Before you know it that special Thursday morning will arrive – Thanksgiving! The Thanksgiving meal is one of America’s most celebrated traditions. But, setting the dining table for Thanksgiving need not be a chore. It’s all about bringing family and friends together.

Get the dining table done early so you’re not in a rush right before guests arrive. There are no hard and fast rules here except for maybe start with a tablecloth and definitely use cloth napkins. Each person needs a plate, and at least a knife and a fork, a water glass and a vessel for wine, and a napkin. Infusing your personality and home’s décor into your table setting will set the mood.

Your Style

No matter how you are setting the table, infuse your personality and style into your dining table setting.

                                                                     Photo Credit to Houzz

• Go bold with color – plates, glassware, napkins, etc.
• Add some bling – spray paint mini pumpkins in gold and place one on top of each plate.
• Nature Lover? Create your own centerpieces using different colored cabbages or other vegetables. Place a fall leaf under each guest’s napkin on top of the plate.
• Got kids? Get them involved in gathering fall leaves for DIY votive candle-holders or writing names on place-cards.

Formal Traditional

If you really want to impress your guests, consider an update to your formal dining room with a new dining table set or perhaps some new dining chairs .

With regards to setting the table, simplicity is most appropriate in a formal setting like Thanksgiving. The following are some tips to help you set your table:

• Start with a tablecloth and add a runner for a pop of color or to match your napkins.
• Make sure that the tablecloth has at least a six-inch drop on all sides and that the runner is either the same length or shorter than the tablecloth.
• Fold the napkins in a simple rectangle, folded to the left so that the cloth’s spine is facing right. Napkins should be placed on a bare plate or beneath the fork to its left. The knife goes on the plate’s right side, its blade facing left. The spoon sits to the right of the knife.
• Above the knife, toward the center of the table, place a water glass and at least one for wine, more if you have the glasses and many different varietals are in store for the feast.
• Add a beautiful fall floral centerpiece - small gourds and low flowers are nice. And because everyone looks better in candlelight, a few candles are a must. And voila . . . you’re done!

Informal

Maybe it’s just Thanksgiving dinner for two or you will be celebrating around the kitchen table. This informal setting, however, is not an excuse to break out the paper plates and paper napkins!

You can, however, opt to skip the tablecloth for this more informal setting and perhaps you might want to consider place-mats with napkins that accent the color of your table, the place-mats or plates. The napkin can be folded in a rectangle and placed under the fork on the left side of the plate or folded long and placed under the plate. Or for an even more informal look, the silverware can be rolled inside the napkin and placed on top of the plate.

Continuing with a more informal theme, any glassware is appropriate. Just make sure you have one for water and one for wine. Miss matched glassware and even mason jars add to the casualness of this setting.

With regards to a centerpiece, if you have room keep it simple with a small bowl of mini pumpkins and a few votive candles or a vase of fresh flowers.

Contemporary

If you have a contemporary dining room set, setting the dining table for Thanksgiving is even easier.

Less is more when it comes to contemporary design. Start with a color palette of two colors – a basic white for the base and a pop of another color for everything else. How easy is that? A white tablecloth and white plates become your canvas and then you can start painting the picture. Your second color choice should accent your home’s décor and can be featured in napkins, glassware, colored glass votive candle-holders and your centerpiece. Napkins folded in a rectangle and placed on top of the plate or under the plate add to the simplicity of this table setting.

And one final tip . . . Relax. And be thankful that someone else will be doing the dishes!

Happy Thanksgiving!

#dining table, #formal dining room