From the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, a grand Greek Revival home called Ossian Hall stood in the East Beach area of Pass Christian. With its two-story white columns, deep balconies, and elegantly decorated rooms, the residence was the setting of a silent movie and welcomed famous guests including Andrew Jackson. It’s not hard to imagine these noteworthy visitors walking under the property’s tall oak trees and enjoying lavish celebrations inside.
A fire in 1956 put an end to the merriment that had once taken place here, but in 2014, new owners built their own Greek Revival-style home on the very footprint of the nearly forgotten Ossian Hall. Its owners embraced some of the details that had been part of the former residence, but they adapted its design to meet their modern-day lifestyle. One thing they did hold on to was the notion of entertaining friends and neighbors within their house, and that’s just what they did last December to ring in the Christmas season.
“We are a close-knit neighborhood that goes back to the early 1900s,” the homeowner says. “All of our neighbors love entertaining in their homes, and we have a neighborhood supper club.”
Just as the structure is decorated with traditionally minded furniture and décor year round, the homeowners sought a timeless style for this holiday party. They called on Ginger Cook of Ginger Cook Design in Diamondhead to set a scene that reflected their classical aesthetic. Cook, whose work ranges from wedding planning and large event coordination to interior consulting and floral design, combined her own special touches with a number of treasured items already in the homeowners’ possession.
The party’s decorating details were layered upon a foundation of antique furnishings and pieces built to honor timeless design. Among the furnishings in the living room and keeping room are pieces from Theodore Alexander and Holland & Company, and chandeliers are from Circa Lighting, Restoration Hardware, and Bevolo Lighting.
“Her style in general is what she calls ‘collected traditional,’ and it’s very inspired by the English countryside,” Cook says. “So we played off that in selecting the holiday accents.”
But the festive touches for this celebration began out front, where the railing of the wrought iron fence was wrapped in fresh garlands and white lights. As guests walked along the brick-paved path and up the stairs to the second story, they were greeted by red and gold ribbons on the newel posts and large wreaths hung on the balcony rails. The front door was swagged in fresh garlands accented with pinecones, oversized red jingle bells, and a central wreath featuring a variety of red and gold ribbons.
Inside, Cook created a winter wonderland with fragrant fresh greenery as well as dried greens and red accents. The dining room was set for a seated dinner later in the evening, with Battenburg lace placemats topped with the homeowners’ Match pewter chargers, Lenox “Tuxedo” dinner plates, and Lenox “Holiday” salad plates. Each place setting was crowned with a gold patterned napkin tied with a sprig of rosemary cut from the gardens right outside. Reed & Barton “Georgian Rose” sterling silver flatware and Waterford “Ballymore” crystal wine glasses completed each place setting.
In the center of the dining room’s main round table, Cook started with the homeowners’ silver urn and tray and created an arrangement of white flowers including peonies, hibiscus, spray roses, garden roses, and ranunculus, along with juniper berries and holiday greenery. These details played off the greenery that lined the room’s fireplace mantel and the tall Christmas tree that stood in one corner. To decorate the tree, Cook used the homeowners’ existing collections of ornaments and carried out the red holiday motif with cascading ribbons and bows.
The sitting area located opposite the dining room in the home’s large front public space had its own fireplace for Cook to decorate, which she did with multi-layered fresh and dried garland swags and red ribbons. At each end of the mantel, she placed a cherub statue and a lit candle. The sofas in this room were adorned with holiday pillows, and the tufted leather ottoman was the perfect spot to place a silver tea service complete with candy canes.
The menu for the party began with an array of hors d’oeuvres set out on the kitchen island. These included tomato tartines, pickled Gulf shrimp, baked Brie with fig jam, miniature quiches, a cheese and fruit board, and sushi rolls created by a favorite local sushi chef. Accompanying these savory goodies were holiday-scented citrus cocktails served from a glass beverage dispenser adorned with a simple red bow and surrounded by cinnamon sticks and orange slices.
After the seated dinner, guests enjoyed an elaborate spread of holiday desserts including one of the homeowners’ favorite local desserts, the almond pithivier from Fleur de Lis Bakery in Gulfport. Other sweet treats, served from the breakfast table, included an old-fashioned gingerbread cake, s’mores-inspired chocolate toffee bark, an apple spiced Bundt cake topped with confectioners’ sugar snow, and a platter piled high with holiday sugar cookies. Rounding out the dessert selections were vanilla bean custard served in etched stemmed glasses, as well as chocolate-covered dates stuffed with almond butter. Here and elsewhere in the house, Cook placed red poinsettias and maidenhair ferns to complete the classic look.
“They have such a beautiful style and such good taste,” Cook says. “I love to accessorize and pull together a party look for them using the pieces they already have. It’s a dream to be able to work in a house with all of these gorgeous antiques and then to walk outside and be able to clip rosemary and boxwood. I really enjoyed helping to bring their vision to life.”
Menu
Christmas Citrus Cocktails
Tomato tartines
Pickled Gulf shrimp
Quiche bites
Baked brie with fig jam
Artisan cheese board with fruit
Shrimp, avocado and crab cucumber rolls
Almond pithivier
Old-fashioned gingerbread
Apple spiced Bundt cake
S-mores chocolate toffee bark
Holiday sugar cookies
Vanilla bean custard with berries
Almond butter-stuffed dates
Christmas Citrus Cocktails
2 cups vodka
1 cup St. Germain elderflower liqueur
3 cups fresh squeezed clementine or blood orange juice
4 (12-ounce) ginger beers
Cinnamon sticks and fresh orange slices for garnish
In a large pitcher, combine vodka, elderflower liqueur, and clementine or blood orange juice. Chill until ready to serve.
Just before serving, add ice and ginger beer. Serve garnished with cinnamon sticks and orange slices.
Yield: 8 servings
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Almond Butter-stuffed Dates
30 small to medium Medjool dates
10 tablespoons creamy almond butter
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Flaky sea salt
Line a plate or dish with parchment paper. Pit dates, creating openings for almond butter. Stuff each date with about 1/4 to 1/2 tablespoon almond butter. Close stuffed dates slightly and transfer them to parchment-lined plate. Place in freezer.
To make chocolate coating, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe dish and melt them together in microwave in 10-second increments, stirring after each increment and at the end. Chocolate should be completely melted and glossy.
Remove stuffed dates from freeze. Submerge each date in melted chocolate using a spoon, rolling it around until it is fully covered and allowing excess chocolate to drip back into bowl. Place each chocolate-covered date back on parchment paper. Once all dates are coated, return plate to freezer and chill for 25 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
Remove plate from freezer; transfer dates to a fresh plate without parchment paper. Sprinkle dates with sea salt just before serving.
Yield: About 30 dates
Adapted from Dada Eats
Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
1/4 cup dark rum or water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan, then line with parchment paper. Grease and flour papered pan.
Place rum or water and raisins in a small pan over medium heat. Cover and cook until liquid boils. Turn off heat and set aside.
Place butter and molasses in another small pan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Pour molasses mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix in sour cream and orange zest.
Sift flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix with hands until combined. With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture to molasses mixture; mix only until smooth. Drain raisins and add them and crystallized ginger to flour-molasses mixture with a spatula. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
When cake has cooled, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and orange juice. Pour onto gingerbread, allowing it to drip down sides. Allow glaze to set.
Yield: 9 servings
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics