We’ve been having our book club brunch at Debbie D’s house for 15 years now because she always throws a great party! Since I’ve written before about Debbie D’s beautiful tables, I thought I’d add this year’s. Another gorgeous year:

Instead of chargers she used scrapbook paper with a pretty gold-on-white pattern. (So clever and cute!) And she had such a pretty pop of red with her party favors of cellophane-wrapped homemade cookies.

I also love that wood centerpiece down the table, which she said she made (stained, cut) herself. What a great idea to give everything a little lift and to keep plates and dishes from knocking over candles and such. That might be my DIY for 2015. …

I also have to show off this cute mimosa bar Deb set up in her kitchen for when everyone arrived:

And this little cutie wasn’t part of the decor, but she sure added some adorableness to the whole Christmas scene. This is book-club-friend Carrie’s little baby, Baby Viv, who has been coming to book club since her birth!

We do our book club brunch as a potluck; Debbie served raisin-bread strata with sausage, while guests added green salad with cranberries and feta; a potato dish; appetizers (including a really yummy green-olive tapanade with cranberries); and so much dessert. It was all so delicious. I brought a lemon loaf and a pumpkin-spice loaf that I’ve been making for me and my youngest son. (He’s declared it “the pumpkin thing I can’t stop eating.”)

Our book club Christmas brunch is such a great celebration, with such a warm and wonderful group of women — one of the season’s highlights for me, for sure!