These five Thanksgiving table ideas will make your guests say, “wow!” From the food to the fun, to the predictable family behavior, Thanksgiving is all about tradition. This also includes your Thanksgiving table, whose setting likely incorporates many sentimental pieces evoking family memories of the holiday through the years.
IT’S SIMPLY FAMILY TRADITION …
While there is a peacefulness and calm these items bring with them, sometimes it’s just boring, to do the same thing year after year. You may even find it stressful. It’s a big responsibility to properly uphold the expectations of generations past. The holidays are stressful enough. You certainly don’t need that additional pressure. To make things a bit easier, we’re sharing five Thanksgiving table ideas to update your traditional Thanksgiving table.
Thanksgiving was one of the two days of the year my mom actually used her china, which I never quite understood. The rest of the year (that’s 363 days for those who are counting), all 16 place settings sat tucked away in the sideboard. Let that set in … 16 place settings. Uh. I don’t own a table that even begins to seat 16 people, much less 16 matching chairs. And frankly, I don’t want them. Nor do I have room for it. That’s why rental companies exist!
CHANGING LIFESTYLES …
Romantic advertisements in bridal magazines during the sixties and seventies proclaimed, “Love leads to Lenox.” But that’s not the case these days. Thank goodness! According to Jeffra Trumpower, senior creative director at WeddingWire, formal china isn’t a staple in many homes anymore. “Entertaining has become much more casual” Trumpower states in this recent interview. “Couples are registering for things to make that experience more their own instead of the things that used to define fine dining or entertaining.”
Unfortunately, sometimes it’s not that easy to avoid a china situation, especially as parents downsize. I was lucky enough to inherit this heirloom china, in the classic Wedgwood Patrician pattern, from my husband’s family.
Well, that’s kind of the truth … okay it’s a bit of a stretch. I actually aggressively tried to sell it on the local swap and sell, as well as Facebook marketplace. I also floated it past a friend of mine who operates an eBay business. No takers to be found. So it sat there, all boxed up. Then one Sunday during the pandemic shutdown, I literally got sick of walking around the box in our basement. So I began to unpack it. No one was buying this stuff anytime soon. And now, I’m glad I did!
This ivory and gold table combines the old and the new, to create a contemporary, modern tablescape that’s approachable and not stuffy. Here are five ideas to update your traditional Thanksgiving tablescape:
1. ADD UPDATED GLASSWARE
One of the easiest ways to shake things up on a tabletop is to add interesting glassware. These gold stemmed wine glasses and gold banded, stemless wine glasses are hardly traditional. But they pair perfectly with the vintage ivory china. Also, the stemless glass is a great for water or soft drinks. Through convention out the window and use a bit of imagination when it comes to glassware!
2. CONSIDER OPULENT GOLD FLATWARE
Gold flatware is trending this year and it’s easy to see why. The polish and elegance it brings to a tabletop is undeniable. It is a quick and easy way to update your place setting, without spending a fortune. We love this gold flatware set and have used it on numerous occasions. It was well worth the modest investment!
3. GO FOR A STRIKING NAPKIN COLOR
White tablecloth, white napkins … right? Wrong. Think of your napkin as the scarf of the table’s outfit. It’s an easy way to add a bold pop of color to your table. These burgundy napkins accomplish that task. Also consider napkin placement. One of our favorites is to place the napkin under the plate, allowing it to hang down a bit, which adds additional color to the table. One absolute: always use cloth napkins, never paper. They are remarkably easier to care for than you think!
ADD A CHARGER INTO THE MIX
These gold chargers were perfect for this tablescape and help to fill out our table. The dinner plates of older china settings are often smaller than those manufacturers today. The larger chargers finish each place setting and balance the vintage china.
CREATE A UNIQUE, NONTRADITIONAL CENTERPIECE
Gold pillar candles in glass cylinder vases, a garland featuring deep black, mauve and pink hues, and lots of votive tea light candles. That’s just the start of this nontraditional Thanksgiving centerpiece. It also includes a harvest of velvet pumpkins in a variety of matching hues. Love the look, discover how easy it is to make velvet pumpkins.
For additional Thanksgiving table decor ideas, visit An Elegant, Luxurious and Dramatic Tablescape is Easy.
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