THANKSGIVING TABLE SETTING

As a hostess, one of the best parts of hosting a holiday dinner is to set the table in a festive way. For many people this can be overwhelming to think about in addition to coordinating all of the food and drink that needs to be prepared but it is actually pretty easy and very fun!

First, choose a tablecloth to accent all of your table settings. We like a nice crisp white tablecloth but other colors or Thanksgiving themed work as well. Williams Sonoma, Pier One, all the department and online stores have so many to choose from if you haven’t made the investment, or you have never had to host or use. You should also coordinate your placemats with the rest of the table. This is where you can get into your holiday vibe and choose a color that will play off of your plates and napkins. For this table setting, we chose a neutral dark brown that played off the white plates with green and silver detailing. You may have some nice china in a buffet or cupboard that you don’t break out often and this is definitely the time to do it! I’ve had this Hermes china for almost 16 years and use it year after year. It has been well worth the investment.

For the Thanksgiving table, these pale orange linen napkins look really pretty with the green accent on the china and add to the theme for Thanksgiving. The napkins also tie into the colors in the floral arrangement.

To prepare for the arrangement, I went to the local floral wholesaler, but you can easily find many of these flowers at your local market or Trader Joe’s during this time of year. I love using both white and green hydrangeas as they are always a pretty addition to any arrangement and a good filler as well. For this time of year, adding the pumpkin on a stick (also known as pumpkin peppers) looks so nice with the different orange colors and of course, looks like a mini-pumpkin, seeded eucalyptus, yellow ball craspedia and pincushion or scabiosa pods (both of which dry out nicely too). I usually make it up as I go and look through the different flowers available that day. If you are heading to the florist, it is always nice to show them a photo of what you like (from Pinterest, your favorite magazine, etc.) if they are making the arrangement for you to save any confusion or disappointment as you want the flowers to be perfect for your table.

I also picked up some olive branches which I laid out in the middle of the table and set the flowers, candles and mini pumpkins on or around. The olive branches acted as a sort of garland on the table, adding a green and organic accent to the table. You may want to keep in mind that it’s nice to have unscented candles for the dinner table. The holiday scented candles should stay out of the dining room and in the other areas where you are visiting, unless you are entertaining in an open space.

For the rest of the place setting, bring out your best crystal glasses for water and wine and your silverware. If you have beautiful pieces hidden away, what is the point? Many years ago, I invested in some beautiful Christofle crystal wine goblets and glasses, which I also use for water. I have gotten so much use out of them and take good care of them as they were an investment, but they really make me happy when it is time to break them out. If you have any favorite salt and pepper shakers, these add to the theme of the table. I found these cute mini white pumpkin shakers at World Market that went with this year’s theme of a white mini pumpkin on the plate instead of a napkin ring and napkin. We also played around with a persimmon on the plate, which looked pretty as well. Do what makes you happy and feel good in the moment.

If possible, try and set your table a few days before. It could be fun to start a tradition of having your children help you, if they are still in the house. This will leave the day of Thanksgiving open to cooking, getting ready and enjoying family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours…