I’ve embraced winter and set the table with a darling Polar Bear Frolic tablescape. Ignore the freezing temperatures and think like a polar bear or penguin, and invite a few friends to a little party. 

That doesn’t mean there isn’t a fire burning in the family room or I haven’t notched the thermostat up a degree or two! Set on the round glass table, located between the open kitchen and family room, the winter tablescape has a view to the covered porch and snow outside.

The little party proved a perfect excuse to use fun, winter theme plates and serving pieces found at Home Goods. Aren’t they adorable?

I love the red and white scarves the polar bears are sporting. What really sold me on the plates were the bears on skis – a favorite family winter activity.

And, I just happened to have a little collection of stuffed polar bears on hand to create a whimsical centerpiece. 

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Who Cares if it’s Cold Outside?

Since I already have multiple Christmas theme pattern dishes, I only purchased eight of the polar bear appetizer plates, plus   round large and small platters, and snack bowl.

The pieces are made by a Chinese company called, Mesa, but there’s no pattern name listed on the back. Probably a one and done design for a single season?

I figured the little appetizer plates would be fun to use in place of disposable paper ones. Nice for serving snacks or desserts in the winter months.

It’s nice having some fun, casual dishes on hand for entertaining in the winter that aren’t Christmasy. For a dish addict like me, the polar bear set helps bridge the post-Christmas blues until February and Valentine’s Day.

You’d be proud of me if you knew the variety of other matching polar bear dishes and servers I left Home Goods without! That’s what I told myself anyway…

Setting the Winter Table

I like how the little black and white accents in the dishes are brought out in the checkered placements, which coordinate with  my home decor. See Rooster Kitchen Decor and Tableware for how the house looks undecorated.

Each Polar Bear Frolic place setting consists of:

• Black & white checkered, oval scalloped-edged placemat (a gift)
• 3-layers of plates: red scalloped edge holiday salad (Walmart’s Better Homes & Gardens, see Enchanting Woodland Tablescape for Christmas), black & white border everyday salad (gift), and polar bear on skis appetizer (Home Goods)
• Red-handled flatware (Home Goods)
• White napkin with pewter snowflake ring (seen in Christmas Brunch at the Red Barn Tablescape) & faux berries
• Tiny white votive candle (sleeve of 16 Marshalls)
• Snowman top hat mug (Michaels )

Here’s a another view with snowflakes dangling down from the chandelier.

My favorite part of the Polar Bear Frolic tablescape was creating the sleigh ride centerpiece.

Scottie Dog’s Frolic Too

In a house full of guys, I sometimes need to get my girl on! So, over the years, I collected a few stuffed moose, polar bears and a panda or two. The moose decorate the game room, with its lodge vibe (see Welcome to the Apres-Ski Lodge Buffet).

Most of the furry friends are made by Boyds and picked up at one of my favorite holiday shopping destinations, Old Allegheny.

Until a certain Scottie dog joined our family, the bears took residence playing with toy props under the live Christmas tree in the family room.

But, Fibber thinks all stuffed animals are his dog toys. They are the only thing in the house, including shoes, socks, etc. that he just can’t resist. Fibber has never chewed one of my stuffed animals up, but he has dragged them to his bed or other places.

So the polar bears have moved to the living room, where (believe it or not) he is not allowed and does not bother them.

Now the only animal frolicking with the toys under the tree are Fibber!

Here he is now that the miniature red wagon is empty of bears. Fibber took it for a ride like it was a skateboard!

Polar Bear Frolic in a Sled

Like many of my centerpieces, I ‘shopped’ my craft stash, decorations and home accessories to create the Polar Bear Frolic sleigh ride.

First thing I needed was something to gather all the stuffed polar bears in. This white wicker sleigh was perfect for the occasion!

After the bears piled on in for a ride, I added a few trees and arranged fake cotton snow around the base of the sleigh. Then, I incorporated a mini twinkling, battery-operated string of lights.

There’s also a variety of snowflakes hanging down from overhead (I love decorating light fixtures and incorporating them into a tablescape. See Decorate a Chandelier for Fall in 3 Easy Steps and Peacock Ornaments Decorate Chandelier at Christmas ). I leave many of my winter seasonal decorations out, or at least handy until the end of January.

Polar Bear Dish Display

When the polar bear dishes aren’t set out on the table, I frequently use them to replace my Christmas vignette on the two open shelves in the kitchen. For some reason, I used snowmen rather than the polar bears when I took this picture.

Polar bears frolic with snowmen right?

You might recognize these guys from another winter tablescape in 5 Snowman Centerpieces Decorate Winter Table?

The shelves also provide easy access to the dishes — since there isn’t any room in my regular cabinets for them anyway! Storage is always such an issue… I store most of my holiday dishes downstairs in the finished basement.

Hot White Chocolate

Since I posted this tablescape a few days ago, I came across the most wonderful Polar Bear White Chocolate drink and marshmallows that would go perfectly with the Polar Bear Frolic!

Polar bear chocolate creation by Little Passports

Doesn’t that hot white chocolate look delicious and adorable?! Next time I set this table, I’m definitely making it! Good for kiddos and grownups too!

Don’t the bears look like they’re having fun? What do you do to keep occupied during the winter season?

You might also enjoy, Moose Toboggan Ride Tablescape Winter Fun.

Hubby and I ice skated for the first time in at least a decade, and rode a toboggan run too while we Embraced the Season in Upper Quebec City. Don’t I look a little like a polar bear in this picture, LOL?

Bee warm!

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I regularly participate in: Metamorphous Monday, Turn About Tuesday, Centerpiece Wednesday, Whimsical Home Projects, In Link Party, Share Your Style, Tablescape Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Crafty Creators, Fabulous Friday, Saturday Sparks, Happiness is Homemade, and Love Your Creativity.

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