A beautiful table at the holidays is a gift to the people you are hosting. It says, “I care enough about you to go the extra mile for you. Please enjoy a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.”
Bet you didn’t know your table had such a vocabulary! Correct me if I’m wrong, but a table scape can dish out a lot of meaning.
As the first of our top tier holidays rolls around, I thought you might enjoy a little inspiration for when you set your tables. My friend Brenda is one of the best hostesses I know. She enjoys setting a beautiful table in anticipation of sweet fellowship around it.
Straight From Her Heart
“I love decorating for fall and I enjoy going all out on the table I eat at everyday. Often I stay with my white pottery and add accent plates.”
The pumpkin plates, mugs, glasses, chargers, and linens on her table are all from Pier 1. Here’s a link to the chargers.
She said she fell in love with this centerpiece at House to Home and enjoys changing it up for every season. Here’s a similar one they have in stock right now.
She thinks place cards are a must at big holiday meals because they convey to each guest at your table that you planned for them.
Often they are simple like this one….a name tied to a small pumpkin. Sometimes she uses formal place card holders she’s used for years. And sometimes she uses place card holders she’s saved since her own kids made them. Now her grandkids are making them, so she’ll use those.
One tip she has is to set the table the night before so the morning can be devoted to preparing the meal.
“Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s all about the meal and family around the table! We decide the night before who’s cooking what and include the older kids in the process. All my kids and their spouses love to cook, so that makes for a fun day of preparation. We usually eat around one so we can warm up leftovers in the evening.”
I love Brenda’s idea of including everyone in the preparations and making it a family event. What sweet memories are being made in her kitchen and around her table.
Come back to the blog next week to find out what Brenda’s Thanksgiving meal menu is. I’ll be sharing recipes that you’re going to love!
But before you go, please tell us in the comments what your family’s traditions include at Thanksgiving. Do you use special dishes for holiday meals? Do you have a sharing time for what you’re thankful for? Do you talk about Pilgrims and Native Americans? 😉
Jamie
Our table was never anywhere close to being as lovely as yours, but one tradition we had was to make place cards for any guests. Since we lived far away from our own extended family, we would invite honorary aunts, uncles, and grandparents to join us. We saved all the place cards so that each year we could remember all the Thanksgivings from past years, and recall who had joined us. It was always a challenge to seat everyone where guests had someone close to them who spoke their language, while avoiding any potential clash between certain siblings. Arranging the place cards was the biggest challenge of the day, and the older kids would rearrange them to please themselves, so I never knew where anyone might end up sitting!
Tracey Buchanan
My friend Brenda, whose table this actually is, said place cards are a big deal in her family, too! Based on the tradition both of you have enjoyed, I decided to have the grandkids make them this year. I think it’s a thoughtful touch. Don’t know why I’ve never thought to do it!
LizHarper
Our extended family gathers with food, potluck style, but keeping with traditional Thanksgiving dishes. I also love decorating my table and we go around to each person to express what they are thankful for!
A tradition I started a few years ago for our grandchildren on Thanksgiving day was gathering craft items for them to make their Christmas ornament for the year. Fun activity to entertain them and whoever wanted to join in.
Tracey Buchanan
That sounds like a fabulous holiday! Love the idea of making Christmas ornaments with the kids!