If you’re like me, and a relative “newbie” at hosting Thanksgiving dinners, you may have some angst over how to set your table to keep up with your Aunt Mary who passed the Turkey Torch to you and set the Thanksgiving Table bar pretty high. Some lessons learned:
Take inventory and don't be scared to mix and match.
I have a big family but not enough china to make it all match. So, I pick up pretty plates and silverware where I can – flea markets, antique shops and for you Nati locals, Legacies. Before the main Turkey Event, I get everything out and take stock of what I have. Then I mix and match in equal parts, but aim to have every place setting have at least one piece of my main china (whether it’s a salad plate, dessert plate or dinner plate). That way it coordinates with the serving pieces and looks pulled together in a fun way!
Speaking of size, my dining table doesn’t come close to accommodating everyone…so up come the card tables.
When I don’t have enough tablecloths, I ask family to contribute theirs. Try not to split adults up, the point is to be together, so if you can squeeze those tables into the dining room or an adjoining room, that’s your best bet. I have spent the better part of my life at the kids table in the hall, but at least we had an open view to the “big table.”