Thanksgiving Table Setting Inspiration

This post comes from our contributor FP Naomi.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Friends and families will gather around home cooked meals to laugh, discuss, and most of all, to give thanks. Those without a destination are welcomed into the homes of others, and some sacrifice their days to go and make a stranger’s holiday worthwhile. We labor in the kitchens, setting aside a whole day to inject every bite with love. Service ware, knickknacks, the best china – they all get pulled out to make the evening special.

Every ounce of love that goes into the day is an offering of thanks – for all that we have, the experiences that have made life worthwhile, and for the ones that we are fortunate enough to love. The more care that you put into Thanksgiving – whether it be spending time with your father, baking  pumpkin pie, or crafting a beautiful table setting – the more you honor the holiday and all that it stands for. So pull out the good stuff, get creative, and put some love into building something beautiful.

Here is a little inspiration to get you started:

Wooden Placemats: Whoever it was that said a placemat had to be a piece of cloth or plastic was wrong. Try something unconventional like a scrap piece of wood. Look at materials in a new light, and see what you can come up with.

Touches of Nature: Nature never looks bad, it always works to add to your table. I like to set little things by guests’ spots, and in this case, used old pine cones because they feel very fall to me. Try to think of something that you have in your personal collection to decorate the table.

Linen Napkins: There is nothing more understatedly beautiful than a linen napkin. Tie them up with twine and stick in a little piece of nature to make it pop. In this case, I used a feather, but you could also use sprigs of rosemary or sage, twigs, or even a slice of bread. If you don’t have enough of one item, go ahead and give everyone at the table something different.

Thrifted Silverware: you can find this at almost every flea market, thrift store, vintage shop, you name it.  I personally love the old tarnished look, and also prefer a service set that doesn’t match. It’s more fun.

Glasses: pull out the nice wine glasses for the occasion. If you have something special that you want to show off, you can even build your menu around it. I have these old purple liquor glasses from my grandmother, and just so that I can put them out on the table, I’ll serve an after dinner digestif.

Candles: What is a holiday table without some light? Find some fun candle holders and set them around at random. In this case, I went with tarnished silver to match back with my silverware.

Got any tips for setting the perfect Thanksgiving table? Share them in the comments!

Check out Naomi’s blog Numie Abbot.