Thursday, November 12, 2009

Thanksgiving

Let's have Thanksgiving first, then we'll jump into Christmas. Read on . . . I feel a give-away
coming on.
I just wrote an enewsletter for the shop--for those on my email list--and could have kept going on and on about preparations for the Thanksgiving holidays. However, I've been told to keep those emails to one page (is it a page when it's on the screen?) in length, so I decided to finish-up my thoughts here.
I've always loved Thanksgiving. Getting together with family and friends, preparing annual recipes, pulling out the stops with the table settings--I LOVE it all. I love, especially, that the celebrations continue for another month!
We have prepared the shop for Christmas--we had to, sorry. We have, however, left a table set for a Thanksgiving buffet set in the center of the store.














I love the look of this table! It's that door table I told you about several posts ago, set with items you'd use when serving a large group of people. It suggests the use of glass plates to supplement the china you have.


Using the mixed, 5-piece place settings of vintage silver plate flatware is another way to reduce the stress of of trying to have everything all matchy-matchy.




Linens are important--I hope you use linens rather than paper napkins. I am kind of a snob about them--not that I require monogrammed linen (in fact, my only monograms are on inexpensive dishtowels), but you'll be glad if you make the switch. It's good for the environment and just classes up the event--be it a sit down dinner for 12 or your family dinner.


Other things to consider are your serving pieces. Be creative. Put bowls or platters on "risers" such as cake pedestals, warming trivet or over-turned bowls or glasses (you may want to use a product like sticky tack to keep your plates from sliding off).


Another opportunity to be creative with your holiday table is the "centerpiece." I think the decorative elements you add to your table can make all of the difference. When you're setting a buffet table you have a little more lead way, because you don't have to worry about seeing your guests across the table. You can set-up several accents along the table or one focal point.




Another tip, especially for those of us who struggle with choosing wines (speaking as someone who makes her decisions based on the pretty labels), is to transfer your wines to decanters and label them in a creative fashion.

So, let's see . . . what are your plans for Thanksgiving? Post your comments here and be entered to win this:

A set of three glazed terra cotta pumpkins (my favorite), a vintage look postcard decoration, and a large portion of our fall gatherings potpourri. Heck, I'll even throw in that copper mercury glass votive I used as a riser for the potpourri! Post your comments by Friday the 20th, so I can get this stuff in the mail Saturday (if the winner is out-of-town)--I want you to have it for your Thanksgiving celebration. Share this with your friends and I'll throw your name in the hat again for each one (tell them to mention you in their post).

Thanks for your indulgence.

15 comments:

Paige Thomas King said...

I will have lots of family on Thanksgiving Day. We will eat and laugh and most of all, be thankful. I have Thanksgiving china passed down from my Grandmother and table linens from my aunt. And I always use sterling silver and crystal glassware. I NEED this centerpiece for the perfect table.
gymchicktn

Paige Thomas King said...

Our plans include my wonderful husband coming home from deployment. My mother-in-law will be here with her wine expertise and some out of town friends. We're planning on having the works- turkey, stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes-you get the idea. And I'm introducing them to sweet potato pie. Your ideas are fabulous and always inspiring. Love, love, love it all! ~Leah

Paige Thomas King said...

Our plans for Thanksgiving are a surprise for my husband's 40th birthday, which is Tuesday, the 24th. I am packing him up secretively and we are driving to Nashville towards my sister's home for family dinner, but will by-pass it and head straight to the airport. Our plane leaves around 11am for the BIG EASY! I have reservations for Thanksgiving Dinner at one of Ralph Brennan's restaurants, The Red Fish Grill. We're staying at a quaint B&B about 5 blocks from the French Quarter and heading home Sunday morning!
Don't spoil the surprise! Happy Holidays!
Rebecca Townsend

Paige Thomas King said...

This will be the first Thanksgiving that I won't be with family. Instead of getting sad, I am getting excited about trying some new and interesting recipes, and creating some of our own traditions. We will have some of the single soldiers in my husband's battalion over and enjoy the day. I'll miss not being home, but I am thankful for the blessings that I have and that is enough to make it a GREAT Thanksgiving Day!
Mae

Paige Thomas King said...

