Thanksgiving Essentials

I can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving! It snowed here in Ohio for the first time Saturday and I'm so excited! I love this time of year. It's getting colder and cozier and I know I am in the minority when I say I love snow, but I do! This time of year is so fun with the holidays and spending time with family. What's not to love?

With Thanksgiving a few days away, I want to share some of my tips for hosting a beautiful holiday gathering.

I love a simple white plate set. It goes with everything and can be used for any occasion. With your plate as a blank canvas, you can add festivity through other parts of the table setting. I also love this other plate with an autumn leaf design. The colors are perfect for fall and Thanksgiving, but it is still simple. Either of these plates would look beautiful at the dinner table. 

I love table runners and how they add a layer of texture to the table. I prefer runners over tablecloths because you can see that layer of the runner over the table. This adds interest and design. The runner you choose depends on which plates you have. If you have solid colored plates, like the white one I have above, then you can go with a runner that has more of a pattern. If your plates already have a pattern to them, I would go with a solid colored runner. You don't want too many patterns going on and fighting with each other. The middle runner goes with the patterned plate above. In this case having them both be patterned would work. They go together and are both very simple. 

I love adding little details and you can get really creative with them. For a dinner party you can add placecards for where people will be sitting. I love the idea of using leaves and writing people's names on them. You can place one at each place set if you want to have the seating pre planned. For a more casual dinner, an alternative to placecards would be to have something similar to this second picture. A place for people to write what they're thankful for is perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner. It's personalized but more laid back than having pre planned seating. The details are where I have the most fun. 

Finally, the centerpiece. This is where you can really get creative. You can use flowers or pumpkins or even candles. The possibilities are endless. My one tip would be not to make the centerpiece too big. If it's too big people won't be able to see across the table. I love the use of fresh fruit, like the oranges in the first picture. Adding in some greenery is a nice way to bring some of the outdoors inside. Both pictures also are using candlesticks at different heights which I love. Pumpkins are great to use for this time of year, and don't think you have to only use orange pumpkins. White ones are beautiful too. You could get even more creative and paint them gold or silver for a more elegant feel. Play around with this part. It's a lot of fun to come up with different combinations and designs. 

I hope these tips helped you gain some Thanksgiving inspiration!

It's a lot fun playing with the design of your table and making it look festive, but don't forget to enjoy sharing the holiday with friends and family. That's what this time of year is all about! 

Thanks for reading and have a Happy Thanksgiving!