Thanksgiving is at our house for the first time in years and I have been having lots of fun getting ready! My son, a Food Network star “wannabe,” HHjr, and I have been collaborating on the menu and he will brine and cook our turkey on the grill. Not traditional, but we tend to grill everything and trust me, the turkey is amazing! Everyone has their tried and true favorites but we are bucking traditions this year and going to try some different dishes~
Part of our group will be with their spouse’s families so we will only have ten adults and 5 children. Ten is the perfect number at our dining room table, so everyone will have plenty of room, even if there are babies on a lap or two…
Only 3 of the children are old enough to sit by themselves and their little table is close by…
see the black screen in the corner of the dining room? It is functional as well as decorative~
It’s where I hide the high chair when it’s not in use, a handy way to keep it close but out of sight!
I don’t know how long the kiddos will sit here but there are goodies to keep them happy for a while,
A cornucopia full of popcorn, along with apples, clementines and “turkey toes!” I found a lot of cute free printables online that I used for the tables~
The adults have some goodies to keep them happy too~
cheesy turkeys and my great grandmother’s silver goblets for wine…
For the centerpiece I started with this cream and silver foil runner. I wanted a long vintage board or box, but discovered I had a lot more space this way, and it was easier to create the overflowing display that I wanted~
I topped the runner with 3 square rattan chargers on the diagonal
and then a length of grain sack stripe burlap ribbon in and around and under things
There is an abundant, eclectic mix perched on the runner down the length of the table
Real pumpkins, a burlap pumpkin, one mercury glass and one ceramic…
Velvet pumpkins, dried hydrangeas, pine cones and pears…
A pilgrim peeks out here and there, and mini vases of “miniature artichokes” are tucked about
I have no idea what they are but aren’t they crazy cute?
For the place settings, I wanted the bare wood table to show so I used large black lacquer chargers at each side place
and topped the plate stack with a mini board, a chalkboard monogram tag, and a savory turkey “cookie.”
Black iron turkeys hold cranberry napkins
And a Thanksgiving printable encourages everyone to eat, drink and be thankful!
The head places have mats full of Thanksgiving words.
I do a lot of mixing and matching because I don’t have large numbers of anything~but I do have 12 black chargers, cranberry napkins, and turkey napkin rings, so that helps to keep things unified.
Dessert forks in a silver compote await those who have room to enjoy the final treat
More faux hydrangeas are piled in a bowl on a side table
and grapevine wreaths hang on the china cabinet
Tiny fiber optic lights turn on at dusk
for a magical meal with family
and so much to be thankful for
especially all the little turkeys blessings
that will be with us!
Thank YOU so much for joining me today, I am so grateful for your visits and blessed by your sweet comments!
I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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paper plates and turkey napkins, grain sack stripe burlap ribbon/Hobby Lobby
table runner, mini bread boards/Home Goods
for a tutorial on easy, fancy rolls, click here and the recipe for another savory treat, like the turkey “cookies” pictured here will be posting later this week
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