Ditch the Drab: 5 Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Table

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner is much more than just putting food on the table. You want everything to taste perfect and look perfect, and that includes the table. You don’t want it to be like the time “Your mom microwaved the turkey and you could have used it as a basketball.” (True story, and yes, my Dad still likes to remind my Mom at every Thanksgiving)

Make your Thanksgiving elegant and beautiful with these table ideas:

Table Runners

Table runners can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be. You can easily buy a beautiful table runner at any home goods store, but there are cheaper ways to make your Thanksgiving table pop.

Try running a strip of brown Kraft paper down the length of the table. Use a white paint pen to decorate the paper with the things you’re thankful for, or use a fancy script to write out each person’s name. You can also use brown thread or yarn to stitch the edges of the kraft paper.

If you want something a little bit fancier (or more time-consuming), you can make a webbed table runner from upholstery.

Place Cards

Every chic Thanksgiving table has a place card for each guest. You can easily use a computer to print out an elegant font for every name. There are a million ways for you to use a place cardholder.

Gold glitter pears would look great on each place setting. Or you could try this tutorial for a wire leaf place cardholder. It would look fantastic on a rustic Thanksgiving spread. Find the look that matches your Thanksgiving theme, whether it’s sophisticated, rustic, or kid-friendly.

Silverware and Plateware

Use the silverware and plate ware that best matches your theme — not necessarily each other. For a uniform look, go with white plates, bowls, and serving platters, and use white acrylic flatware.

You don’t need to match: If your Thanksgiving décor is rustic and earthy, use handmade ceramic plate ware and serve dishes for a more organic feel. Add flatware with wood handles to complete the look.

Napkins

Don’t settle for the paper napkins from your nearest party store. Make your Thanksgiving extra fancy by using linen napkins. If you like the vintage look, try some frayed linen napkins and use twine to tie a pretty rosemary spring around the napkins for a pop of green.

You could also make your own napkin rings out of brown Kraft paper. Whatever you decide to do, remember that Thanksgiving isn’t just another party. Make it special!

Centerpiece

No Thanksgiving table is complete without a centerpiece. Don’t feel like you have to go out and buy a centerpiece — many beautiful Thanksgiving centerpieces are easy to DIY. Try making your own pumpkin vase and filling it with some beautiful autumn-colored foliage, like mums and roses.

For a centerpiece with muted tones, use white pumpkins, white candles, and white hydrangeas. Group them together with white-washed antlers to create a rustic look.

If you’ll have a kids’ table at your Thanksgiving dinner, create a fun centerpiece for them: Buy a large white pumpkin and — while they wait for dinner to be served — let the children use a washable marker (like Crayola) to write what they are thankful for on the pumpkin. I’d say Sharpie, but you want them to decorate the pumpkin, not themselves! Take pictures, because they will definitely write some cute things.

These are just five must-haves for your Thanksgiving table. Use these ideas to make your dinner table festive this holiday!