Setting the Thanksgiving Table: Simple Touches to Evoke Gratitude and Nostalgia

It’s a holiday task that can cause anxiety or stress for many of us: dressing the table. Thanks to Pinterest and Instagram, primarily, we’ve come to expect things like the perfect cornucopia at Thanksgiving, or an elaborate array of glistening twinkle lights and extravagant florals at Christmas. While some may have the means or time to go big with table decor, the reality is that many of us have a modest budget and a small window of time to execute our holiday plans. An elaborate tablescape just doesn’t always fit on our to-do lists.

Yet, a beautiful, thoughtful Thanksgiving table look is still possible, without exerting much effort or causing much stress. Here’s how.

1. Harvest your florals from nature around you.

Inspiration for the Thanksgiving Day table begins with nature—in gratitude and reverence for what the earth provides. It’s the most appropriate holiday to bring the outside in. While some holidays, such as Valentine's Day or Easter, call for bright hues and lush florals, Thanksgiving decor has a simplicity, an easiness, an understated quality about it. Focus on muted, earthy colors such cream, brown, sage green, and burnt orange.

Lean into nature as a source for floral elements on your table. Take a walk with shears, gloves, and a basket. Try to see wheat, berries, and grasses through a new lens. Maybe you drive or walk past the plant life on your road every day and it has never been a thing of beauty to you, but through this new lens of Thanksgiving decor, you may be surprised at the loveliness you discover.

Ideas for inspiration

• Clip a stem of berries or a stalk of wheat for every place setting.
• Create small arrangements for each guest from things like thistle, wheat, and burning bush, and tie them together with twine. Guests can take them home and dry them out. This is a nice party favor and a reminder of the beautiful evening you shared around the table.
• Another great use of berries and stems is creating a simple garland for the length of the table by connecting one stem of berries to another. This is a simple (and free) way to bring elegance to the table.

02. Add nostalgia with heirloom tableware

I am notoriously the nostalgic one in my family and enforce all types of traditions year after year. (What do you mean we aren’t using silver tinsel this year?! We MUST use silver tinsel or Christmas won’t happen!) One of my favorite traditions is adding a sentimental moment to the tablescape by using pieces that have been inherited and passed down through the generations. These pieces aren’t just dishes and flatware. They are heirlooms that make up family history, meals shared around the table, a memory that stays with me long after the last candle has been extinguished.

Try using pieces from both sides of your family, spanning multiple generations, and see if your uncle doesn’t exclaim, “I remember this dish set!” when you pull old tableware from the attic and get it back in rotation. Think of how many meals those dishes have held, how many people nourished in body and soul, shared among family and friends.

Ideas for inspiration

• Use candlestick holders or vases from your mother, grandmother, or great-grandmother to hold twinkling candlelight.
• Use serving platters from family members. For example, I always insist we use my Great-Aunt’s bone china serving platter for the turkey, and the dish set my parents received for their wedding to hold the main course.

03. Produce print pieces for a polished look

Whether it’s a menu, a place card for each guest, or a prompt to jot down thoughts of gratitude, adding a printed piece to each place setting will elevate the look, giving the table a professional finish. There are many printable templates for place cards available on sites like Etsy that are gorgeous and don’t break the bank. You can also give business to a local company by asking them to produce your menu cards.

Above all, remember that little details mean more than ornate perfection. This Thanksgiving, use these simple tips to add meaning and beauty to your table, knowing that the work you put into designing a beautiful environment for your family and friends will make your holiday meal more enjoyable, creating memories for years to come.

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