15 Best Thanksgiving Table Settings for 2023 (2024)

FAQs

What is the best table setting for Thanksgiving? ›

Natural Pumpkins and Gourds Tablesetting

A mixture of gourds and mini pumpkins running down the length of your table makes for a charming, autumnal table display. Flank your pumpkins with navy blue plates, linen napkins, and natural wood-accented silverware for a different take on Thanksgiving tablescapes.

Provide separate plates for appetizers and bread rolls to keep your table organized and ensure there's plenty of room for the main course. Set out your delicious Thanksgiving dishes in elegant serving platters and bowls. This not only looks appealing but also makes it easier for guests to serve themselves.

A traditional Thanksgiving table setting might start with a tablecloth, a table runner, and cloth napkins finished with napkin rings. It may include a centerpiece of flowers, pumpkins, autumn leaves and/or fruit, votive or taper candles, and formal china, silverware, place cards, and wine and water glasses.

The classic Thanksgiving dinner includes old-time favorites that never change: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie. But the way these dishes are made or added to is everchanging because of food trends and different dietary requirements.

Start with a plaid tablecloth, add an ear of Indian corn at each place, and don't forget the decorative turkey plates. To build an inexpensive runner, gather oak leaves, nuts, and decorative gourds into an organic runner down the center of the table.

A Thanksgiving meal is not complete until the turkey is on the table. Turkeys are large, so we get it, but they don't have to be intimidating. The one thing you can do to ensure a bird that stays juicy and doesn't dry out in the oven: Brine it! Get the Dry Brine Turkey recipe.

To keep things budget-friendly, gather decor from your home, like vintage brass candlesticks, and use items from nature, like pinecones, acorns, pumpkins, or dried fall florals to make a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.

Common decorations for Thanksgiving may include a centerpiece for the dining table, such as a cornucopia or a bouquet of fall flowers, wreaths made of leaves or pine cones, and autumnal-themed table runners, napkins, and place settings.

What is a centerpiece for Thanksgiving? ›

An old dough bowl or wood trencher makes a great low centerpiece when filled with seasonal pumpkins, gourds, pinecones and flowering branches.

Candles, string lights, and lanterns can create a warm and inviting atmosphere that complements the holiday spirit. Here are some tips for achieving the perfect lighting scheme: Candles: Place candles in various sizes and shapes as part of your centerpiece or scattered across the table.