We usually start the evening with a glass of Blanc de Blanc Champagne. Our glasses were presented on a square red tray; I had placed two sets of silver candle holders with red candles to remind my Christmas theme: a white and red. A small bouquet of red roses completed the picture.
In the back can be seen some of our Persian rugs, bought in Iran in the late 70'ties, and under the table an antique blue and white Baotou Chinese carpet.
You can see through the coffee table top, Jean-Louis collection of daggers and swords. (Oh, how I regret not having succumbed to a silver Kris found at an antique shop in Yogyakarta in 1993! )
The table had been set with taste, I think!I had found in the market mini Poinsettias, this beautiful flower that symbolises Christmas, and I had bought two red short vases. I used my white candle holders and two large square red candles. On the table, the white Jacquard Francais damasse table cloth given as a present by my dear friend Elizabeth.
Silver was out! The water pitcher given by my Mother on a round silver plate also given by my mother. I used the red square plates (I put one on top of the other) To each side, all the silver ware that we needed to eat foi gras, lobster, duck, and dessert. 
The white napkins were hold by a silver napkin ring and put on the plates.
My Egyptian mouth-blown water glasses gift of my Friend Fafa in 2000, completed the picture, together with large wine glasses - an American invention, pretty stylish but that the French do not like that much because it's not the "classic" size of a wine glass. I always joke that restaurant owners came up with this glass size to pour a whole bottle of wine in a first serving and to have the clients ordering another at the beginning of the meal!
This year in lieu of a Christmas tree, I made a "forest" of orchids on a Qing Dynasty (19 C)rosewood console where I pinned here and there some of the Christmas cards we have received.
The white napkins were hold by a silver napkin ring and put on the plates.My Egyptian mouth-blown water glasses gift of my Friend Fafa in 2000, completed the picture, together with large wine glasses - an American invention, pretty stylish but that the French do not like that much because it's not the "classic" size of a wine glass. I always joke that restaurant owners came up with this glass size to pour a whole bottle of wine in a first serving and to have the clients ordering another at the beginning of the meal!
This year in lieu of a Christmas tree, I made a "forest" of orchids on a Qing Dynasty (19 C)rosewood console where I pinned here and there some of the Christmas cards we have received. This wall displays paintings of landscapes: a chalk painting of Moscow's many bulb shaped churches and buildings, a watercolor of the Lake District bought at an auction in Nairobi, Kenya in 1981, a scene of the Baghdad bazaar, given by friends when we left the country in 1985.
In the kitchen, silver plates, trays, and serving forks and knives, were ready and handy!
The result was delightful! Tomorrow I will share with you our menu.
In the kitchen, silver plates, trays, and serving forks and knives, were ready and handy!The result was delightful! Tomorrow I will share with you our menu.
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