There is nothing quite like the bounty of the Thanksgiving table. I am someone who loves the gathering of loved ones in my home. It is the opportunity to not only cook all of my favorites (and make a big mess while doing it) but it affords me the chance to design a festive tablescape. I have always felt that a well-set table is like a warm hug. It invites you to the feast and says “I am grateful that you are here.” It makes your guests the centerpiece of the celebration, not just the food. My Thanksgiving tablescape always holds one piece in particular. It is something that is special to me because it embraces warm memories.My mother taught third grade for nearly forty years and for many of those my Baba (grandmother in Russian) helped put ideas together for the kids to prepare a special centerpiece to share with their parents. By far my favorite is a turkey that is made out of a pineapple that is turned on its side, using the pineapple stems to create the turkey tail. A pattern was created for the children to cut the turkey head out of red felt and then they were instructed on how to sew it together. The head was then easily pinned to the side of the pineapple offering the cutest addition to the Thanksgiving table…and hey the pineapple will be great for breakfast the next morning! I still have the very first Turkey head that my Baba ever put together. It will always be a part of my centerpiece allowing a part of her to remain with me. As you prepare for a smaller Thanksgiving celebration, take a moment to truly appreciate the group of people seated around you and things that matter to you. Here are a few of my secrets to creating a table filled with love!
- Big Centerpieces– Create a larger centerpiece that can easily be removed and replaced with food
- Table Runners– Skip the fancy linen (and this is coming from someone who loves fancy linen) Table Runners are where it is at…they center your table not only for your centerpiece but for your food display as well.
- Hey You…You Sit Here! Create individualized place cards or favors (cookies, chocolates, candied nuts, ornaments). It invites your guest to feel welcome and seen.
Let’s see…What Do I Have Laying Around? Not everything has to match on your setting. You just need to find one thing that is all the same (all orange napkins, same set of glassware, all the same plates) for the table to look well imagined.- Keep it Simple…! –Never underestimate how the clean lines of votive candles, tapered candles, mini pumpkins, and even a few well-placed cranberries can make you look like a creative genius.
- Love Your People– One year, I gift-wrapped the name of each person at our Thanksgiving table and randomly placed them at each place setting. When my guests opened it, they were asked to share why they were thankful for the person whose name was in the box. It helped everyone celebrate the true meaning of the day. (and it looked really pretty too!)
- Love from a Distance– Even if you can’t get together with loved ones creating something special to drop by their house or in the mail can really capture the spirit of the season. I am someone who is unable to gather with loved ones this year, but for those close I am making cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving morning and leaving them on their doorstep.
The greatest gift that you can give someone this Thanksgiving is your time. When you give your time, you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back. Tell your people you love them and why you are grateful for them. Make it truly a season of thanks and giving.
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