A Magical Christmas Eve Dinner

FLOWER: You are the consummate hostess—with a book on entertaining and a second one coming in 2028. When did you first truly discover your love for sharing hospitality?

Stephanie: As newlyweds, my husband and I would frequently host one or two couples for a nice but simple supper. We were in our early 20s and would do every- thing ourselves, from cooking to cleanup. My dinner parties and hosting style have evolved since those days, but they still come from the heart. Entertaining is my love language and favorite form of creative expression—every bit as much as interior decorating or landscape design.

What do you love most about entertaining?

It’s two-fold. First, it’s bringing people together, whether by reuniting old friends or facilitating new introductions. Second, I enjoy creating a beautiful table and environment. You could say I love to gather and collect—both people and pretty things! I derive so much joy from compiling guest lists, menus, themes, and special touches that delight the people who matter to me the most.

You have certainly perfected the art of the tablescape. What is your approach?

I create a scheme that complements colors found in the fabrics, artwork, and accessories throughout our interiors. Green is prevalent in this house. I consider it a neutral with much more pizzazz than beige or taupe. Of course, it also happens to be a classic Christmas color. To change things up each holiday season, I’ll add in an unexpected accent color such as French blue, which we used last year.

We love the idea of building on your everyday interiors. You recently worked with designer Mark D. Sikes to redecorate your Sun Valley house—talk about a beautiful foundation! What are some of the specific design elements you use to guide the holiday décor?

The textiles in the dining room played a really big role. The window and wallcoverings both feature Brunschwig & Fils’s ‘Bellary,’ a Jacobean floral in shades of aqua and taupe. To break it up, we incorporated a few solids and small-scale prints on the dining chairs and banquette. I do want my holiday décor to work seamlessly with my interiors, but I also want to make a festive statement. I’ll incorporate a few extra-special layers like embroidered nutcracker linens, ribbons, shiny silver pieces, and sparkly votives. Christmas is the time of year your home and table should look its merriest. My mother was known for her high-spirited tables—now it’s my turn to create them for my children and grandchildren.

The gift of hospitality is one of the greatest things we can pass down to the next generations. We know you’re a born- and-bred Southern California girl. Now that you spend the holidays in Idaho, we bet the family loves the magic of a white Christmas.

I’ve been coming to Sun Valley since I was a child, and I met my second husband here over 15 years ago. We now have a large blended family—seven adult children and their significant others plus four grandchildren and another on the way—who travel from Los Angeles, Austin, Palm Beach, New York, and London. We always hope they get the sweet treat of arriving to snow, but they can always count on being greeted with a flute of Champagne or a mug of hot cocoa, the sound of Christmas carols, and the delicious scent of a holiday candle. It takes a lot of effort for everyone to make the trip, so we roll out the red carpet for them.

Given your passion for dinner parties, may we assume that’s your main event?

Yes! Nothing fills my heart more than seeing three generations of our families around the table. I prefer to hold our more formal dinner on Christmas Eve so I can pull out all the stops when no one is rushed. And then the little ones can enjoy being in the magic and chaos of the moment all throughout Christmas Day.

No kiddie table for the littles?

The under-six crowd sits around the kitchen island, but it’s set just as lavishly as the dining room table. While the grown-ups indulge in a cocktail, the kids enjoy Shirley Temples followed by an early dinner and a Christmas movie in their new matching pajamas—gifts from my husband and me.

That sounds like a lovely tradition. Speaking of traditions, is there a certain “something” you incorporate into your Christmas Eve table setting year after year?

 I always select an ornament for each guest that serves as their place card. The ornament commemorates a milestone achieved during the past year like an anniversary or a graduation, or it represents a skill they’ve learned or a hobby they’ve started. It’s just a little gesture, but it holds a lot of meaning and evokes wonderful memories.   

 PARTY ESSENTIALS

Stephanie shares a few things she always keeps on hand in her party pantry.

LOCALLY FARMED CAVIAR Caviar from Hagerman, Idaho, served with Cape Cod potato chips and Cristal Champagne makes a quick-and-easy app that is unexpected and sophisticated.

EMBROIDERED LINEN COCKTAIL NAPKINS I have motifs for just about every occasion. At Christmastime, I bring out Aerin’s “Skier” cocktail napkins and continue to use them all winter long. They’re festive without screaming “holiday,” and they nod to our family’s love for the Sun Valley slopes.

SILVER TUMBLERS The unbreakable barware fits right into the hands of our smallest family members so they can enjoy their own version of a fine-dining experience. My set, designed by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany, is also ideal for containing low-cut flower arrangements that trail down the dining table.

SATIN RIBBON A hand-tied knot or bow made with high-quality ribbon elevates the look of just about anything. I keep bolts of May Arts double-faced satin ribbon in varying colors and widths to wrap gifts and hang ornaments.

MICRO-FINE INK PENS I always keep a stash of Le Pens in different colors for writing place cards, gift tags, and holiday cards. To me, having a pretty penned name is just as important as having nice cardstock. If timing allows, I’ll call on Calligraphy Katrina in Los Angeles for personalization.