A Thanksgiving Table

I have never hosted Thanksgiving! I know, I know! It always lands on my brother-in-law because they have the biggest house and there are always like 30 people who show up. I have to say, I don’t mind the weight of hosting that many people being off my shoulders, but I love making Thanksgiving dinner. We used to travel to see my family for Thanksgiving, but after having kids (plus work), it was just no longer feasible. I grew up making Thanksgiving dinner with my mom every year and she could do it with her eyes closed. That woman can make a mean gravy.

Last year, I got a little sad having gone a few years without being a part of the Thanksgiving dinner-making process, so last year, even though we were still going to my brothers-in-law’s for dinner…I made my own! It was just for the 4 of us…well…JJ was napping and not really eating a ton of solid food at that point, and Grant eats air, aaaaand Brett doesn’t care where we have Thanksgiving (he’s such a chameleon). So, I guess it was just for me! Yup, I tackled an entire Thanksgiving meal, by myself, with about 2 days of planning. I don’t know why I had to get it out of my system, but Thanksgiving just wasn’t the same without the flavors of my mom’s food. The best part, I pulled it off. The meal was so lovely and it had all the smells and flavors of my childhood. Poor Brett, he had to eat two Thanksgiving dinners. I just decided to eat dessert at the second dinner instead!

I threw together a last-minute table that I think turned out super cute!! I wanted to share some pictures, and that little story I guess, in case you wanted some ideas for your own table this year.

I wanted it to feel rich and colorful. I LOVE the idea of adding food to a centerpiece. So, I sprinkled around fresh oranges and pomegranates for color and texture. The touch of green to the flowers in the centerpiece adds such a “fresh” look.

If you walk away with any tip at all from this, it’s to layer!! Layer, layer, layer! I used a table cloth with two different runners, all are different colors and textures. The flowers and fruit are all different heights and spread between a number of vases to take up as much space as possible, AND, get some chargers! Yes, I know it’s a plate for a plate, but they make a huge difference without costing a lot! The fall colors are essential to Thanksgiving, in my opinion, plus they create such a warm and welcoming feel.