately did not take any pictures of the final result. And, my ginormous American Fostoria punch bowl was so beautiful.

This pretty girl sure did enjoy Christmas this year!!

And a few extra pics I gathered from the fam. The party was a blast, and I can't wait to do it again next year!!