Thanksgiving is a wonderful traditional holiday where we want to invite our loved ones into our home and give thanks for all we have. But with Christmas and other holidays just around the corner, it sometimes can be tough on the budget, time and other resources to put out a beautifully decorated table. But by planning ahead, being creative and thinking outside the box you can set a Thanksgiving table that rivals any on the glossy pages of magazines. Here are tips for decorating your Thanksgiving table-
• Develop a theme-While the first theme to spring to mind may be nature you don’t have to be limited to using just that. Consider the overall look you want your table to have and where you will be serving Thanksgiving dinner. Are you an urban dweller in a high-rise apartment? You may want lots of glass, mirrors and candles for your dinner. If dinner will be served in your traditional and warm dining room you may want your table to reflect a traditional vibe. Warm weather Thanksgiving celebrants can fill their table with fruit and flowers for a natural reflection of the setting. Whatever you choose just be sure that it reflects the theme of your surroundings and your personality.
• Provide a backdrop to your table setting-Remember you do not need fancy tablecloths for this day. You can layer simple flat sheets, old bedspreads or quilts, and pretty fabric placemats all on the same table. Just be sure to keep a solid color between each pattern, and it will shine! If you want more of a sleek look than consider hitting a local fabric store to check for remnants of fabric. You can often pick up spectacular and rich-looking fabrics for mere pennies per yard. Just add a simple hem and you have a one-of-a-kind tablecloth to serve as a backdrop to your Thanksgiving decorations.
• Go all out when setting your table-This does not mean that you run to your nearest department store and buy the best china. This day really is about simpler things than that. The idea is to use what you have, all of it, even if it doesn’t match. Set out your plates and salad dishes and soup bowls. Use all your glassware.
Bring out separate forks for salad and main dish. Fold pretty napkins and place at each setting. You can find tons of ideas online for place cards which you can make out of materials on hand. The bottom line is this: the more generous you are with your table settings, no matter what the nature of the plates and cups and silverware, the more festive and lavish the room appears!
• Create a shimmering centerpiece-This is easier to do than you may think; simply gather two or three ceramic bowls, and fill them with nature finds…fir cones, acorns, nuts or seeds, even old potpourri! You can then nestle a pillar candle in each bowl, and set in the center of the table. You then add a few pressed fall leaves to the table around the bowls, and you have a simple and elegant centerpiece. And the best part of all is that you made it for free! Just make sure that you never leave the candles unattended, and always make sure they will not burn down to or be blown into anything flammable.
• Skip the expensive floral display-You can use a small pitcher from your cupboard to bring fresh flowers or branches of fall leaves to the table. Use the floral centerpiece in the center of your candle arrangement for height and interest. Do not worry about arranging elaborate displays; this is the time for a natural and relaxed look. You can also skip using a floral centerpiece and simply stack small pumpkins and gourds in the center of the table. Weave a ribbon or some colored raffia among them and you are all set to enjoy nature’s beauty. To add to the stack work in apples and pears or even smaller gourds and corn.
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