This 2014 Thanksgiving season, I’ll be hosting a meal for twelve adults and six children (almost all of whom eat more than the adults)–that’s eighteen tushies in seats. Last year, we were eleven adults and four children, making 14 seats and a highchair. In 2012, we were fourteen adults and four children (18 people), and somehow, we managed not to have a kids’ table? How, what, really? I’ve blocked it out, but this year, the party of six kids will have a kids’ table. Which means one more thing to decorate.
Brace yourselves, but, given that Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away—yes, really!—I’ve just started to plan, working mostly on the inspiration board. To start, I’m obsessed with plaid. I know people associate plaid with Christmas, but I don’t much care. All the tablescapes to which I’m drawn most involve a warm texture, namely a woolen plaid table runner, as evidenced by the pins I’ve culled below.
Okay, I know, these mostly all look like Christmas tables. But with camel colored plaid as the runner, with white pumpkins, birch pillar candles, and pheasant plumes, I think it can work. I imagine this is the table of Little Red Riding Hood, all woodsy, bordering on Alpine Cabin. Mostly a woodland meal. I hope to pull it off. But here’s my real question: do you non-Jews or bad-Jews put up your Christmas tree for Thanksgiving? I’d be tempted, if I had the space in the dining area. Though, that also kind of kills the excuse to throw a tree-trimming party. Or, to play the movie Elf, while decorating. I’m for sure holding off.
Thanksgiving 2013
I used a roll of WRAPPING PAPER as my table runner! White pumpkins. And from my Evernote list of “Things That Worked – Thanksgiving 2013,” I jotted down the following:
Vanilla roasted pears
Challah stuffing w shiitake mushrooms and apples, celery, onion, walnut
Corn pudding
Cranberry sauce
Not derby pie
Steamed green beans
Lady M Crepe Cake
Needed: mashed potatoes
Thanksgiving 2012
Magnolia leaves and blue pumpkins. I knew my Williams-Sonoma napkins were red and blue, so I had to create a menu and banner, etc. that tied into those colors (not easy!).
This photo of Lucas and Abigail just says it all! That boy is always happy! Abigail broods, which I secretly kind of love, because she’s like me.
Thanksgiving 2010
Home, sweet Texan, Home (what is it with this family and those red cups?!)
