Image © Colin Cowie Life and Style
Thanksgiving. Definitely a time to slow down, share time with loved ones and perhaps take a moment to give thanks for the blessings in our lives.
“I feel a very unusual sensation – if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude.” ~Benjamin Disraeli
I couldn’t resist using the same quote in a previous post because it neatly captures the two sides of feasting: our tendancy to overdo our food intake and the fact that this is a time of year to be grateful.
This year I thought it might be fun to explore how some folks create a modern Thanksgiving table – and make a few suggestions for how to decorate your own.
Image © frugalbutfabulous.com
I am going to start with a magnificent forest feast put together by Georgie Smith of Frugal but Fabulous. I had the honor of watching her pull this one together. She’s a creative force to be reckoned with. A couple of tips I took away from watching her work was the “altar” that she created to gratitude. It creates a wonderful focal point for the meal and a jumping-off point for some thoughtful conversations. On a practical level, I loved that she gathered leaves and small nuts from the forest to tie to each napkin. It brought the forest onto the table in a simple but effective way.
Image © frugalbutfabulous.com
If you don’t have access to nature, or prefer to keep the details of your table less rustic, another idea is to use some of the free printables that are available on the web to create everything from place tags to bottle labels. Add some leaves, either freshly gathered or perhaps purchased from a craft supply store, use warm colors like gold and burnt orange and you will have yourself a welcoming table to warm the hearts of your guests.
Image © Bird’s Party Blog
Image: Alexandra Doudian with Enchanted Events and Design
In the meantime, I was out in the country earlier this Fall and I gathered up an entire bag of acorns. I have been searching for ways to use them and thought I would share some of the ideas that I came across. Obviously, adding a sprinkle of acorns to any Thanksgiving table immediately brings in the outdoors and the delightful whimsy of this time of the year.
I love the idea of using this pine cone jar from kouboo.com to display the final product.
Image © kouboo.com
In fact, if you have been admiring anything on our website, kouboo.com will donate 15% of all purchases made until the end of November to the Red Cross Philippines to support the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda. I am participating in several fundraisers to help out – one of my dearest friends has family there, which helps to make the disaster truly feel personal.
I certainly hope that you have a magnificent holiday. Please share your own wonderful ideas on how you can make your table feel warm and welcoming for your guests.
Written by Catherine Holliss
Interior Design Blog Writer, Kouboo.com, LLC
Director of Interior Design, Sander Architects LLC.
Photographs © Catherine Holliss unless otherwise noted.
Blog Post © KOUBOO LLC. All rights reserved
