How to set a proper table for Thanksgiving
Paying a little extra attention to how you set and decorate the dining table elevates holidays, and especially Thanksgiving, which revolves so much around the meal.
The basis for a pretty table display is a proper place setting, with plates, silverware, glassware and napkin situated according to the dictates of etiquette.
As you prepare the details of your feast, here is a diagram to help you set the table. Your guests will add it to the list of things for which to be grateful.
Download the diagram below.
Beyond the place setting:
Table linens — tablecloths, runners, placemats, napkins — allow you to convey your favorite patterns, colors and textures, Lynne Gonsior of At Home stores says. You can layer different looks to create depth, but stick to two to three main elements to keep the table from being cluttered, she advises.
Gonsior also recommends looking for small ways to bring the season to the dining table to create fun surprises for your guests. Examples for Thanksgiving: a napkin ring that looks like leaves, flatware with a themed handle, or dessert plates and napkins with a holiday theme. Wichitan Janelle King of JK Design tucked maple-leaf suckers along with napkins into napkin rings in her presentation for this year’s Holiday Tables.
Sources: Emily Post, Martha Stewart, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Place setting courtesy of Janelle King of JK Design
This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 9:59 AM with the headline "How to set a proper table for Thanksgiving."