thanksgiving table

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. I know I say that about every major celebration, but truly, Thanksgiving ranks high (like right at the top with christmas and easter). We have the best memories of Thanksgiving from when we were kids – big family gatherings, weekends at my great Aunt & Uncle’s house in their small town, cutting down our christmas tree – and it’s continued to be a time of year that feels festive and filled with tradition even now.

I love watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the kids, then the dog show after (weird, I know. But I tend to be a bit like my mom and she always kept the dog show on so naturally, I do the same), then football for days. Our house fits the most people in it, so we often host here which we love. We do some of the cooking, and the rest of the family each bring a favorite dish (sweet potato puree, sauteed green beans with shallots and bacon, sweet potato cranberry crescent rolls – yum).

The kids sit in the kitchen at the kids’ table (does your family do that?) and the adults in the dining room around our big dining table. We usually have to pull up a few folding chairs or random benches to fit, but we’re a tight family, so it works. At some point during dinner we go around and share what we are thankful for. There’s usually a few jokes, maybe a teary answer or two and a few years ago our step-dad (whom I like to call sugar-daddy) surprised my mom and proposed during his thankful share-time. It was the coolest thing.

So the thanksgiving table is a big part of our celebration. And I like to set it.

It looks different each year and nothing overly elaborate or expensive. I pull from what we have – dishes, silver, glasses, cloth napkins – and add in seasonal decorations from around the house or yard or market.

For this look, I began with a roll of white butcher paper taped to the table, then a second roll of kraft wrapping paper down the center. Paper makes a great no-iron, recycle-it-when-you’re-done tablecloth alternative.

A simple centerpiece of glass apothecary jars filled with faux acorns (from the craft store) reflect light and don’t take up too much visual space. The greenery came from the backyard maple tree popped into little glass vases. A few unscented candles – some wrapped in old book pages – line the table for a pretty candlelight glow.

The individual place settings are my favorite part: brown transferware dishes (from here) make the perfect background for a linen napkin, white pumpkin, sprig of rosemary and hydrangea leaf with name written in gold sharpie. I just walked around the yard clipping things that looked pretty and still-green.

Of course the most important part of setting the Thanksgiving table is making it warm and welcoming and a place where our family can linger over conversation and good food. I can’t wait!

A bunch of creative bloggers are linking up this week for thanksgiving table/tradition sharing hosted by Lindsay from The White Buffalo Styling Co. There are great recipes, fun traditions and table setting ideas at each stop, so be sure to check out the whole line up. Yesterday we saw pretty settings from Burlap & Lace, Simple Stylings, Run to Radiance and Eclectically Vintage.

Next up on the tour is Brittany Makes (who I pretty much repin every time she pins something so I’m sure her table will be great!)