One of my most comforting and cherished memories is waking up on Christmas Eve morning each year. I would lay in bed soaking in the sounds and smells of dinner already being prepared in the kitchen down the hall. I knew the day ahead meant family, food, and well, presents (I was a kid after all).

Sometime after watching that creepy black and white version of ‘A Christmas Carol’, the rest of our family would come crashing through the door. The boys would head off to my brother’s room for hours of Super Mario Bros. (which would inevitably end in an epic wrestling match), and my cousin Jacci and I would get to work in the dining room.

Setting the table was our job! We would open my great-grandmothers credenza, carefully unload the china and silver, and get to work. It was an honor to take on such an important task, and to this day I adore a beautifully set table.

With four kids and our hectic schedules, I rarely take the time to set my table the way I’d like. So this year I asked New England designer Anne Furey to help take my Christmas table up a notch.

We decided to style the table in the kitchen as opposed to the one in the dining room so we could admire the beautiful Christmas tree we put up a few weeks ago for my holiday decorating post.

Matt and I have a laid back, casual style. He tends to gravitate towards anything related to the outdoors, and I love neutrals and calming spaces. Since Anne knows us so well, she did an amazing job with her picks for our table.

These adorable ‘Winter Buck’ salad plates and rustic chargers from Pier One were the inspiration for our outdoorsy/natural theme. I’ve had the white dinner plates from Pottery Barn for over a decade. I’m no designer, but the best advice I would offer someone investing in things for their home: White dishes and bath towels go with everything, and never go out of style. You’re welcome.

The centerpiece she choose is the traditional Christmas flower, Cyclamen, in a unique birch vase. Anne’s love for fresh flowers inspired me when we first met 12 years ago, and rarely will you step into my house and not see some somewhere in my kitchen!

If you haven’t noticed yet, I am one sentimental sucker! Like, really sentimental. The silverware we used belonged to my Grandma Rindoks (on my father’s side). I love to contrast elegant with rustic, so we paired my antique silverware and crystal glasses from HomeGoods with birch candle votives and antlers.

To finish off the look Anne chose a simple crimson linen napkin and a sweet holly berry twig. I love the extra layer and texture the two add to each setting!

In the kitchen, Anne’s sister Patty (a.k.a. my floral guru) carefully adds her artistic touch to my candle sticks using pinecones and live greens… one of my favorite tips from last week’s post.

On the kitchen island we were able to put another cherished family heirloom to good use…

This silver tray belonged to my great-grandmother (on my mother’s side). I’ve had a terrible time getting it clean enough to use or display, but Patty had a trick up her sleeve…. Wright’s Silver Cream Polish! I’ve tried a couple other products over the years, but none came close to working! Thank you Patty!

The crystal candy dish is from Germany… a 25th wedding anniversary gift to my grandparents. As a kid I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen, and I feel so blessed to have it for my family to enjoy.

A note to my readers:

I hope you found a bit of inspiration in these two Christmas decorating posts. I know we certainly had a lot of fun creating them! If, for some reason you’ve found yourself feeling a bit discouraged because it all looks a little too perfect or unattainable… please keep this in mind:

This post took a team of 5 people; me, two designers, a photographer, and a freaking nanny… because, in case you forgot, I have kids coming out of my ears. These pics are meant to inspire you to do something a little different. Something you wouldn’t have had time to think of because you get swamped with… life.

This is probably a blogging sin, but here is a behind the scenes look at what the rest of my house looked like while my kitchen and living room were in showroom shape…

So, don’t stress over trying to make the holidays look perfect! Just enjoy your families and count your blessings. If all goes well, one day your children will cherish their memories of the holidays too!

Another big thank you to my photografriend: Enid Ricci