Thanksgiving Table Ideas

Poor Thanksgiving, it gets pushed aside for the ever earlier need to decorate for Christmas. This year I saw   Christmas decorations up before Halloween!  Will it never end?!  Our local Nordstrom store waits to put up their Christmas decorations until the day after Thanksgiving.  I love shopping there in early November knowing I'm not going to hear Christmas songs or see decorated trees.

So let's decorate for Thanksgiving!  Hosting the big eating fest can be a lot of work, whether it is for a small gathering or a large group.  To help you set a festive table, I've searched for photos showcasing easy ways to decorate for your Thanksgivings dinner. 

 Pick a Pumpkin - 

Or a gourd!  Pumpkins and gourds are easy to incorporate into your table setting.  Try painting them gold, bronze or silver; hallow them out and fill with flowers or candles; or use them as stands for platters on a buffet table. 

I love this idea.  You could also do it on a much smaller scale with miniature pumpkins. 

The dark russet table cloths make the white pumpkins pop.

I wish I could give credit to whoever came up with this fantastic idea!

Let There Be Light - 

Candles add so much to a table and are simple to decorate.   

Double stick tape is the trick to decorating the outside of a glass vase with fall leaves.

Grouping similar candles of various sizes always makes an interesting centerpiece.  

 Wrap a candle with decorative paper or ribbon to match your table cloth or place settings.  

 Fill 'er Up -

If you have an assortment of class vases, consider filling them up with fruits or nuts for a creative do-ahead arrangement. 

Idea from designer Julie Mulligan

Decorate with Place Cards -

There are unlimited ideas for cute, simple Thanksgiving place cards.  This is a great way to add a personal touch to your table but still have room for all the food!

Above ideas from Martha Stewart - who else! 

Line Them Up - 

  Since most Thanksgiving tables need to accommodate a crowd, your decorations should not take up too much space.  By using multiples of one item in a line down the length of the table, you create a simple yet interesting centerpiece.  This idea is repeated throughout the photos above.  Here are a few more examples:

Simple vases filled with leaves make for a very modern Thanksgiving

A cute, family-friendly idea from funfamilycrafts.com 

 Small flower arrangements in a retro food can.

  (Idea by Courtney Russell)                                                                        This is over decorated--it would be best with just the apples.