Is it your turn to host Thanksgiving this year?  Interested in creating a fabulous table that is visually stunning and will enhance the memories of the day?

Whether it’s a table for two or twenty, the following tips will help create a beautiful first impression that will set the stage for your delicious meal!

Set Table Places in Advance

Even if you’re eating buffet-style, set out the places in advance.  This is wonderfully welcoming to your guests, and elevates the special meal.  Stack plates and bowls with the largest on the bottom; if you are using chargers or place-mats, put them out as well.  Finish with glassware and utensils.  Beautiful!

Add Unexpected Touches to Place Settings

A crisp apple on each place setting’s napkin, a cinnamon stick across the dessert plate, pine cone rings encircling water glass stems…unexpected little touches like these will delight your guests and bring a smile to their faces.

Decorate the Turkey

Before placing that turkey on the table, spend a few moments gussying her up.  Spoon some stuffing into the bowl made by the legs, add a spring or two of fresh rosemary, a bay leaf, edible flowers, citrus slices, berries on a strand…you are limited only by your imagination!  Just a few minutes decorating your turkey, and it will look like a showpiece.

Mix and Match Dishware

Too often people think that the plates need to match the platters that must match the stemware and bowls, especially for special occasions such as Thanksgiving.  Not the case!  Feel free to bring out Granny’s ornate porcelain platter to be used alongside simple water goblets found at the local thrift store, and heavy ceramic dishes from a big box store, etc.  Just as your loved ones are gathered together, so can you gather your myriad of dishware for this special meal.

Have Fun with Color

Don’t feel you need to stick with the traditional Thanksgiving palette of warm tones…as beautiful as it is, sometimes it’s fun to buck the trend and use unexpected colors.  Go with a funky palette and infuse some fun into your meal!

Thanksgiving means many things, but at its core, it is about loved ones gathering around a table together enjoying a meal while reflecting upon the bounties of life.  Decorate with love and gratitude, and your table will be perfect.