Paige,

Love all of the ideas you've posted! I would so love to come visit someday and see all of those treasures in person. Remembering the delicious meals and wonderful times in your homes in Germany!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving and a joyful Christmas!
-Paula

Paige Thomas King said...

Okay! Lest you think I've gone Sybil on you--
I accidentally deleted the comments of the five lovely ladies you see above. Fortunately for me, they were emailed to my account and I was able to cut-n-paste to post them here.
Thanks Judy, Leah, Rebecca, Mae and Paula for your comments! Perhaps this mishap will translate into luck for you a drawigin time!
Paige

kdo said...

Our Thanksgiving plans are not finalized yet. Go to Arkansas and visit with parents,brothers,sisters,neices, nephews, etc., or stay here with son, daughter-in-law and grandaughter? Maybe we can do both. The celebration doesn't have to be on Thanksgiving day to enjoy family and give thanks does it?
Love all your displays Paige and have never thought of putting my serving dishes on "risers", what a great idea.

the glitzy gypsy said...

Our little family of 3 will be going to Beech Island, SC to be with family! This is our first time there and I am so excited--there may be 60-70 people--so different than our little 3 person holidays! What a lovely gift I could bring if Lady Luck is with me here.......Happy Holidays and I hope to come from Spring Hill to visit and shop soon!

Unknown said...

This Thanksgiving, we will be celebrating a bit early. My youngest son has joined with military and will be leaving on Sunday, 22 Nov 09. I have invited family and friends and we will celebrate, laugh and wish him well on his new adventure!

Anonymous said...

My daughter (Adison) and I are thankful to be celebrating Thanksgiving with my parents, my brother and his family, my Memaw and my Lonnie. My parents have always welcomed any friends of the family who have no Thanksgiving plans to join us, so it's always exciting to if we have any special guests at the table that day. Everyone will eat at my parents house where my dad will cook a sinfully huge and delicious spread. After a late-afternoon lunch, we'll watch football as we drift off to a very contented sleep. Definitely one of my favorite days of the year, every year!

Kate G. Smith said...

Thanksgiving is the one holiday I DON'T stress about because it changes every year. Last year, I hosted my parents. This year, Mom is having us all down for dinner with my sister's family and my aunt and uncle. We've gone to the inlaws a few times too. I actually prefer going somewhere else for T'giving because I like trying all the different foods (and I know I'm doing Christmas, so I like having the break from major cooking!).

I'm really looking forward to this Thanksgiving because Chris will be off work, so he'll get to enjoy the whole day with us (instead of running home to eat, then running back to the paper), and because we'll get to see my aunt and uncle from Dallas, who are a hoot. If I can just keep my mom from losing her mind, we'll be set!

Just Me said...

We'll be celebrating here, at our dining table in our eat in kitchen with floor samples on the floor, three different colors on the walls and my mother and brother. We're thankful for our new baby boy, which might just be why the kitchen is still not finished!

Karen Sterbutzel said...

Love the latest Blog... so many great ideas.
Karen Sterbutzel

Noelle Garrett Designs said...

Hi Paige,

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such a sweet message. I must say I too am just giddy about being in Romantic Homes! What a thrill. Your blog is wonderful and I will be following.

As for our plans for Thanksgiving, we actually split it between mine and my hubby's family. We have lunch then dinner. It is a full day of eating and what is better than that? he he

Warmest regards,
Carrie
Noelle Garrett Designs

Paige Thomas King said...

Thanksgiving plans for my clan are and always have been about family near and far and "adopted family members" that seem to be missing somewhere to call home on the holidays... great food, great time spent with all of my extended clan, football games (televised and outdoor pick up games that usually result in somebody getting hurt!), and shopping squeezed in throughout the weekend. All topped with a generous dose of love and laughter...

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and Big Thanks to all the Clarksville merchants and locals!!
smile,
Sandy :)

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