Thanksgiving Table Settings

At New England Home and Garden, we look forward to the holidays with eager hearts.  They are a perfect time to gather family and friends together, to express our gratitude, and to set a beautiful Thanksgiving table!  I learned at the elbow of my mother how to set a formal table, complete with heirloom silver, crystal, and china.  Were you allowed to set a holiday table as a child?

Growing up, we were a small group at table, usually just our immediate family and a grandmother or two.  But my mother went all-out, and taught me to lay a proper table.  The results were spectacular.  I learned the pleasures of placing a napkin and plate just so, aligning the silver by course, memorizing its heft as I handled each piece.  Truly, by the time I was 15, I could have written the Emily Post chapters on table settings!  Thanks, mom, for teaching me the love of gathering family and friends around a beautifully set table.

I also have mom to thank for my love (obsession, really) with blue and white porcelain.  As a house warming gift for my first apartment, she gave me paper whites planted in an Asian blue and white porcelain bowl.  The brown bulbs nestled in the bowl were a design inspiration, and when they bloomed, the scent was heaven.  She always had the perfect touch, and still does, when it comes to setting a blue and white table.  She often uses her blue and white Spode with orange or peachy accents, and she gave me the most amazing tip for my Thanksgiving table ~  pour a gorgeous rose` wine, which looks beautiful with rich fall colors and pairs well with turkey.

Making the centerpiece was fun and easy.  I hollowed out a mellow, burnished squash, and set a glass container inside to hold the flowers.  I recommend shopping at Whole Foods, if you have one nearby, for flowers.  They carry unusual flowers and a good selection of greenery, which is the staple of many arrangements.  Select colors that complement your china and dining room.

I love to layer china, so that multiple patterns show at once.  It gives visual depth to a setting and makes a beautiful table.  It doesn’t have to match exactly, and slight differences enhance your table.

If you have a sideboard or hunch, decorate it too!  Below, I’ve placed faux fall foliage from Michael’s among wheat sheaves.  The reflection in the old window makes a spectacular fall scene, and the colors complement the centerpiece.

At NEHG, we firmly believe in using what you have at hand.  You might be surprised at the beautiful settings you can create by integrating vintage pieces with your china.  I picked up the green floral salad plates below at an antiques store, and they look great with white mini pumpkins and a celadon ribbon.  Use your imagination and have fun!

Candlelight is a must at holiday tables, but keep it safe and easy to work around.  Remember, you have to pass platters and bowls of food, so I recommend using tea lights with glass votives.  I love the tea lights from Pier One with clear plastic surrounds.  This time of year I also stock up at Michael’s with satin ribbon, which looks great and is easy to work with.

The setting below uses heirloom china from Spode.  It was gathered slowly over the decades by a grandmother, and each time we use it, it sparks a conversation about her, as we share details about her life, and how she painstakingly gathered it piece by piece.  I picture her falling in love with its mellow woodland motif, running her fingers over its scalloped edges.  She saved for each new piece, finally gathering enough to set a holiday table.  Knowing how much she loved it makes it precious to us.

Another way that children can contribute to setting holidays tables is making place ribbons.  How easy is it to tie a beautiful satin or grosgrain ribbon around a mini pumpkin stem and write a name on it?

Our last setting features all-silver, gleaming in the candlelight.  Sometimes visual simplicity just works.  Below, the richness of the sideboard foliage compliments the elegant table setting.

We hope you have wonderful family gathering, and pass on the art of setting a beautiful table to your children!