22 Delicious Looking Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas | Wayfair (2024)

22 Delicious Looking Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas | Wayfair (1)

Even though we all know that the turkey is the start of the show at Thanksgiving, the table itself also deserves to shine. Use our guide for 22 Thanksgiving table setting ideas so festive you'll be asked to host again.

1. Table Coverings

22 Delicious Looking Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas | Wayfair (2)

Lay a festive foundation on your Thanksgiving dinner table with a table runner or tablecloth. Choose from classic plaid and tartan patterns or opt for something fun and novelty.

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2. Place Mats

Protect your special tablecloths with complementary place mats. Solid colors like red, orange, and yellow incorporate traditional Thanksgiving sets.

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3. Place Settings

What better time to break out the fancy dinnerware? Set your table with nice china plates decorated with delicate gold accents or plates covered in fall leaves.

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4. Napkins

Top your holiday plates with elegant cloth napkins. Elevate your table space with rich reds or sparkly golds. When you're done with dinner, simply toss in the wash and store until next year.

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5. Napkin Rings

Then, wrap your napkins with ornate napkin rings. Add a touch of sparkle with rhinestone leaves or understated brass pumpkins.

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6. Silverware

Match your formal table with formal flatware. Skip the silver polish and set the table for as many as 12+ with durable stainless steel or brass sets.

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7. Place Cards

Welcome all your guests with personalized place settings. Choose from wood-burned pumpkin signs or pewter turkeys to proudly display people's name cards. If you're anticipating a fluctuating guest list, hang chalkboard signs on chair backs to quickly swap out names.

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8. Kids' Table

Don't forget to decorate the kids' table too. Cover the tabletop with butcher paper and provide crayons or chalk contact paper for the kids to decorate their own place setting. Provide plastic plates and cups to prevent any accidents and for easy clean up.

9. Pumpkins

Dot the table with decorative pumpkins made from materials like glass, aluminum, or realistic resin. Vary the sizes to serve as centerpieces or place setting accessories.

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10. Pinecones

Supplement your pumpkins with pinecones for a wide array of fall accents. Use the ridges to hold place cards, or prop up Thanksgiving signage on the table.

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11. Candles & Candle Holders

Add warmth to your table with cozy candles and decorative candleholders. Be sure to opt for unscented candles so you don't take away from the delicious smells of your Thanksgiving dinner.

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12. Dessert Decor

Double the use of your dessert decor and use a cake stand to display fall decor until you bring out the pies. Stack pumpkins or gourds on top of the stand until it's time to swap them out for dessert.

13. Faux Agriculture

Incorporate food elements with decorative displays of faux fruits and vegetables. Accessorize your meal with artificial apples, ears of corn, and bountiful cornucopias.

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14. Faux Flowers

Bring life to the table with colorful additions of faux flowers. Lay out branches of cranberries, strings of lush garland, and vibrant sunflowers. The best part is they won't die, so you can use them year after year.

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15. Table Vases

Fill tall spaces on your table with clear vases and glass hurricanes. Fill the vases with seasonal decor such as artificial acorns and fabric leaves.

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16. Fabric

Add more texture on top of your tablecloth and runner by cascading festive swaths of fabric. Wind ribbon with traditional prints like plaid and materials like burlap around chairs for a tactile decoration.

17. Buffet Style

Take the stress out of serving and set your dining room up as a buffet. Use a buffet or sideboard to store all the plates and serving pieces and then top with the entrees and sides for everyone to serve themselves.

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18. Serving Pieces

Pass the food along the table without a hitch with serving pieces like the turkey platter, meat fork, and gravy boat. Don't forget the dessert server so everyone can get a piece of that pie.

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19. Silverware Display

Keep your flatware accessible to everyone on the table by having a caddy display. No need to go running back and forth to the kitchen every time someone drops a fork or knife.

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20. Mini Dishes

Give everyone their own side dishes to avoid reaching across the table only to find out there's no more mac and cheese. Use mini casserole dishes and ramekins for personal trimmings.

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21. Crystal

Decorate your table with the highest luxury and use crystal drinkware. Pop the cork on the special wine and pour your guests an elegant libation to match their top tier feast.

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22. Gratitude Notepads

Put your guests in the Thanksgiving spirit by adding a small notepad to their place setting. Diners can list out what they're thankful for to have a beautiful moment to share around the table.

Have your guest feasting their eyes on your beautiful Thanksgiving table setting ideas and check out more of our Thanksgiving decor to transform you entire house for turkey day.

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22 Delicious Looking Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas | Wayfair (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.

How do you set a beautiful table for Thanksgiving? ›

White plates are a versatile, cost-effective way to add different design features that will not break the bank. Simply add different chargers, patterned small plates, and napkins that you can change seasonally. It will not only add to your table, but will freshen up the look without burning a hole in your wallet.

What are the best questions for Thanksgiving table? ›

What are you most thankful for this year? (You knew it was coming.) If you could redo yesterday, what would you do? If you could only eat three things for the rest of your life, what would they be? If you could be famous for something, what would it be?

What makes a beautiful table setting? ›

A combination of florals―a pretty quilt repurposed as a tablecloth; dinnerware; and straight-from-the-garden blooms―turn an outdoor dinner party into a lush affair.

How to decorate a table for Thanksgiving easy? ›

Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas
  1. Nature's Bounty: Incorporate elements like mini pumpkins, gourds, and pinecones for a rustic and charming look.
  2. Harvest Centerpiece: Arrange a table runner of wheat like my mom did, dried corn, and fall foliage for an abundant harvest feel.
Oct 25, 2023

How do you set a table beautifully? ›

The fork is placed to the left of the plate. Place the knife to the right of the dinner plate and then set the spoon to the right of the knife. Set the water glass in the top right corner, above the knife. The napkin can be placed on top of the dinner plate or beneath the fork.

What is usually on a Thanksgiving table? ›

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.

What is a funny question for Thanksgiving? ›

Would you rather eat Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant or at home? Would you rather take a nap after the meal or watch a football game? Would you rather always smell like turkey or always smell like gravy? Would you rather be in the Thanksgiving Day parade, or be one of the hosts commenting on the parade?

What are the 7 essentials to table setting? ›

Basically the components are: china, glassware, flatware, linens, menu cards/place cards, flowers, and seating arrangements. You may or may not use all of these components at every event, but it is fun to experiment with different ways to set the table for a particular event and make your guests feel special.

What is the best color for table setting? ›

Silver and gold are your go-to colors for a table that will sparkle. Red and gold create an elegant pair. Another great option is combining white, silver, with green accents. By determining the color hues, you will be able to pick out your flowers, table linens, silverware, glassware, flatware, and accents.

What is the seating arrangement for Thanksgiving? ›

According to our etiquette expert, Peggy Post, tradition dictates that when everyone is seated together, the host and hostess sit at either end of the table. Honored guests (moms, dads, and in-laws) are placed to the host's and hostess's right and then left.

How do you make a room for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Make your small space look bigger by adding a second table and placing your dining room on a diagonal to create more room at the ends and sides. And creating a diagonal layout will allow more room to maneuver around the Thanksgiving table for second helpings!

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